TRADITIONAL DWELLING OF BENGAL

A few amazing things that the British left for us include a form of architecture that is a hybrid of colonialism and traditionalism. The great majority of traditional homes were heavily equipped with balconies that circled both the first and second stories. These balconies served as buffer spaces that helped influence the outside climate.

The climate of this region remains predominantly hot and humid, which produced stodgy and awkward conditions for living, hence the climate issue was catered by two ways, one by resisting heat gain, and two by facilitating heat loss. Reducing humidity was also one of the key factors for generating comfort conditions. The pale tinge of the wall expanded the surface reflectivity and diminished the input thermal coefficient.

The orientation of the structures was to such an extent that they gave concealing to the inside essences of the house bringing about a decrease of the heat gain. Using bamboo under the roof provided excellent insulation which carried out the thermal insulation of the roof. Ventilation was principally finished by putting two windows and two entryways before one another at a similar rooftop level. The cleverly placed central courtyard acted as the air sink which distributes and ventilates air.