IT took some foresight on the part of this Gurgaon-based architect to build homes that can withstand earthquakes. Prabhat Kumar realised some ten years ago that a country like India needed smarter and safer housing solutions. Kumar began designing low cost eco-friendly and earthquake proof housing projects in and around Delhi. Inspired by the legendary architect Lauri Baker, often called the Father of Himalayan and quakeproof architecture, Kumar incorporated the amusingly named yet highly effective rat-trap model in his architectural projects.
The rat-trap bond maintains a unique thermal consistency in the house by trapping air in between the gap of bricks. This acts as a thermal barrier and irrespective of the change in the season, maintains a uniform temperature throughout the house. It can do this because the rat-trap brick walls have numerous columns sandwiched in the walls with concealed single bar beams, that repeat after every 6 ft,” says the eco-friendly architect.
Kumar adds, ‘‘The rooms remain cooler in summer and don’t allow heat to escape the walls in winter.’’ Kumar’s nature-friendly and quake-proof houses have distinct features. ‘‘I have designed the housing structures in a such a way that the roofs are made of only filler slabs, replacing unnecessary concrete. There is a deliberate impetus on using ordinary lightweight materials like bricks, Mangalore tiles, inverted earthen pots and even coconut shells.’’ All this limits the use of concrete and makes good use of waste material.
Kumar also lists the practical benefits of the use of arches over other conventional support system. ‘‘Arches across the rooms create wide openings that can replace costly concrete beams and also reduce the number of doors and windows required in the room,’’ he says.
The use of dome or arched shaped roofing with bricks is economical too as it cuts down the use of steel.
Kumar’s earthquake-proof structures have already found admirers in Gujarat. He has built several quake-resistant units for the Bhuj quake victims. Considering that Delhi and Gurgaon lie on a faultline, Kumar asserts the need to design homes concentrating on minute details such as pressure points of the constructed unit.
When the recent earthquake in sky-touching concrete Gurgaon left many shaken, houses designed by Kumar stood out as models to be replicated.