The Missing Link between Colonial Jack Arch Roofing and Indigenous Construction Practices in India

Abstract

This research critically examines the hybridization of the Jack Arch roofing system within the context of colonial India, where British engineering intersected with indigenous construction traditions. While Jack Arches are often treated as purely colonial imports, this study argues for a more nuanced understanding of their localized adaptation. The research identifies a gap in architectural historiography, where the Jack Arch is seldom recognized as a culturally negotiated outcome shaped through collaboration and necessity. By analysing archival engineering manuals and Public Works Department records, this paper reveals how local craftsmen modified imported engineering practices using vernacular materials such as hand-moulded bricks, lime mortar, and region-specific construction logic. These adaptations not only improved the climatic suitability and cost-effectiveness of the system but also established a new architectural language that merged colonial structural rationalism with indigenous craftsmanship. The study uses a comparative framework to contrast Jack Arches with traditional roofing systems such as Madras Terrace, bamboo thatch, and stone slabs evaluating them through parameters like thermal performance, construction skill, durability, and cost. In doing so, it offers evidence of a conscious and regionally grounded architectural transition during the colonial era. The findings underscore the relevance of these hybrid systems in both heritage conservation and the development of sustainable, resource-efficient architecture in present-day India.