Study of Vernacular Houses of Chanasma Region in Gujarat

Vernacular houses have sustained over generations having added or deducted the non-useful components and are comfortable as they have adapted to specific places and user groups.6 With advancement in building technology, there is a rapid increase in the construction of Engineered Buildings, even for residential purposes in rural and semi urban areas. This is due to the misconception that Engineered Buildings are safer as compared to Non Engineered Buildings in resisting Seismic Loads. The downside of this is the huge Environmental Impact caused by materials used for Engineered Buildings, which generally cannot be sourced locally.4 Studies are needed to determine the suitability of Vernacular Construction for Seismic Resistance. This Paper presents the findings of a detailed survey of the Vernacular Buildings in Maniayri Village of Chanasma region, Gujarat. The survey was conducted as a part of the study aimed at determining the suitability of Vernacular Buildings to resist Seismic Loads by considering various parameters such as Climatology, Economy, Sustainability and Earthquake resistance.