ARCHITECTURAL

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING

R Ru ur ra al l P Pr ro oj je ec ct t
Design Brief
In censuses, village is the unit of classification in rural India. Everywhere in the world, urbanistion is correlated with
economic development. But the question remains whether it will be a sustainable economic growth or not?
Gandhi's walks through the villages of rural India endeared him with a profound love of the land and respect for the
people who toiled in it. He came to believe that it was impractical for India's cities to accommodate the burgeoning
population in a dignified way. He romanticized village life as self-sufficient, simple, free, non-violent, and truthful.
The four characteristics embodied in Gandhi's idealized village was:
1. access to an ever-expanding scientific and technical base in two areas, individual healthcare and assistance
in food production;
2. respect and codes of conduct in human actions and toward natural resources;
3. a democratic political institutional framework;
4. physical and electronic linkages between the village and both rural and urban areas.
Other ideal village goals which Gandhi intimated were the inclusion and provision for the full population range in
demographics, a desire to diminish the divide in access to educational as well as economic opportunity, and a job-
led economy rather than a capital intensive one.
Gandhi idealized diverse self-governing. Such a robust community life is essential in the rural village as it is in any
urban neighborhood, the building block of a successful city.
It is important for aspiring architect/ urban designer that understanding of the economic base and roots of our
country lies in the rural development is a key factor. In this exercise, the students will be put to experience this
Gandhis statement about rural India.
AIM:
To create a holistic understanding of the socio-cultural, geographic and economic aspects that shapes the built
environment as well as simple community.


OBJECTIVES:
To make a comprehensive study of a rural settlement that is an exemplar of collective design evolved
organically over a period of time.
To expose the students on the methodology of conducting various surveys covering physical, visual
characteristics and demographic aspects.
To understand the vernacular / traditional architecture involving local materials and construction
techniques.
`To emphasize on the importance of designing built form and open spaces that meet the aspirations of
the community.
Aspects of Village Study

Historical Background
Historical study focuses on events and developments that occur in particular blocks of time. The history of a
settlement gives a clear picture of its evolutionary pattern. Its analysis shall bring about the direction of development
DESIGN
of the community at large. Deliverables of this group shall include mapping of the settlement pattern over few
decades, describing major historic events of the settlement.
Physical Layout
This group will understand the holistic approach to the village spatial organization in other words land use pattern.
The road layout and connectivity of any settlement forms the basis of its development. Various infrastructure of the
settlement at community level is documented. Its connectivity and infrastructural dependence on neighboring
settlement is analyzed. Deliverables include strategic location of the study area at different levels, Village base map,
Land use maps, infrastructure layouts and other details.
Infrastructure - Physical and Social
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society the services and
facilities necessary for an economy to function. Social Infrastructure facilitates the production of goods and services,
and also the distribution of finished products to markets, as well as basic social services such as schools and
hospitals. Physical Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society, such as roads,
bridges, water supply, sewers, electrical grids, telecommunications, and so on.
This group will study the social infrastructures available to the community at village and district level. The sources
of these infrastructures are analyzed against the need of the community. Deliverables of this group shall include
physical infrastructure at household level, analysis of each source and availability of each infrastructure, analysis of
social infrastructure at community level.
Housing Vernacular Construction (Material & Technique)
Housing construction evolves over time to reflect the environmental, cultural, technological, and historical context
in which it exists. The study of this construction material and technique in the community gives the resource
availability and the skill of the locals.
Deliverables of this group will include housing typology study, method of construction and material study of each
typology in detail (Atleast 10 types in each village).
Visual/ Aesthetic Aspects
The ambiance and the nature of the settlement keep changing with time in terms of season or even around a day. The
study of views and vistas, focal points and activity center of the community that creates a sense of livelihood is
captured and documented.
Deliverables include the focal points, views and vistas of the settlement, street views, street elevation, key feature of
the settlement, etc.
Socio-Economic Analysis
Socio-economic analysis is a well established method of weighing up the pros and cons of an action for society as a
whole. In broader terms, it includes behavioral interactions of individuals and groups through social capital and
social "markets" (not excluding for example, sorting by marriage) and the formation of social norms. The goal of
socioeconomic study is generally to bring about socioeconomic development, usually in terms of improvements in
economy, life expectancy, literacy, levels of employment, etc. This group shall conduct a household survey with
sample size of 15 percent of total population and analyze the data collected.