International Journal of Architectural Heritage
Village Architecture as Living Heritage: A Comparative Study of Karnataka and Rajasthan
Student, Department of Architecture, RV College of Architecture, Bengaluru, India
Abstract
The village settlements of India are deeply entrenched in the country’s cultural identity, where vernacular architecture manifests as a living expression of tradition, belief, and community life. This paper discusses village architecture within the broader context of cultural and heritage management, with a primary focus on temple-centric settlements in Karnataka. According to the research, the seamless integration of sacred, social, and domestic spaces in these villages reflects culturally sustained spatial practices. To establish a broader cultural perspective, a comparative reference is drawn from selected villages of Rajasthan, noted for their climate-responsive forms and culturally driven settlement organization. The study focuses on how regional village typologies embody intangible heritage values through architectural observation and settlement analysis. It further emphasizes the importance of managing village architecture as a living heritage system, offering insights into sustainable conservation and culturally responsive contemporary design. The investigation employs a qualitative approach through literature review, architectural observation, comparison of settlements, and interpretation of vernacular space patterns. Temple-centered settlements from Karnataka and courtyard villages from Rajasthan are studied to examine how environmental factors, cultural practices, and socio-economic structure affect their architectural design. Through the study of the two settlements, the researchers are able to point out the differences and commonalities between them concerning sustainability factors, which include use of local building material, climate responsiveness, community orientation, and perpetuation of intangible culture. In contrast to regarding these settlements as merely historical monuments, the paper views them as lively spaces, which continually adapt to new socio-economic demands. The results show that traditional village settlements carry a lot of architectural knowledge, which can be very beneficial in modern architectural practice and sustainable village development.
Key Words: Village Architecture, Cultural Heritage, Settlement Patterns, Temple-Centric Planning,
Vernacular Architecture.
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