Analysing Social Relevance of Spatial Organisation: A Case Study of Traditional Pol Houses, Ahmedabad, India

The spatial orgnisation of the domestic spaces is the manifestation of regional context. The differences in organisational quality of space reveal varied social structures. The paper aims at analysing the relationship of the prevailing social structure and the space organisation. This paper examines domestic spatial arrangements of the traditional Pol houses of Ahmedabad, India. In this paper, space syntax theory is used to examine the spatial morphology of the houses to map visibility, permeability, visual fields and movement pattern. Traditional Pol houses are distinctive in its character and generic in nature. The houses are evolved over the period of 400-500 years. After a sample of house layouts is analysed morphologically, the relationship of spatial organisation and social behavior is determined. Analysis results show that the traditional house layouts are evolved as per social conditions and offer better social interaction in present context. Hierarchy of spaces demarcates public to the private realm of the house. The flexible activity pattern makes the house more adaptable to the changing social conditions. The analysis will be valuable in the design process to safeguard the social fabric of the community.