Every Indian city, state or region has a distinct architectural style that invokes immediate recognition, with several International styles having had significant impacts on Indian architecture. One such style is the French architectural style, whose heavy influence can be observed in many Indian states, especially in the Southern union territory of Pondicherry. Read on to learn all about French architecture in Pondicherry and modern adaptations of the same.
What is French Colonial Architecture?
The architectural style and typology developed under French colonial rule in Southern India between the 16th and 18th centuries is referred to as French colonial style. Pondicherry or Puducherry, commonly described as the “French Riviera of India”, developed a unique typology of residential and public buildings under the French influence, resulting in the region’s transformation into a major tourist hub. Pondicherry’s yellow buildings are a popular tourist spot and form distinct features that instantly indicate this influence.
History of French Houses in Pondicherry
Prior to the 16th century, Puducherry was a small fishing town ruled by the Cholas. From the 16th century, it was subject to colonial rule by numerous invaders, including the Dutch, English, French and Portuguese, before the ultimate establishment of the French colonial rule in 1815. The French developed the town into a major administrative hub by constructing numerous buildings that infused the essence of architectural styles from their hometowns. These buildings were mainly located along the coastline, forming the ‘White Town’ or ‘French Quarter’ in Pondicherry. Native Tamil homes that were built later were located on the other side of a canal, forming the ‘Black Town’. The traditional Tamil homes were also heavily influenced by the French style, leading to the development of the ‘Franco-Tamil’ style.
When Pondicherry was finally incorporated into India, residents were given the option of retaining their French citizenships. This has resulted in the current development of Pondicherry into a tourist hub that is a unique amalgamation of French, Tamil and other indigenous cultures.
Features of French Architecture in Pondicherry
The French colony Pondicherry houses and administrative buildings have several distinct architectural features that set it apart from other styles prevalent at the time. Some of these features are explained below.
Planning
French buildings in Pondicherry were designed by using European knowledge and techniques, with little to no importance given to native styles or climatic conditions. While larger homes featured a front courtyard surrounded by semi-open verandahs on three sides for public gathering or social interaction, smaller houses followed an extroverted plan with facades facing the street. Floor plans were symmetrical and featured high compound walls with decorative entrance gateways or doorways.
Elevational Features
Pondicherry architecture was heavily influenced by the elevational features of French styles, which were combined with traditional Indian styles to create a unique typology. Some of the common elevational features of this style are described below.
Cornices and Pilasters
A cornice is a horizontal decorative band that generally spans across the length of facades, while pilasters are vertical bands that stick out of facades and resemble columns, but do not perform any structural functions. Most French Pondicherry buildings featured cornices and pilasters prominently. They were used to visually divide the facade into panels with the help of pilasters, while cornices helped in making the length of facades look larger.
Doors and Windows
Doors and windows of French houses in Pondicherry were generally made of wood, which was sometimes painted. They were most often arched, segmented and louvred, with simple vertical metal grilles sometimes added for security. While most doors were often carved with rectilinear panel designs, windows were sometimes protected with flat or sloping overhangs supported by brackets. Commonly featuring a slightly projecting band of white paint on all sides, these doors and windows are a defining characteristic of the architectural style.
Colonnades and arches in the French Institute of Pondicherry
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Colonnades and Arches
Large verandahs with flat wooden roofs, lined with structural arches or columns and balustered railings were a common feature of the French colonial architecture in Pondicherry. The columns were highlighted with capitals consisting of two-three layers of flat panels, while arches featured mouldings at their bases. The colonnades and arcades were generally topped by moulded cornices to create framed elements in elevation.
A balcony in the French Quarter, Pondicherry
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Staircases and Balconies
Staircases were often present at the front elevation of French style buildings in Pondicherry. They featured smooth plastered walls that functioned as railings and were generally bifurcated to create a symmetrical elevation. Projecting balconies supported by wooden joists, posts and beams, along with cast iron brackets, were also a common feature. These consisted of vertical wooden or pot-shaped baluster railings and were topped by sloping cement sheet roofs or flat wooden ones.
Materials Used
Puducherry houses built in the French colonial style utilised burnt bricks and lime mortar as the masonry materials for load bearing walls. Wooden beams, joists and panels formed the roofing structure. Although some old French buildings have a typical Parisian sloping mansard roof or lean-to roof with terracotta tiles or cement sheets, most newer ones had flat roofs.
Floors were finished with polished and coloured cement or colourful patterned tiles. Windows featured either wooden louvres or cast iron grills and sometimes had coloured Belgian glass.
The facades of French houses in Pondicherry were most commonly painted with a bright canary yellow colour and sometimes in shades of grey or peach. Colourful bougainvillaeas were a common feature that adorned front facades for providing shade from the harsh sun.
Examples of French Buildings in Pondicherry
Numerous Pondicherry buildings from the 19th century following French architectural styles still exist. Although most of these have been converted in function to boutique hotels or government buildings, the architectural essence of these buildings have been retained. Some such buildings are described below.
The French Consulate General, Pondicherry
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Consulate General de France
The French Consulate General is one of the biggest and most prominent representatives of French architecture in Pondicherry. It is a two storeyed structure which occupies an entire block and has a sea-facing garden. Surrounded by roads on all sides, the building plan consists of interconnected rooms formed by thick walls which provide excellent insulation. The main facade is highlighted by colonnaded verandahs on both the floors, crowned by a cement sheet and shingled roof and pot-shaped baluster railings. Wooden louvred windows and arched doors framed by double cornices and pilasters emphasise the French colonial architecture of the building.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry
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Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Initially a single double storeyed building, Sri Aurobindo Ashram has now grown to include several other neighbourhood buildings and courtyards. The main building, built in the mid 19th century, features facades facing streets on all four sides, with multiple entrance gateways. A projected balcony with a double cornice and wooden balusters forms the main facade. Segmented arch doors and windows with wooden louvres, pilasters with moulded capitals and parapets with pot-shaped balusters highlight the typical French Pondicherry architecture. Unlike most other buildings of the style, the Aurobindo Ashram has been finished with grey coloured paint, which has now been complemented by brown wooden and cane window screens.
Adaptation of French Colonial Architecture for Modern Homes
Although Pondicherry buildings in the French style were built more than 300 years ago, their style can be modified to suit urban and modern requirements. This can lead to the creation of homes that are a perfect blend of International, local and modern styles to produce nostalgia among residents and preserve history. Many old French buildings in Pondicherry have also been converted to heritage luxury hotels or government buildings.
Tips for Building Modern French Style Puducherry Houses
The French style can be incorporated into modern construction by adopting the principal concepts of French architecture in India, such as:
- Planning and zoning: Traditional spaces of the original French buildings in Pondicherry can be replaced with modern rooms as required, including bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen, puja room, bathrooms, etc. The courtyard itself can function as an informal living room or gathering space. Colonnaded or arched verandahs can be added as semi-open relaxation spaces.
- Orientation: It is important to study solar charts and local climatic data in order to properly orient the building for optimal thermal conditions. This will ensure minimal to no dependence on mechanical ventilation systems.
- Material usage: While the use of timber framing with trusses, beams and columns can provide earthquake resistance, it can also be substituted with newer materials like concrete to ensure cost-effectiveness. However, for other purposes, the use of locally available and natural materials—such as brick or stone for masonry, terracotta tiled roofing, tile or cement flooring and lime mortar and plastering—will help in maintaining the French style and also ensure that the building is eco-friendly.
- Decorative features: Depending on the budget, prominent French Pondicherry features like carved pilasters, cornices and balusters along with decorative arched and louvred doors and windows can be designed. Newer technologies such as laser-cutting and lathe machines can be utilised to reduce the cost of such processes. Often, such elements can also be recycled or repurposed from older buildings which are not in use- in such cases, cost is minimised while maintaining authenticity and visual richness.
Cost of Building Modern French Style Puducherry Houses
For estimating the cost of building a modern French style house, a few assumptions can be made and the cost range can be categorised into three parts:
- Basic construction:
The principal concepts of French bungalows can be adopted while using low-cost materials, such as:
- Concrete foundation and framing for the main structure
- Concrete blocks or bricks for walls
- Walls finished with cement plaster and paint
- Tiles (can be colourful for retaining the French look) for flooring
- Minimal decorative elements like cornices, pilasters and balusters
- Average construction:
- Concrete foundation and framing for the main structure with a few arches
- Bricks, concrete blocks or adobe for the construction of thick insulating walls
- Walls finished with lime plaster or paint
- Tiles (can be colourful for retaining the French look) for flooring
- A few decorative elements like cornices, pilasters and balusters along with doors and windows made with local wood (such as Honne)
- Premium construction:
- Concrete foundation and framing, can have load bearing exposed columns and arches for verandahs
- Bricks, concrete blocks or adobe for the construction of walls
- Can include sloping roofs with terracotta tiles, metal pergolas adorned with bougainvillaeas
- Walls finished with lime plaster and paint
- Polished, coloured cement flooring
- Elaborate decorative elements like cornices, pilasters and balusters along with doors and windows made with premium wood (such as Teak)
Considering these assumptions, the cost of building a modern French style home with a built-up area of 1000 sq ft can be calculated as follows:
| Basic construction (starting at ₹2200/sq ft) | Average construction (starting at ₹3000/sq ft) | Premium construction (starting at ₹4000/ sq ft) | |
| Architectural services (₹80 to ₹300/sq ft) | 80,000 | 1,20,000 | 2,00,000 |
| Structural design services (₹20 to ₹50/sq ft) | 20,000 | 30,000 | 50,000 |
| Material cost (~60%) | 11,16,000 | 14,40,000 | 19,20,000 |
| Labour cost (~40%) | 7,44,000 | 9,60,000 | 12,80,000 |
| Contractor’s profit (~10%) | 2,20,000 | 3,00,000 | 4,00,000 |
| Overheads and miscellaneous (~10%) | 2,20,000 | 3,00,000 | 4,00,000 |
| Total cost | 23,00,000 | 31,50,000 | 42,50,000 |
However, the figures denoted here are only indicative and highly variable depending on several factors such as location, size of the project, design complexity and materials used.
Preserving Architectural History
In conclusion, the French Quarter of Pondicherry is a perfect example of how International styles have successfully been blended with Indian styles to create meaningful architecture. Although the colonial rule (by different countries) in India is not a happy memory, it is important to remember our history and preserve its architectural records. French architecture in Pondicherry is thus an important memoir of these, reminding future generations of a bygone era. Although Pondicherry’s architecture is undergoing rapid evolution,—as is natural with urbanisation of any area—it is vital to ensure that this development does not erase history as recorded by architecture.