RECOVERING INDIGINIOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR SAFER SCHOOLS

Text: Rohit Jigyasu

Photographs: Courtesy AKPBS,P

Safer construction practices are vital for life line buildings such as schools located in earthquake prone areas.  Unfortunately much of the South Asian subcontinent is highly vulnerable to earthquakes. In fact, over the last few decades earthquakes have been one of the main reasons for the heavy loss of life and property in the region. Post earthquake damage assessments have revealed that much of the damage and destruction was due to the poor quality of built fabric, which was structurally too weak to resist even the mild lateral forces associated with earthquakes. 

The increasing vulnerability of structures can be attributed to various factors such as the poor quality of construction, lack of maintenance, and unsympathetic additions and alterations. However in most
cases, the blame is squarely placed on the ‘non-engineered’ vernacular structures using traditional construction materials and techniques, which are largely perceived as outdated and weak, thereby
resulting in their outright demolition during post earthquake rehabilitation only to get subsequently replaced by ‘modern’ structures using contemporary materials and construction practices. 

However detailed investigation of earthquake prone regions in the subcontinent has revealed that many so called old and non-engineered vernacular structures have indeed performed remarkably well during the earthquakes due to the traditional construction systems that have indigenously developed over time. However, the hard fact is that most of these structures are increasingly vulnerable due to the gradual loss of traditional knowledge.  The crucial challenge is how to make traditional knowledge relevant to contemporary building context, including life line buildings such as schools, hospital and ultimately houses. This would require us to address contemporary structural adaptation of traditional knowledge necessary for achieving a safe and sustainable future.