Travel Grant Journal - Puducherry

TOUR DE PUDUCHERRY

TOUR DE PUDUCHERRY

A travel journal submitted to S.M.E.F.’s Brick Group of Institute, as a deliverable for the S.M.E.F.’s Travel Grant 2016-17 awarded in year 2016-17.

By Simran Mehta Gautham Ramesh Qutubuddin Unwala

Under Guidance of Prof Rajdatta Dewang

Brick School of Architecture, Pune

August 2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to acknowledge the people without whom this study couldn’t have been completed,

o Prof Rajdatta Dewang for sharing his invaluable time and experience with us, guiding us throughout.

o Prof. Prajakta Chakravarty for helping us formulate our travel proposal

o Prof. Anand Iyer for helping us gain a different perspective on the topic selected.

o Prof Poorva Keskar for her enthusiasm and unique ideas

o Prof. Shraddha Manjrekar for her patience throughout the process

o Prof. Aniruddha Pawar for helping us compile all our work.

NGO

o INTACH organization for sharing their knowledge base and guiding us while we were there.

Our friends

Devanshi Shah and Suraj Bhandari for travelling with us and supporting us throughout this process.

& Our families for their never ending support and guidance

The plan of the city of Pondicherry is based on the French grid pattern. The town is divided into two sections: the French Quarter and the Tamil quarter. There are further sub division within the Tamil quarter namely, the Hindu, Muslim and the Christian Quarter. Many streets retain French names, and villas in French architectural styles are a common sight. In the French quarter, the buildings are typically in French colonial style, with long compounds and stately walls. The Tamil quarter consists of houses lined with verandas and with large doors and grilles.

To study the context as well as culture of Puducherry.. To study the inherent cultural fabric existing in Puducherry since French colonialism and its impact on the Tamil culture . To focus on the growth of two diverse cultures in close proximity of each other with their individual thresholds.. To gain a holistic understanding of how the city functions from macro to micro level. Hence we divided our study, starting from the streets themselves to individual elements within the typical houses. Our study encompasses these topics with regards to the French and the Tamil quarter:

Streetscapes – exploring the composition and proportion of buildings to each other

Facades – Exploring how each individual element contributes to the bigger picture. Elements – Looking at the detailing and the intricacy with which they handle their structures.

Food and Lifestyle – Grasp an overall understanding of the way the people lead their lives there.

STREETSCAPES

STREETSCAPES

Pondicherry gets its character from its streetscapes, may it be the French town or the Tamil town. Both have its unique features that complement the street. The Tamil town, for example, has a lot of exposed woodwork, exposed verandahs and balconies made of wooden posts, colours kept earthy, sculpted into intricate patterns, but still kept simple In the French part of Puducherry, the street character is defined by three basic colours, yellow, grey, white and the simple mouldings on the cornices.

A Tamil street has various dark colours used. The wood itself after varnish gives it a dark grown glossy finish, but sadly not a lot of the old buildings have been preserved.

A French Street has lighter colours and the shrubs and plants make the street very vibrant and full of life. The colours also make the streets look more open and spacious.

TAMIL STREETS

The Tamil streets emphasise on wood as an element. There is a rhythm created by the wooden posts throughout the street. The protruding verandahs break the monotonous flat facade.

Some of the buildings on the street share a common wall and create a long facade, the terraces create juxtaposed voids in the built mass. The lean to roofs sometimes continue through a number of houses creating a common element and a singular language.

With all the dark woody and earthy elements, the colours of the building are the ones that bring life onto the street. The large trees along with the aged facades give a feel of an old heritage area.

STREET ELEMENTS

The street character is brought about by simple building elements. Each house has a framed entrance, with a carved wooden doorway with definition. The painted facades make the street lively, and intriguing, making you look further into the details of the streets.

The streets are covered with a canopy of large trees. The widths of the streets are made such that not more than two car can pass by at the same time. The protruding verandahs make interesting masses as you pass by. Compared to the French streets, Tamil streets are more crowded, since there a lot of people still living in this area.

Tamil streets get its uniqueness from the verandah spaces with seating, the heart and sole of the lifestyle of these streets. The evenings are filled with the laughs of the neighbours catching up over a cup of freshly brewed coffee

FRENCH STREETS

The French streets emphasise mainly on the colours used and the open spaces created. The intent was to make the streets as open as possible in the least available space..

Like the Tamil streets the buildings do share a common wall but the voids created by the courtyards are larger to make the space even more open. A major difference is that the French streets did not have verahdahs, but had wider footpaths.

Each and every courtyard has a flowering plant that pops out of their compound wall, onto the street. This element clearly defines a French street from a Tamil street.

STREET ELEMENTS

The absence of verandahs is an element that changes the character of the street completely. Instead they have sloping chajjas supported by brackets. The entrances are decorated with potted plants and flowering shrubs pouring over the gates.

Here too, like the Tamil town, the streets are covered with large trees. But the main difference is the cleanliness and the width of the street. There are dustbins at intervals. The colours on the buildings are light which make the streets seem more spacious. The French town has also been preserved well making them look new and beautiful.

The French streets tend to be a lot more formal than the Tamil streets, because most of the buildings have been converted into hotels or government buildings. Unlike the Tamil streets, these have benches lined along the footpaths to rest, and small landscape elements.

FACADES

FACADES

The facade is a composition of various elements; balconies, colour, doors, columns, windows and roof. To achieve a balance within these elements and the ability to merge with the street character is what would justify the facade within the context.

The typical French facade exhibits itself as an intricate work of art with its bold bright colour and its unique brackets and balusters. They tend to highlight their structural system and define the openings with a white border.

The typical Tamil facade on the other hand has a more subtle way to display itself. The building pushes itself back by introducing a veranda which makes the built mass seem lighter. The sloping roofs brings out the two-dimension elevation visually as well as climatically shades the openings.

CHARACTER OF FRENCH FACADES

There is a subtlety in which the French portray their facades. They exhibit clarity in form and structure and do not hesitate to highlight the elements within the façade..

They do not hide their services in ducts but rather systematically place it on the front façade.. The vertical pipelines helps to break down the elongated mass and thus are essential in the overall composition.

The continuous yet proportionate change in the façade allows a play in the elevation and gives a uniform character to the street

LIFESTYLE THROUGH THE EYES OF FACADES

The façade can not only tell about the kind of architecture existing within the culture but also can reveal the way people lead their lives. means to display their lifestyle

The French people lead a life where the street is a part of their homes and is a quality which they are proud to portray. Hence when you look at the facades we the facades having a dialogue with the street in front.

The arts in particular the drama and the paintings play a major role in terms of

entertainment for the French community. The facades speak for themselves when these paintings become part of them.

The simplicity and clarity of elements in the façade truly displays their own character and does exhibit a wonderful composition.

CHARACTER OF TAMIL FACADES

The Tamil façade is grand yet subtle in its special way.

It had bold columns right at the entrance yet receded back front door. It has a enclosed façade yet a veranda which gestures people to come in. These juxtapositions in the façade allow for a play of the elements with each other. Nevertheless, all of the elements do fit into place and each one of these elements is required to give this extraordinary character to the façade.

The horizontal lines are broken down by the vertical lines

The Tamil façade has a unique rustic feel towards it. The façade is has a hidden geometry which creates the balance in the façade. Even if the state of the structures is dilapidated, one can still appreciate its beauty.

LIFESTYLE THROUGH THE TAMIL FACADES

The facades allow for the intricacies of the culture to be bound within it. Like a niche to put the diya's during the Diwali festival or the extension of the plinth to allow for parking of the bike or cycle.

streets. The picture shows how the veranda is used to keeping the tailoring equipment and the woman is using the street itself to carry on with her business. So you can clearly see from outside itself what kind of occupation the people that are living there are engaged in!

CHARACTER OF MUSLIM FACADES

It continues the flow of the Tamil facades carrying the same elements through it however there is noticeable lifestyle change which can be observed through the façade.

The structures have the same veranda and the same columns and the sloping roof however the character is not inviting rather defining. They have fortified their facades to the extent that the intention of the elements comes into question. Also, this shows the lifestyle change from the Tamil façade as people here are more concerned clearly showing their property than creating interaction spaces.

The privacy that the Muslims need, creates the need for a high compound wall which is an additional design element.

BALCONIES & BRACKETS

BALCONIES

A Visual treat on the street!

A balcony is a space within a space, A piece of personal landscape. An ornate expression of the house and the house-owner. Standing in the balcony, one can spend an entire evening observing all the various activates happening in the street below.

Sometimes even metal brackets are used to support these joists

A Tamil balcony is characterized by the use of timber, dark earthy colors, and with large trees growing around it.

A typical French balcony is characterized by the use of light pastel colors, white and with smaller plants and shrubs growing in it.

An example of a balcony in a hotel being supported by metal brackets. The balcony railing is ornate and extremely detailed. This is a unique character of a heritage French building.

An example of a French balcony being enveloped in a beautiful large flowering tree. This scene adds drama to the streetscape of the French street.

An example of a balcony in the Muslim quarters. Such a balcony can be used only for one person and for viewing the activities below, also supported by metal brackets.

BRACKETS

Balconies are a later addition to the traditional French and Tamil structures. There are various reasons for the addition of brackets.

Since the structures are old, the original members become old, hence to provide additional support brackets are added. Sometimes the function of the structure also changes. E.g.- a residence is converted into a hotel, due to which renovations are done, hence increasing the load on the structure. The wrought iron brackets help to prevent sagging.

TIE RODS PREVENT SAGGING

WROUGHT IRON BRACKETS

CLOSELY SPACED TIMBER JOISTS REST ON AN EDGE RAFTER

Door- a gateway into reality

Walking through a door, one transitions from one space to another. The shape, size, color and overall character of the entrance to a space, depicts the overall character of the structure inside. The similarities are that both the Tamil and French doors are wooden. The entrance is aligned with the central courtyard inside.

A typical Tamil door however is small, painted with bold colors and one has to bend to walk through it. There is always an entrance verandah in a Tamil house. This verandah space is used to carry out some daily activities- stitching, ironing etc.

A typical French door is large, of a pastel color and usually has an arch. There are beautiful plants, shrubs and climbers that adorn the entrance and for a part of the street landscape.

ENTRANCES

Entrances to any house form an extremely important part of the street elevation and street character. The French paid a great deal of attention to this. The entrances are large, arched and are usually landscaped beautifully.

COLUMNS

Columns get their beauty from the capital.

Tamil columns are circular and so are the capitals. These are made of wood and are painted or polished.

French. Columns are square and are plastered and painted.

French column capital

Tami column capital

Tami column capital

Tami column capital

Circular Tamil columns

Tami column capital

COURTYARDS

Courtyards- be it a Tamil or a French villa, a courtyard is a must have for the tropical humid climate.

The French use courtyards in their designs for the climate of Pondicherry, but the space is converted to fulfill other functions as well- an outdoor café, or an outdoor swimming pool

the Tamil convert the courtyards into outdoor seating spaces and plant trees there. These could include fruit trees or trees for shade.

LAMPS AND LAMP- POSTS

Looking at these Lamps and lamp- posts take on back into an old French town. These lamps are deigned in iron and add character to the street.

Windows

These ornate decorations that flank the façade represent the inside trying to reach outside to tell us stories and memories lived within the structures. The way windows are dealt with talks a lot about what the people living within want to say. Do they want to be quiet? Or do they want to be poetic ? Let’s find out.

The lifestyle of the people is really not very different from what we might observe, except for :-

The way they use their public and urban space, you might wander on to some people playing chess on the street.

The simple manners and habits in which they establish identity to themselves and their houses

Their incorporated responsibility to the neighbourhood as a community

Their relation to their rich history and how it is imbibed in themselves

The relaxed nature that you don’t find in many neighbourhoods and cities nowadays

Roaming through the street one can find many of such reliefs to quench their thirst.

Street side treats are abundant in Puducherry and offer a wide variety of zing to the taste-buds.

Our taste buds are lingering when we look back at the food that we had while we were on our hunt for the authentic French cuisine.

The subtle taste and its intrinsic intensity continues to reflect the people who make it.

No travel is complete without the food and that is what brought us here to discover the differences that have made the French so popular and sought after.

But that’s not the only thing sought after here. As north Indian food is prominent here as well.

Once our excitement for the French delight succumbed and we were humbly brought back to a humid town in Tamil Nadu, our taste buds were craving a simple soothing warmth of the regional south Indian treats.

Our search ends at Surguru, where we were treated by the aroma of rasam and sambhar waiting for us as soon as we entered the restaurant.

A south Indian thali is unlike any other food item. Its in that beautiful space between good dishes and multiple courses of meals. It’s a platter where every combination of taste and spice is up to the consumer to decide and up to the consumer to enjoy and discover its own palate. YOU COULD HAVE THIS THALI EVERYDAY AND NOT FEEL THE SAME TEXTURE ,TASTE, AROMA. The food is directly related to the people who make it. Hence you can meet the same person everyday and never meet the same person twice.

LIFELINE OF THE CITY

The hustle bustle of a buzzing marketplace makes one realise where the city’s heart lies. It is the place in the city that brings about the character of the city from all nooks and crannies and crams it into this beautiful conundrum that defines the existence of cultures, religions, lifestyles, etc of people.

This marketplace sold everything

From flower buds to coconuts

From sugar & spice to board games with dice

From daily needs to decorative beads

From woollen thread to milk and bread

You know where I’m going with this 

-Qutubuddin Unwala

This market has been a part of the city since many ages and like the city, has grown with time and wisdom. Roaming through its shallow lanes one may find the secrets of all the walks of life.

This marketplace sold everything

From flower buds to coconuts

From sugar & spice to board games with dice

From daily needs to decorative beads

From woollen thread to milk and bread

You know where I’m going with this 

-Qutubuddin Unwala

This market has been a part of the city since many ages and like the city, has grown with time and wisdom. Roaming through its shallow lanes one may find the secrets of all the walks of life.

What we perceive as culture architecture space all is just an experience in its essence. And that is what travel brings about. It brings about a change in what you think, what you thought. It all is present in the moment. What we had conceived as a notion of cultural difference broke down into understanding each small aspect of what does culture really mean for the people and how does that apply at every given point of choice. What we took back cannot be taught but rather be understood and that is what this travel journal is all about.

Clicked at the INTACH Puducherry office.