The Winners!
BUILDING MATERIAL
First Prize Winners
Ankita Patanwadia
India
Second Prize Winners
Athulya Aby
India
Ar. Athulya Ann Aby is an architectural writer, researcher and academician; currently working as an Architectural Writer for VK Group, Pune. With a post-graduation in Architectural History and Theory from CEPT, Ahmedabad, her research interests lie in architectural historiography and education. As a passionate academician, she loves curating content, creating courses, and coordinating and facilitating workshops. Through her writing about the built environment, she hopes to make users aware of its story and bridge the gap between them. When she is not writing or teaching, she is travelling.
Introduction
I am Athulya Ann Aby, a post-graduate in Architectural History and Theory from CEPT, Ahmedabad, currently working as the Architectural Writer for VK Group, Pune. As a passionate traveller and educator, my awe for history was ignited through my journeys. Through my writings about the built environment, I hope to make users aware of its story and connect to their environments better.
The role of an architect confined to a desk job never appealed to me. But I enjoyed working on the field so was automatically interested in materials like mud and bamboo. Bamboo, as a building material, has been gaining significant attention in the past decade. However, most explorations focus on how it can fit into contemporary construction methods. The competition provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the research I conducted during my B.Arch at CET, Kerala, and shed light on how bamboo has been utilised traditionally in lesser-known parts of the world.
Essay Overview
The essay discusses how the Muthuvans, tribal communities which are found mainly in the hill forests of Western Ghats bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu, use reed bamboo as their primary building material. It reflects their deep connection with their natural environment and highlights the effect of the available material on the structures and lifestyle of communities. It also emphasizes the need to preserve this unique cultural knowledge and explore its potential for modern architectural practices.
The Muthuvans' innovative use of eetta, skillful construction techniques, and their slow retreat from it, demonstrate how building materials are chosen based on their suitability for specific locations, their durability in the face of environmental challenges, and their adaptability to fulfill particular needs.
It reflects how architectural methods evolve over time, addressing challenges and external influences. The socio-economic and cultural impact on the community underscores the interconnectedness of architecture with the people and their way of life. Additionally, it emphasizes the ongoing challenge of balancing modernization with cultural heritage.
As mentioned, the essay was inspired by a group project we conducted in college, during which we visited Muthavan settlements to gain insights into their construction methods and lifestyle. This experience left a profound impact on me. Later, when I came across Tim Ingold's concept of 'thinking through making,' it immediately brought to mind the Muthavans, prompting me to refer to them as 'craftsmen' rather than builders.
One of the challenges I encountered was the scarcity of resources on the Muthuvans or their architecture beyond the firsthand data we collected. As a result, the essay primarily relies on the observations and the conversations we had with the community.
Significance of Building material
Eetta, also called Indian reed bamboo or elephant bamboo, is endemic to the Western Ghats. If we are to believe the legends, Muthuvans are descendants of a group of people who migrated to the mountains from the plains of Tamil Nadu centuries ago. It is highly unlikely they knew anything about constructing with bamboo. Even though other hardwoods are available in the forest, they likely chose Eetta due to its minimal tool requirements and lightweight properties. Their architecture evolved by understanding the fluxes and flows of the material, possibly through years of trial and error. Their indigenous knowledge demonstrates how local, sustainable materials have played a pivotal role in architectural development over time. The unique construction technique, "maadamkettu," using bamboo strands for binding, reflects the ingenuity of material use. The choice of Eetta by the Muthuvans had a profound impact on architectural design and durability. Since the bamboo poles are usually not treated, the maadams (houses) and aerumaadams (treehouses) require reconstruction every 3 to 4 years to maintain their stability and functionality. It exemplifies how material choice can profoundly impact architectural design, sustainability, and adaptability to specific environmental and cultural needs.
Regional Variation
The Muthuvans' architecture is uniquely adapted to their surroundings, reflecting their deep connection with the forest and the need to protect against wild animals like elephants. This led them to building on relatively inaccessible terrains and the construction of aerumaadams (treehouses). Its lightweight nature and simple joinery make it well-suited to the forested, hilly terrain of the Western Ghats.
While not explicitly mentioned in the essay, the Muthuvans' preference for Eetta and their unique construction techniques may be considered unexpected or less common in the broader architectural context. Their mastery of this material and the particular construction methods they employ may offer valuable insights into how indigenous communities often hold innovative solutions that challenge conventional architectural practices.
Sustainability & Modernity
Traditional practices often prioritized the efficient use of locally available materials, reducing waste. Beyond the poles, bamboo leaves also are pressed and dried and used as roof and wall coverings. The essay suggests that the Muthuvans' knowledge of bamboo construction has potential applications in contemporary design, especially in emergency situations and disaster rehabilitation. Eetta, with its inherent advantages such as light-weight, earthquake resistance, and simple joinery, may be used to make easily assemblable and collapsible structures. The technique of maadamkettu can be utilised for temporary structures, fostering reusability and resourcefulness. By integrating modern architectural knowledge with such indigenous wisdom, communities can pave the way towards resilient, culturally rich, and sustainable architectural practices.
Research & Analysis
Since it is more like a material study situated in cultural anthropology, the research started with on-site observations and in-depth conversations with these craftsmen to understand the selection, processing, and application of reed bamboos. A comparative study was conducted to understand if and how it may be different from using other structural bamboos. With the information collected, choosing the theoretical lens of Tim Ingold’s concept of ‘thinking through making’ allowed me to view their architecture through the material chosen. Acknowledging the deeply indigenous nature of this knowledge, local terminologies were retained, supplemented with relevant English translations. Being a niche topic, the essay was broken into smaller parts, starting with an introduction to the Muthuvans and their unique relationship with nature. It then delved into the specifics of Eetta bamboo and its various applications, showcasing their architectural wisdom through specific examples. Addressing contemporary challenges like deforestation and encroachments on the community, it concluded with a forward-looking perspective on sustainability and modern design. Relevant sketches with detailed captions were added to give a holistic understanding for the readers.
The unique construction technique of "maadamkettu" involving bamboo strands for binding was the most captivating insight for me during the research. Architects need to be encouraged to explore unconventional techniques to enhance sustainability. The struggle to balance modernization with tradition, as seen with the Muthuvans, can lead architects to consider how to integrate traditional wisdom into contemporary designs while addressing modern challenges.
Advice for future Researchers
Every building has a story to tell. When studying about the materials, rather than just listing out the names of materials used and their properties, think about WHY those materials were used and where they came from. Consider how environmental, social, political, or cultural factors of the time and region may have played a role in these choices. This approach allows for a more profound understanding of how materials intricately mould everyday life and the built environment.
Reflections on Winning
Winning the International Building Material Essay Competition is a great honor. It's truly gratifying to be recognized for my dedication to architectural research and for sharing these lesser-known stories about the built environment. Moreover, as an architectural writer, I am grateful to Archiol for providing a platform where architectural writing, which is often overlooked compared to design, is celebrated and recognized as an integral part of architecture. This recognition serves as a motivation to continue my exploration and contribution to this field.
Third Prize Winners
Pinru Zhu, Jun Zhao
U.S.
Special mention
Honorable mention
Victoria Tyshchenko
Shreya Deb Roy
Miral Rana
Victoria Tyshchenko
Armenia
Shreya Deb Roy
India
Miral Rana
India
