Climate-Responsive Vernacular Architecture: A Measured Study of Limboo Houses in Eastern Sikkim, India

Abstract

This paper presents one of the rare remaining typologies of traditional vernacular
architecture found in the fragile, cold-climate terrains of the Eastern Himalayas. In
this context, houses serve not only as shelters for humans but also as spaces for
accommodating cattle and supporting livelihood practices, thereby establishing
domestic architecture as a vital element of the socio-ecological system.
Constructed primarily from locally sourced natural materials, these buildings
demonstrate a construction logic that is inherently sustainable, climate-responsive,
and resource-efficient. This research documents traditional vernacular construction
practices through measured drawings, offering a detailed architectural record of a mud
house that is increasingly at risk of disappearing, especially in the eastern Himalayan
state of Sikkim.
The study emphasizes the relationships among levels, plinths, retaining walls, and
internal spatial organization, illustrating how the house adapts to sloped terrain and
contributes to its stabilization. The drawings also highlight the integration of living,
working, and storage spaces, reflecting seasonal cycles and the daily practices of the
inhabitants.
Collectively, the drawings present the mud house as a resilient architectural system
that embodies continuity among humans, habitat, and land, and provides insights into
sustainable construction practices grounded in vernacular knowledge.