Assam has a population of above 30.9 million people. It has over 6.4 million total households. Assam truly holds its traditional and cultural values which can be seen in their households. People make use of special materials to build strong houses. Assam is prone to greater natural disasters and destructive natural calamities. Hence, it is crucial to building houses that can stand strong in these natural calamities.
Hence, Assam uses traditional materials to build their houses that complement the structure of the house. Durability is the most important factor for the people living in Assam. Lightweight materials such as ikra, bamboo, and different types of woods are used in the construction of Assam type house designs. These materials hold special properties and can withstand great amounts of pressure derived from earthquakes and other natural disasters.
However, modern technologies and construction largely include the use of steel in building house structures. The tradition of Assam type house design is withering slowly. These designs are not seen everywhere in today’s time. Read about the best Assam type house designs discussed further.
Importance of Assam Type House Designs
Previously, houses were built taking into concern the physical strength of the structure built, economic factors, and culture. However, today people only care about fashion and display. A practical approach was used in prior times to get the most out of a constructed house. Materials used in those times were most suitable for tough weather conditions.
Ikra is a popular traditional material used in houses built in Assam. It is lightweight and durable at the same time. It is a material of rigid nature that stays intact even under high pressures. It is a flexible material and hence does not break easily. On top of that, it is an extremely lightweight material that reduces the risk of physical damage caused by it. All these factors make ikra a suitable material for Assam type house designs that can withstand great earthquakes.
Source: Assamnewslive.com
Advantages of Materials Used For Assam Type House Designs
The best advantage of using materials such as bamboo, ikra, and wood is their low cost. These materials are widely available in the local lands in abundance, hence outsourcing cost is eliminated. These materials also do not require deep foundations. These materials enhance the living experience in any weather.
In hot summers, it keeps the interior of the house cool. In winters, the materials keep the house warm. Hence, in any climatic conditions, an optimum living experience is guaranteed due to the properties of these materials. These materials are flexible hence no damage has occurred during earthquakes.
These materials are much cheaper than steel structures. Also, they protect against floods, heavy rains, and earthquakes.
Top Best Assam Type House Design in Guwahati
Below we have discussed the 3 best Assam type house designs:
Ikra – Classic Assam Type House Design
This is the most common Assam type house design used to construct residential houses. With ikra, bamboo, wooden planks, and thatch are also used. These houses are made with a proper structure of wooden beams and bamboo columns. These houses are rated best for their safety features. It can withstand great earthquakes and no earthquake damages are reported currently in these houses.
Ikra houses are mostly one-storied with their walls made of stone. The roof is connected laterally with the parallel walls. The roof is mostly made up of galvanized iron (GI) sheets.
Bamboo – Classic Assam Type House Design
This Assam type house design in Guwahati is quite commonly used as a housing system. Bamboo is the main material used in the construction of traditional houses. A brick wall is connected to bamboo. Walls are made with bamboo strips which are then plastered with mud. Local grass is used as the roof which lasts for almost 10 years.
Bamboo house designs protect the houses against floods and heavy rains.
Mud – Classic Assam Type House Design
Mud is a very tough material when hardened properly. It is a mixture of water, soil, and clay. Mud houses are quite common in rural areas of both Pakistan and India. These houses are referred to as “kutcha” houses. The dimensions of these houses matter for their proper strength.
The length of mud houses goes from 5 to 10 meters. Its width goes from 3 to 5 meters. These houses are made 1 or 2 storied maximum. Mud houses make the living experience better inside houses. Providing a cool experience in summers and vice versa.
A Few Last Words
These are the most popular Assam type house designs that are made by keeping in view the structural strength a house will provide. Comment down below your views and suggestions regarding this old traditional culture of Assam.
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