- Extensive documentation of courtyard houses, both traditional and
contemporary- More than a thousand images, drawings, plans and maps-
Overview according to climate, geography, philosophy and religionIndian
architecture is not about an object in space; instead it integrates
space within the object where the built and the unbuilt become
counterpoints to vitalize each other. This engulfed void known as the
courtyard lies at the genesis of urban dwellings in India. In this book
the author traces the metaphysical, mythical, socio-cultural,
environmental and spatial roles of the courtyard in the domestic
architecture of India - from early civilization and Vedic times to
Islamic and colonial influences. This book documents traditional
courtyard dwelling types across India within diverse climatic, cultural
as well as geographic zones such as West (Gujarat, Rajasthan,
Maharashtra), South (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa), East (Bihar,
West Bengal), Central (Madhya Pradesh) and North (Uttar Pradesh, Delhi,
Jammu and Kashmir). Courtyard Houses of India documents, analyzes and
infers the attributes and manifestations of traditional courtyard houses
and examines the diverse interpretations of those as applied in
contemporary homes.
