FOREWORD This is a compilation of the work done during my internship period at Dustudio, Auroville. It focuses on the material palette used by office and certain designs and drawing of various projects. I am grateful to my mentors Mr. Dharmesh Jadeja and Mr. Dhruv Bhasker. Their valuable insights and directions gave me needful guidance. I am also grateful to architects and co-interns for all the learning imbued upon me.
TABLE OF CONTENT 1. INTRODUCTION
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2.MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES STABILISEDRAMMED EARTH ACHIKAL STONE MASONARY CHEESE WALL GREEN WALL FERRO-CEMENT WATTLE AND DAUB EXPOSED CONCRETE SLAB FILLER SLAB MADRAS TERRACE JACK ARCH GUNA VAULT BRICK VAULT ATHANGUDI TILES MOSAIC TILES OXIDE FLOORING LIME PLASTER PRECAST BEAMS
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AUROVILLE EXPERIENCE Auroville, ‘the City of Dawn’, is one of those ideas where anyone with idealistic aspirations will love: an international community dedicated to peace, harmony, sustainable living, and ‘divine consciousness’, where people from across the globe, ignoring creed, color and nationality, work together to build a universal, non-religious township.
DUSTUDIO EXPERIENCE Dustudio, formerly known as Buildaur, aims to achieve a synthesis between traditional ways of designing and building and emphasizes its application in contemporary ways of life. In its work it showcases several eco-friendly, cost effective, energy efficient, and climate responsive material and techniques which go hand in hand with local techniques and aesthetics. It aims to propagate the use of sustainable building technologies and innovations by working together with likeminded organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, institutions and individuals, so as to form a network of knowledge Centers throughout the country.
STABILISED RAMMED EARTH Stabilized rammed earth is an alternative to normal fired brick walls and compressed earth blocks. Stabilized with 5% cement, this is a low energy consuming material, structurally strong, and ease of technology makes this material one of the best option for eco sensitive architecture.
1. The walls are marked according to the drawings given on site. 2. One course of brickwork is made sometimes before constructing the wall
3. The shutters are properly washed and engine oil or waste diesel is applied for ease of removal of shuttering after ramming. 4. Mixture of Earth, Cement and Sand in the ratio of 8:4:1 is made.
5. Side supports are erected.
6. Shutters are fixed and clamped with each other and the side support.
7. Sometimes motifs made of thermocol or wood are nailed to the shutters.
9. After completion of one shutter, another is fixed with the clamps above the lower shutter. The clamps become the base for the worker to stand and ram the layers of the next shutter. 10. The shuttering is kept overnight to stabilize and bind the mixture properly.
11. Curing is done for 7-10 days for gaining strength.
12. Holes of the clamps are sometimes filled with mud plaster of the similar color.
8. 11cm of mixture is poured in the shuttering which becomes a layer of 7cm after the ramming.
ACHIKAL Traditional Indian fired bricks or achikal is a pleasing material for wall construction. It can be used as exposed brick construction. It was widely used traditionally in all parts of India with some regional variation.
1. The surfaces of the bricks are made smoother and the bricks are rubbed till they achieve uniform size.
2. Marking of the wall is done on site according to drawings.
3. The mixture of cement and sand for mortar is made in proportion of 1:4. In this time, the bricks are soaked in water.
4. The construction of walls starts according to the bond selected by the design team.
5. Pointing is done for finishing. Pointing can be done in various colors depending on the mixture such as white, red, brown, grey etc.
6. Curing is done for a week.
STONE MASONRY Being one of the oldest construction techniques that has developed through time, stone masonry applied with latest technology can prove to be structurally sound and efficient. Further efficiency can be maintained in terms of cost and transportation by using rocks that are indigenous to the region.
1. The stones are quarried and broken into smaller pieces for ease of transportation.
2. The stones are transported to the site.
3. The stones are dressed for the masonry.
4. Ropes are tied on the edge stones for alignment of stones in the wall.
5. Stones are placed in such a way that they interlock with each other.
6. Mortar in proportion of 3:1 of sand and cement is filled inside to hold the stone.
7. Certain tools are used to fix the stone after pouring mortar. Gravels are filled in the cavity.
8. Stone masonry is cured for 10 days.
CHEESE WALL Cheese walls are constructed with guna tube punctured inside the brick wall and plastered in such a way that the surface looks undulated and with large visible perforations.
GREEN WALL Living walls or green walls are self-sufficient vertical gardens that are attached to the exterior or interior of a building. Studies have shown that the surface of an exterior green wall is up to 10°C cooler than an exposed wall, therefore considerably less heat is radiated inward. Not only do green walls reduce cooling requirements but they also help to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
FERROCEMENT
Ferrocement is a construction material consisting of wire meshes and cement mortar. Applications of ferrocement in construction are vast due to the low self-weight, speed of construction, no need of skilled workers, absence of framework etc.
WATTLE AND DAUB
It is an arrangement of small timbers (wattle) that form a matrix to support a mud-based daub. The timbers normally fall into two groups, the primary timbers or staves, which are held fast within the frame and the secondary timbers or withies which are nailed or tied to, or woven around the staves. The daub was applied simultaneously from both sides and pressed into and around the wattle. The surface plaster was usually made of lime and sand or other aggregates reinforced with animal hair or plant fiber.
EXPOSED CONCRETE SLAB Exposed concrete slabs are natural in appearance and do not require plastering. They have a uniform surface finish and colour.
1. The formwork MS or Wood is erected according to the size of the slab.
2. 1� thick mud plaster is laid over the formwork for uniform finishing.
3. 1/2 brick thick coarse is construction around the mud plaster in the shape of the slab.
4.Reinforcement is laid according to the drawings.
5. Spacers are placed to hold the reinforcement into their places.
6. Concreting is done.
7. The formwork is removed. Most of the mud plaster falls with the removal of the shuttering.
8. Finishing is given where needed.
FILLER SLABS Filler slabs, precast or cast in situ in concrete with terracotta elements is energy efficient, low on energy consumption, avoids unnecessary use of concrete below the structural steel and also provides local employment.
1. The formwork MS or Wood is erected according to the size of the slab.
2. 1� thick mud plaster is laid over the formwork for uniform finishing.
7. Reinforcement of slab is laid between pots and once course of brickwork is made around the edge of the slab.
3. Chemical or diesel is applied on top of plaster so that the terracotta pots don’t stick. After this grids are drawn with the help of treads and other tools.
4. Grooves are made on mud plaster of the exact size of the pot.
8. Concrete is poured and a vibrator is used between the pots.
5. The mixture of Granite dust and water is filled inside the pots so they don’t break while pouring concrete.
6. The filled pots are tightly fixed in the grooves.
9. The formwork is removed. Most of the mud plaster falls with the removal of the shuttering. Finishing is given where needed.
MADRAS TERRACE This is a traditional flooring technique found particularly in south India. The Madras terrace method of construction, in many ways, incorporates the best of all known roof forms, avoiding their pitfalls. Thatch roofs were not fireproof, roofs with twigs and branches had termite problems, and mud floor roofs were thick and heavy.
1. Wooden beams would be first placed upon opposite walls across the width of the room, 40 to 60 cm apart. In case room spans are wider, steel/wood sections would be first placed dividing the room into shorter spans. 2. A course of specially prepared bricks of size 19.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 3.2 cm is placed on edge in lime mortar (1: 1.5) lay diagonally at an angle of 45 degrees across the joints. 3. In the second layer bricks are laid diagonally with the larger surface being the base. 4. The roof is cured for a minimum of one week to achieve early setting. 5. After the brick course is set, a 10 cm thick layer of brick-bat concrete is laid; consisting of 3 parts of brick bats, 1 part of gravel and sand and 50 percent of lime mortar by volume. The concrete is well-rammed for 3 days, so that the thickness reduces to 7.5 cm, by wooden hand beaters. The surface is cured for 3 days, by sprinkling lime water. 6. The desired flooring can be laid over it and the bottom is plastered.
JACK ARCH Jack arches are short span vaults supported by beams at the terminals. Hollow terracotta blocks are used for constructing the vault. It saves concrete and steel and it also works as heat insulator. Flooring can be done above it by filling half burnt rice husk and laying tiles.
GUNA VAULT Terracotta conical tubes, widely known as guna tubes are an excellent material for climate responsive design, local aesthetics and are viable alternative to concrete. Structurally it is a catenary curve which is stable by itself, with no steel reinforcement the outer layer is plastered with wire mesh and waterproofing is done by china mosaic or other such materials.
BRICK VAULT Brick is available in almost all parts of the country. Hence brick vault is best option for using local material and minimizing use of steel and concrete. The outer layer is plastered with wire mesh and waterproofing is done by china mosaic or other such materials.
ATHANGUDI TILES Athangudi tiles are from a small village near Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu. They are renowned for their mirror finish and durability. Each of these tiles is hand crafted and manufactured by a small group of craftsmen. Available in various colors and patterns, it is also possible to customize the designs of the tiles by working with them.
1. The first step is the preparation of following mixtures. The craftsmen mix different proportions of local sand, in high content of quartz, cement and water. To prepare the coloring batter they use different proportions of sand, cement, water and oxide and stir for 20 minutes to get a thin colored paste. Cement dry mixture is made by mixing sand and cement in the ratio of 3:1 with water. Cement wet mixture is made by mixing sand cement with water in the ratio of 3:1:5. 2. A glass piece is cut to the tile size, it is set on a leveled surface and it is cleaned. The metal frame that defines the size of the tile is placed above the glass piece. 3. The brass stencil of floral pattern with metal handles is set to fit precisely within the frame. 4. The stencil is filled with different color in order to acquire design. The glass and mold are moved together so the paste spreads evenly. The thickness of color is 1 or 2 mm. 5. After a minute the stencil is removed. 6. The layer of 3-4mm dry mixture is sprinkled over the glass surface to avoid the mixing of colors. 7. After that wet mixture is added and leveled onto the top of the mold with a leveler until 6mm thickness is obtained. 8. Pressure is applied on the top of the mold to provide compactness. 9. The mold is removed from the frame after settling time. 10. The tile is allowed to dry for a day in a shaded space without removing the glass. 11. The tiles are then cured (by putting them in water tank) for 2 days. 12. Then the tiles are allowed to dry for nearly 15 days. 13. The glass sheet is removed. 14. The edges are smoothened with a soft pumice stone. 15. The shine increases with use and time.
MOSAIC TILES Mosaic tiles are one of the old flooring techniques. They are renowned for their finish and durability. Each of these tiles is hand crafted and manufactured by a small group of craftsmen. Available in various colors and patterns, it is also possible to customize the designs of the tiles by working with them.
1. The first step is the preparation of following mixtures. To prepare the coloring batter they use marble chips, white cement, water and processed oxide colors and stir for some minutes to get a thin colored paste (For 1kg color 800 gram chips are used). Cement dry mixture is made by mixing local sand, small aggregate, bhadiya powder and cement with water. Cement wet mixture is made by mixing sand, cement and aggregates with water. 2. A wooden piece is cut to the tile size, it is set on a leveled surface and it is cleaned and newspaper is placed. The metal frame that defines the size of the tile is placed above the newspaper. 3. The metal stencil of the pattern with handles is set to fit precisely within the frame. 4. Small stone pieces are kept in stencil. Then the stencil is filled with different color in order to acquire design. The glass and mold are moved together so the paste spreads evenly. The thickness of color is around 5 mm depending on size and pattern. 5. After a minute the stencil is removed. 6. The layer of 8-10mm dry mixture is sprinkled over thesurface to avoid the mixing of colors. 7. After that wet mixture is added and leveled onto the top of the mold with a leveler until 10-15mm thickness is obtained. 8. Pressure is applied with the machine on the top of the mold to provide compactness. 9. The mold is removed from the frame. 10. The tile is allowed to dry for a day in a shaded space. 11. The tiles are then cured (by putting them in water tank) for 22 days. 12. After curing, the tiles are fixed according to design. After fixing the tiles the tiles are rubbed with machine and the thickness decreases of the tile deceases by 2 mm. 13. With time and use the shine increases. After some years rather than removing the tile the tiles can be further rubbed for use. Hence they are very long lasting.
OXIDE FLOORING IPS or Oxide floors can be done in various shades and have multiple applications including living areas verandah, bathrooms, etc. we can also apply on the walls and avoid the use of paint. Traditionally done with lime, these days it is done on the cement base by mixing readily available oxides.
1. After PCC, glass strips are fixed according to divisions in the room.
2. A cement and sand mix of 1:4 is then spread in these panels up to a height of 40-80mm with the quantity of water that makes the slurry easily pourable.
3. The surface is leveled with a straight edge float, callled ‘Chunardu’, After the finishing, the surface is scrached with a broom to create uneven surface.
4. The oxide powder is seived to get desired consistency and to eliminate lumps.
5. The mixture for the oxide is made considering the color and texture requirements. Depending on the shade and depth of the color, white or grey cement is added.
6. Starting from the edges artisians finish the floor panel by panel.
7. The mixture is applied in several thin layers and the surface has to stay flat and regular at the end.
8. The thickness should be optimum. If the thickness is higher, the risk of cracks increases, if it is less, then the concrete base might be visible.
9. For the walls, the mixture of mineral oxide pigment, cement, marble powder and water is applied in two layers on the concrete surface, by trowelling.
10. The curing process has to be done carefully to obtain a uniform color. This process is carried to optimize its strength.
11.The oxide floor surface is rubbed with 400 grade sand paper to smoothen and level the base for polish appication.
12. Wax based polish is mixed in 1 part to 2-3 dropes of turpentine. The mix is applied with a soft cloth and scrubbed with rice husk or coconut pith in 2 layers.
PRECAST BEAMS Precast beams require a shorter period of manufacture, along with a better quality finish. Detailing of the beams as per user or structural requirement as well as mass production can be managed in an effective manner.
1. Making formwork MS or Wood
2. Laying 1” thick mud plaster over the formwork.
7. Fixing filled pots in the groves.
8. All the pots are fixed.
3. Put chemical or diesel on top of plaster so terracotta pots don’t stick and for the finishing in exposed concrete. Grids are drawn on the layer of mud with the help of treads and other tools
4. Groves are made on mud plaster of the exact size of the pot.
8. Laying Reinforcement of Slab between pots. 9. Pouring concrete in formwork and using vibrator in gaps.
5. The excess dust is cleaned.
6. Filling mixure of Granite dust and water inside the pot so they don’t break while pouring concrete.
5. The excess dust is cleaned.
6. Filling mixure of Granite dust and water inside the pot so they don’t break while pouring concrete.