URBAN INK
goan architecture
By Shanaia Dodamana
The houses of Goa have a story to tell, unravelling the unique blend of Hindu and Christian homes, with the combination of architectural designs that is known as the Indo- Portuguese style.
Portuguese, Mughal, and Indian influences can be seen very clearly in homes, markets and even some police stations in Goa.
Catholic churches were built in the Portuguese Baroque style. One great example will be the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Old Goa. During Portuguese rule they allowed Goans to travel abroad. when they returned they brought with them ideas and influences from other countries. They combined the existing architectural design with the Portuguese style, creating a completely new style.
The weather conditions of Goa also makes the way they build very special and unique in the world. Well if you take a look at the older houses in Goa, you will notice that all the houses have their own wells. Only once the supply of water was confirmed that the landlord would start the construction of the house. Red laterite is found below the ground level and is available in plenty in Goa and was the most favoured material for building houses. It was easy to cut and hardened it in time thus improving with age. The other materials used for construction included wood, iron and a little bit of marble.
Goa’s forests offered builders bamboo, coconut palm and hardwoods that gave rise to the technically unique roof system, made from palm fronds and bamboo frames. but due to the fierce monsoons, they had to use clay tiles. For tiles, clay was excavated from the banks of the rivers and mixed with water then split into two halves which are then used as an individual tile to cover the roof. For the walls crystalline limestone was used which is rich in magnesium, which was first ground and then mixed in right proportions with water and sand and plastered on the walls for the final finish.
The traditional pre-Portuguese homes were inward-looking with small windows indicating the secluded role of women and therefore the houses opened into courtyards. The catholic houses built or refurbished between the middle of the 18th and the 20th centuries were more outward-looking and ornamental, with balcões and verandas facing the street. The large balcões had built-in seating, open to the street, where men and women could sit together and ‘see and be seen’, chat with their neighbours, or just enjoy the evening breeze. These balcões are bordered by ornamental columns that sometimes continued along the steps and added to the stature of the house. All these can be seen in old Portuguese era homes still exist even today. You can find these spots easily due to their vibrant colours and an European feel.
