Once famous for its heavenly beauty and peaceful surroundings, Kashmir is now turning to be harsher. More so, considering the harsh realities of climate change, no longer does it suffice to say that the age-old traditional ways by which houses in Kashmir withstand their normal elements are sufficient. Today, adaptation should be incorporated in house design and construction to the changing environment in Kashmir.
The almost entirely wooden, stone, and mud structure that has traditionally served as a home for Kashmiris should become a home in itself to these really frigid winters. Its sloping roof and insulated interior parts are well placed to withstand the effects of age on its mighty structure.
However, many of these homes were not designed with modern extremes in mind. Flat-roofed designs are so common in urban settings that they possibly could have handled the previous winters even a few decades ago but are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the heavy snowfalls.
At the same time, there is an urgent call to adopt sustainable and climate-resilient design principles in bringing about houses. Advanced insulation techniques form one of the important sections under this.
Another very important aspect is roof design. The typical sloping and steep roofing, as seen in traditional houses, shall be preserved for snow-shed; however, modern materials like steel and reinforced concrete shall be used to get the benefit of the concept for urban housing, avoiding collapse during heavy snowfall.
Durability of homes, more importantly, would be in rural settings with extreme weather conditions and prolonged isolation during the winter months. An elevated foundation can also be a good feature, especially in prone areas like floods. It adds that extra bit of protection during heavy downpour or thawing from snowfall.
A changing climate in Kashmir demands a rethink in how housing is constructed. Structural changes are not merely aesthetic or cultural, but survival-related, given the increasing unpredictability of the surrounding environment. Forward-looking thinking is required by a region that combines the wisdom characteristic of traditional construction with modern engineering advances. Homes in Kashmir should be built so that they can endure the snow and sustain the inhabitants within these homes since nowadays summers get extremely hot.
The region needs to acquire an outlook that looks ahead, considering wise traditional construction while embracing advancements in modern engineering. Kashmir should design their homes so that they withstand every attack of snow and, as summers now get extremely hot, sustain the inhabitants within these homes and make it a safe haven for generations by designing their houses to be resilient, energy-efficient, and adaptable to harsh winters but now increasingly hotter summers.
