7 months ago
Students Preserve Chettinad Heritage with VR and Sensors
A team of students and researchers from Christ University in Bengaluru are working on a big project to save the history and culture of old houses in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu.
These houses are very special because they were built a long time ago with smart ideas to stay cool without air conditioners.
The team is using special cameras, sensors, and computers to make a digital copy of these houses.
They are also talking to the people who live there to learn about their stories, songs, and traditions.
This way, even if the houses get old and fall apart, the memories and knowledge will be saved for everyone to see and learn from.
The project will create a website, a documentary, and exhibitions so that people all over the world can experience the beauty and wisdom of Chettinad.
A team from Christ University is digitally preserving 1,042 heritage houses in Chettinad, Tamil Nadu using VR, sensors, and community stories.
The project, funded by ICSSR, runs from April 2024 to March 2026 and involves architecture, computer science, and media studies departments.
The team has collected 600 survey responses, conducted spatial and thermal studies, and mapped water systems.
They are using 360-degree cameras and 3D spatial audio to create an immersive VR experience of the mansions.
The project also documents rituals, music, folklore, and assists local artisans in securing IPR for traditional crafts.
- Who
- A team from Christ University, Bengaluru, including architecture, computer science, and media studies departments
- What
- A project to digitally preserve Chettinad heritage houses using VR, sensors, and community stories
- Where
- Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu, India
- When
- Project duration is from April 2024 to March 2026
- Why
- To preserve the knowledge and cultural heritage of Chettinad before it disappears
Key facts
- Project Name
- Digitalising Chettinad Architectural and Cultural Heritage in Tamil Nadu for Sustainable Knowledge Management: An Empirical Analysis
- Funding Body
- Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
- Project Duration
- April 2024 to March 2026
- Number of Houses Mapped
- 1,042
- Survey Responses Collected
- 600
- Participating University
- Christ University, Bengaluru
- Key Materials Used
- Belgian stained glass, Athangudi tiles, Burmese teak
- Unique Architectural Features
- High roofs, cross-ventilation systems, eco-friendly materials
Quotes
Dr Balakrishnan C
Project co-ordinator and associate professor in the department of computer science at Christ University
“Most of the men would be away, travelling across the world for trade and money lending. They rarely visited home. The houses were built on such a large scale to host functions and gatherings, while it was mostly the women of the family who lived there and ran the household.”
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“The architecture here is truly unique. These buildings were designed with eco-friendly features and sustainable practices long before such terms even existed. A century ago, they already understood how to build in harmony with the environment.”
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Dr Anitha Suseelan
Leader of the architecture team
“We find that a multitude of houses sit in the town, and there is a way in which the water is allowed to flow through the backyards. Very interestingly, these small private properties collectively create a whole wetland system within the town.”
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“The earlier one was more community-driven, whereas the other one is more state-driven. You wait for the state to come in, whereas in the earlier one, people knew how to manage their problems.”
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Ajith Paul
Research assistant in the media studies team
“The idea is for the user to feel like they’re really there, exploring the space in a 360-degree view, guided by audio narration in a 3D format. It offers an experience that’s as close to the real location as possible.”
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“There are many challenges like accessibility to the specific heritage mansions itself. Many of them do not want us to capture or place sensors or use equipment inside these buildings.”
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Dr Vishnu Prakash
Research consultant
“When we talk about Chettinad, we only think of the mansions. But there is more to it. We are trying to bring out all the other intangible aspects.”
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Sources
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