LOW COST BUILDING

ASSIGNMENT 1:

KATHKUNI STYLE
SUBMITTED TO:
AR. SANJAY BHANDARI

SUBMITTED BY:
ANCHAL THAPA
12610
7TH SEM, B.ARCH

KATH-KHUNI
CONSTRUCTION
INTRODUCTION:
The vernacular architecture

of the Sutlej valley.

Constructed out of local
deodar wood and slate
stone.
Slate absorbs heat and is
impermeable to moisture.
Deodar is able to withstand
exposure to moisture and
adjust to climatic and
seismic changes.
It is an example of seismic
design in earthquake prone
mountainous region of
AREAS UNDER
himachal
pradesh.INFLUENCE:
1.Rampur 2.Rohru 3.Sarahan
4.Kinnaur

TECHNIQUE:
The base of the structural wall
is two parallel layers of stones
installed flat. Depending on the
size of the stone the gap in
middle is filled with an infill of
random rubble.
The larger stones are stacked
up on the outer edge and the
corners of the wall to provide
stability.
the wall is constructed by
layering both wood and stone .
the materials are stacked
horizontally, in alternating rows,
parallel to the ground.
As the construction proceeds
vertically, the height of the stone
layer decrease and ultimately it
is only the wood frame stacked
on another wood frame that
completes the structural wall.
Slate tiles rest on the wooden

FOUNDATION:
Locally Available Stone Is
Used For Foundation.
Trench Is Dug About
900mm In Depth And
900mm In Width. This Trench
Is Then Filled With Large
Slabs(dry Stones) With
Approximate Width Of
900mm.
The Similar Courses Go Up
To 100 To 200mm Above
Ground Level Forming The
Plinth Of The House.
In some cases where the
ground is hard enough no
trenches were dug for
foundation just a layer of
stones up to a height of
300mm is laid for plinth.

WALL SYSTEM:
WALL SYSTEM: All The Walls
Are Load Bearing And Of
Thickness 600mm.
Construction Material: Walls
Are Made Up Of Stones And
Wood Of Deodar ,Rai And
Perman Tree Without Any
Mortar. These Walls Are Then
Plastered With Mixture Of Mud,
Cow-dung And Kail Wood
Powder Or Wheat Husk. Above
The Raised Plinth Of Stones
Wooden Beam Of 200mm
Thickness Is Laid Spanning
Over The Entire Length Of
Wall. Over This Beam A
WOODEN SKELETON
Framework Of Wooden Logs BEFORE STONE FILL
Are Created Which Are Later
Hand Filled By Stones.

WOODEN SKELETON AFTER

STONE FILL

THE HIMALYAN VILLAGE RESORT,

KASOL
LOCATION: KASOL, KULLU
(H.P.)
ARCHITECT: MR. AMAN
SOOD
YEAR OF COMPLETION:
2009
AREA: APPROX 2 ACRES
TYPE OF PROJECT: TOURIST
RESORT

The resort has been built in

the ancient Kathkuni style dry
stacking stones and wood
without cement. The inner
walls are mud plastered to
retain the native rustic charm.
The resort is eco-friendly and
gives you an insight in the
local customs and traditions

MATERIAL USED:
FOUNDATION: STONE FOUNDATION, R.C.C.
FOUNDATION
FLOORING: MUD, CEMENT AND CONCRETE
WALLS: MUD AND STONE
ROOF: SLATE AND WOOD TRUSS
TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION DEPICTING THE USE OF
LOCAL MATERIALS:
Deodar has enabled the construction of wooden structures that
are several stores high.
This wood is insect and termite resistant and even when
untreated, can withstand long periods of weather corrosion.

WALL COURSES
It involves laying
twowooden wall beams
longitudinally parallel
to each other with a
gap in between.
The space between
the two members is
filled with rubble stone
and edge is secured
with kadil (wooden
nail)

TYPICAL COMPONENTS

TYPICAL WALL JUNCTION

Ilayering of woodand stone including
a truncated pyramid shaped corner
stone to protect the wood

CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE:

ADVANTAGES OF KATHKUNI CONSTRUCTION: