Culture, Climate and Living Space

Award-winning geographer and educator Janel Curry reflects on geography, sense of place, and cross-cultural encounters. In this post, she writes about a nucleated village and rural settlement patterns where houses are clustered together in a compact area.

When I was flying over Punjab, I saw an example of a nucleated village.  This is a type of rural settlement pattern where houses are clustered together in a compact area.  Often, with this type of settlement, the outer walls form a common wall that surrounds the village.  The agricultural fields are found beyond the extent of the village walls.  The streets within the village are narrow.

At FCCU they have a wonderful dormitory complex for women.  It has wide hallways and common areas that are typical of American dormitories.  In talking to someone who works in residence life, she says that if they had it to do over again, they would have a different floor plan.  Few people use the common spaces and the wide hallways are not necessary.  Rather you typically find groups crowded into a single dormitory room.  It may reflect a different sense of space.  So what would a dormitory look like that was built around the concept of nucleated villages?  And should the next residence be planned through the process of a charrette, which is often used by communities in developing a town plan?

The other factor that needs to be taken into account, of course, is climate.  Hong Kong apartment buildings were constructed in a way to get cross-ventilation.  My house in Lahore is a good example of good design for the climate.  It has tall ceilings with several high window that can allow warm air to exit the house.  And the three main rooms that are all in a line—living room, dining room, and bedroom—are bordered by front and back screened in porches and have multiple doors and windows that open on to the porches.  In addition, the entire yard is bounded by a wall. The kitchen is off the back porch and the laundry is in a sheltered alcove in the back yard.  Of course, air-conditioning has changed the need for adaptation to climate, but still, for part of the year it must be helpful.  Right now my doors are all open—it is cool and the pollution level is down to the just “unhealthy” level.  It is all relative.

Front of House with screened in porch

Walled front yard

Front Porch

Living Room with door to front porch, dining room, and back porch

Living Room with high window above air conditioning unit

Dining Room while looking into bedroom

Screened in back porch with kitchen door at end.

Back yard

The amazing ultra-violet, triple water filter system to use for tea, coffee, and cooking.