GOAN

ARCHITECTURE
APOORVA K., KASTURI K., ABHIK B., MAITREYI Y.,ARVIND S S.
LOCATION
 FACTORS AFFECTING DESIGN IN
GOA
FACTORS AFFECTING ARCHITECTURE OF GOA:
TO PROTECT ONESELF FROM THE FIERCE MONSOONS WAS BASIS
OF ARCHITECTURAL FORM.
FOREIGN INFLUENCE DURING THE PORTUGESE RULE.
FOREIGN IDEAS USED LOCAL BUILDING MATERIALS, MAKING THE
GOAN HOUSE A MIXTURE AND ADAPTATION OF DESIGN
ELEMENTS AND INFLUENCES
PORTUGUESE-BUILT CHURCHES.
CULTURAL FUSION OF THE EUROPEAN OUTLOOK AND THE
ALREADY INFUSED INDIAN ROOTS RESULTED IN THE EXISTING
HOUSE PATTERN
 CLIMATE OF GOA
•GOA IS THE COASTAL STATE KNOWN AS THE KONKAN.
• BEING IN THE TROPICAL ZONE AND NEAR THE ARABIAN SEA, THE
CLIMATE OF GOA IS WARM AND HUMID FOR MOST OF THE YEAR.
•THE MONTH OF MAY IS THE HOTTEST, WITH DAY-TIME TEMPERATURES
TOUCHING 35°C (95°F). THE HEAT IS COUPLED WITH HIGH HUMIDITY.
•THE MONSOONS ARRIVE AROUND EARLY JUNE AND PROVIDE A MUCH
NEEDED RESPITE FROM THE HEAT. THEN GOA RECEIVES SUDDEN
DOWNPOURS AND TROPICAL THUNDERSTORMS
• MOST OF GOA'S ANNUAL RAINFALL IS RECEIVED THROUGH THE
MONSOONS WHICH LAST TILL LATE SEPTEMBER.
• GOA WEATHER HAS A SHORT COOL SEASON TOO WHICH LASTS
BETWEEN MID-DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY. THESE MONTHS ARE MARKED
BY COOL NIGHTS WITH TEMPERATURES OF ABOUT 20°C (68°F) AND
WARM DAYS OF ABOUT 29°C (84°F).
•HUMIDITY REMAINS IN MODERATE AMOUNTS.
LARGE OPENINGS AND CORRIDORS TO COUNTERACT
HOT AND HUMID CLIMATE….
SLOPING ROOF AS HIGH RAINFALL….
THIS IS WHAT A TYPICIAL "OLD STYLE" GOAN
HOUSE LOOKS LIKE. MOST HOUSES IN GOA
HAVE THEIR ROOFS CONSTRUCTED WITH RED
"MANGLOREAN" TILES. THE LONG STAIRWAY
LEADS TO A BALCONY ALSO KNOWN AS A
"BALCAO" IN KONKANI AND PORTUGUESE
 HINDU GOAN HOUSES

THE GOAN HINDU ARCHITECTURAL

STYLE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE
PORTUGUESE-INFLUENCED STYLE.
HINDU HOUSES HAVE LITTLE
COLONIAL INFLUENCE.
MOST OF THE BIG HOUSES HAVE A
COURTYARD CALLED AS RAJANGAN IN
KONKAN WHERE A TULSI VRINDAVAN
IS SEEN.
A SPECIAL PLACE CALLED AS SOPPO IS
OFTEN USED FOR RELAXING.
 General house plan observed in Goa.

Rooms in the periphery and open courtyard in the centre in

response to hot and humid climate…...
 ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

GOAN TRADITIONAL HINDU HOUSES HAVE THE

FOLLOWING FEATURES:
•ANGAN (COURTYARD WITH A TULASI VRINDAVAN)
•RAJANGAN (A COURTYARD INSIDE THE HOUSE)
•DEVA KOOD (A PLACE FOR DAILY PRAYER AND
OTHER RITUALS)
•SAAL (A HALL)
•RANDCHI KOOD (A KITCHEN WITH A DOOR WHICH
IS CALLED MAGIL DAAR)
•A ROOM SPECIAL MEANT FOR PREGNANT AND
NURSING MOTHERS.
•KOTHAR (STORE ROOM)
•A HALL SPECIALLY MEANT FOR CELEBRATING
GANESHOTSAV
 PLANNING
MOST HOUSES ARE SYMMETRICAL WITH
THE ENTRANCE DOOR OCCUPYING THE
PLACE OF HONOUR.

FRONT DOOR LEADS TO A FOYER WHICH

THEN EITHER LEADS TO THE SALA (THE
MAIN HALL FOR ENTERTAINING A LARGE
NUMBER OF GUESTS) OR THE SALA DE
VISITA (A SMALLER HALL FOR
ENTERTAINING A SMALL NUMBER OF
GUESTS) AND IN SOME CASES THE CHAPEL
IS IN THE HOUSE.

ONE CAN ALSO DIRECTLY ENTER THE

REST OF THE HOUSE FROM HERE, WHICH
IS USUALLY REVOLVED AROUND A
COURTYARD.

 TYPICALLY THE MASTER BEDROOM

OPENS INTO THE SALA OR IS CLOSE TO IT.
 INTERIORS

CONSISTING OF HUMBLE BURNT EARTH

PLASTERED OVER WITH COW DUNG AND HAY,
OR WITH ELABORATE PATTERNS MADE WITH
TILES IMPORTED FROM EUROPE
THE FLOORS IN GOAN HOUSES HAVE BEEN
BOTH WORKPLACES AND STATEMENTS.
ALMOST ALL GOAN HOUSES HAVE A FALSE
CEILING OF WOOD.
 THE DINING ROOM IS USUALLY
PERPENDICULAR TO THE ROOMS
 THE BEDROOMS FLANK THE COURTYARD,
AND THE KITCHENS AND SERVICE AREAS ARE
AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE.
 IN THE CASE OF TWO-STORY HOUSES, A
STAIRCASE, EITHER FROM THE FOYER OR THE
DINING ROOM, LEADS TO MORE BEDROOMS.
 EXTERIORS
LARGE ORNAMENTAL WINDOWS WITH STUCCO
MOULDINGS OPEN ONTO VERANDAS.
THESE MAY APPEAR PURELY DECORATIVE, BUT
HAVE THEIR ORIGINS IN SIMILAR MOULDINGS IN
THE WINDOWS OF PORTUGUESE HOUSES.
THE DESIGN IS THEREFORE AN IMPORT BUT
SERVES A SIMILAR PURPOSE IN GOA: TO HELP
CONSTRUCT THE DISTINCT IDENTITY OF THE HOME.
WINDOWS GRADUALLY BECAME MORE
DECORATIVE, ORNATE, AND EXPRESSIVE.
FRONT DOORS ARE FLANKED BY COLUMNS OR
PILASTERS.
RAILINGS WERE THE MOST INTRICATE
EMBELLISHMENT IN A GOAN HOUSE.
PILLARS, PIERS, AND COLOURS DO NOT SEEM TO
BE INFLUENCED BY ANY STYLE IN PARTICULAR;
RATHER THEY CONFORM TO A MIXED BAG OF
ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.
 USE OF COLOUR
DRAMATIC AND STARTLING COLOUR
—ACHIEVED WITH VEGETABLE AND
NATURAL DYES

WITH A COLOUR WASH, THE HOUSE

LOOKED "DRESSED" AND THEREFORE
DISPLAYED THE ECONOMIC WELL-
BEING OF THE RESIDENTS.

THE WALLS WERE MADE OF MUD

AND THEN LATER OF LATERITE STONE

 THEY WERE USUALLY PLASTERED

THEN PAINTED.

VERY FEW BUILDINGS ARE

COLOURED EXACTLY ALIKE AND SOLID
COLOURS ARE USED
 RENDERING OR PIPING IN WHITE IS
THE RESULT OF THE RULE DURING
THE PORTUGUESE OCCUPATION OF
GOA THAT NO PRIVATE HOUSE OR
BUILDING COULD BE PAINTED IN
INTERIORS ARE USUALLY IN WHITE.
PALER COLOURS WITH SOLID  ONLY CHURCHES AND CHAPELS
COLOR HIGHLIGHTS. ENJOYED THIS PRIVILEGE.
 AS A RESULT OF THIS CODE, AN
INTERESTING AND AESTHETICALLY
PLEASING TREND DEVELOPED, AS
COMPETITION AMONG NEIGHBOURS
GAVE IMPETUS TO VARIETY.
USE OF COLOURS
CORNICES
COUNTRY TILES USED AS ACORBELARE A
FEATURE PECULIAR TO GOA. THE EFFECT
ACHIEVED IS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING,
GIVING THE ROOF PROJECTION A SOLID,
MOULDED APPEARANCE.

GATEPOSTS AND COMPOUND

WALL
GATEWAYS CONSISTED OF ELABORATELY
CARVED COMPOUND WALLS ON EITHER
SIDE OF THE GATE POSTS.
INTEGRATION OF
PORTUGESE AND
TRADITIONAL GOAN
ARCHITECTURE
 THE PORTUGESE INFLUENCE IN GOA IS NOT
ONLY IN TERMS OF ACHITECTURE BUT ALSO A
VARIOUS OTHER FACTORS THAT MIGHT
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AFFECT THE
ARCHITECTURE
CUISINE – AN EXOTIC MIX OF TRULY TASTY AND DELICIOUS
VARIOUS OTHER TYPES OF COOKING THAT MAKES IT SO
UNIQUE ALSO OWING TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE OVERSEAS
COLONIES.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXQUISITE FURNISHINGS AND
DECORATIONS BY LOCAL CRAFTSMEN.
FUSION OF GOAN CULTURE WITH PORTUGESE THAT INTURN
AFFECTS HE MUSIC AND DANCE OF THE REGION.
SIMILARITY IN CLIMATIC CONDITIONS LED TO SIMILAR BUILT
FORM
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
DIFFERS ACCORDING TO
LOCALLY AVAILABLE BUILDING
MATERIALS AND CLIMATIC
CONDITIONS.
MOST HOUSES ARE BUILT IN
STONE AND PAINTED IN VIVID
COLORS.
HOUSES ARE
WHITEWASHED, WITH THE
DOORS AND WINDOWS
FRAMED IN YELLOW OR BLUE.
PORTUGUESE CULTURE IS TODAY SO
IMBIBED IN THE LIVES OF GOANS
THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE GOA
WITHOUT ITS PORTUGUESE
CONNECTION.
 THE RESULT OF FOUR AND HALF
CENTURIES OF RULE IS TODAY WHAT
GOA IS, A UNIQUE, RICH BLEND OF
WESTERN AND EASTERN CULTURE.
THIS UNIQUE BLEND APPARENT
EVERY WHERE, FROM ART AND
ARCHITECTURE TO FOOD AND MUSIC,
IS THE TRADEMARK OF GOA
CHURCHES IN GOA
WHITE CHURCHES IN
GOA
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