Question

Write down the features of houses built in rural areas.

Answer 1

Hint: A village comes under ‘rural settlement’ where the people are involved in primary activities like agriculture. The houses built in the rural settlements or rural areas are according to the environmental conditions persisting in that region.

Complete answer:
The areas where people live and build their homes are known as “Settlements”. Early humans were dependent on nature to obtain shelter, but as ‘Agriculture’ came into existence there was a need to develop a permanent shelter near the crops. Hence, villages, towns and cities started developing around areas having water and fertile land for agricultural practices. Gradually with the progression of human trade and society, settlements developed into civilisations which existed primarily on the river banks.

A village comes under ‘rural settlement’ where the people are involved in agriculture, forestry, fishing, crafts work, and trading. Rural settlements are of 2 types, namely ‘Compact' and ‘Settled’ rural settlements. The former has closely built houses on a flat piece of land, while the latter has houses which are scattered over a large area.

The houses built in the rural settlements or rural areas are according to the persisting environmental conditions of that region. For example, houses built in rainy areas possess slanted roofs and in flood prone areas (areas where floods occur frequently), houses are constructed on platforms and stilts (wooden poles). The design and the building materials used in the construction of houses differ from one ecological region to another. Besides, the houses are designed in such a way that it includes the animal shed along with its fodder-store within it. This is done on purpose in order to keep the domestic animals and their food properly secured from wild animals.

In hot regions, houses are made of thick mud walls and thatched roofs, mostly with the materials that are available locally like stones, mud, clay, and straw.

Note: There are a number of problems faced due to the material used in building houses in the rural areas. The houses made of mud, wood and thatch are highly susceptible to damage during heavy rains and floods. Majority of house designs are typically lacking in proper ventilation. Especially in developing countries, rural settlements are poorly equipped with infrastructure, and hence pose a great challenge as well as opportunities for planners.