Contemplating the traditional rural architecture of Nalanda: A case study
Abstract The fundamental purpose of a building is to provide a comfortable and safe living environment, which protects from the extremes of surrounding environment, as well as give an opportunity of physical and psychosomatic development. The traditional buildings evolved gradually to meet the eventually changing human needs and lifestyle over a period of time, integrates the environmental and socioeconomic characters of the society in a well manner. These buildings have attained deep reconciliation with site surroundings, and thus, have minimal environmental impact. In spite of rapidly growing concept of advanced technological approach towards sustainability, the concept of indigenous technology and traditional architecture plays an active role. The main objective of this paper is to understand the principles and strategies for sustainability from traditional rural architecture and indigenous technologies. The methodology adopted is documentation of a traditional rural house of Nalanda, India, and analyse the environmental and socioeconomic aspects. The data has been collected from surveys, site measurements, literature, and other secondary sources. The thermal performance of a traditional house is analysed through computer aided simulations in the present investigation. This paper concludes with an appreciation of principles of traditional rural architecture and advocates their integration in the present scenario.