CONTENTS ABSTRACT 1 INTRODUCTION 5 1 THE DWELLING ENVIRONMENT 17 1.1 Dwelling 1.11 The significance of the dwelling 1.12 The program of the dwelling 1.2 The Process of Dwelling 1.21 Inhabitation 1.22 Appropriation 1.23 Change and adaptation 2 POLYVALENCE A RESPONSE TO CHANGE AND DIVERSITY IN THE 31 DWELLING ENVIRONMENT 2.1 Development of the Concept of Polyvalence 2.11 Origin of the term Polyvalence 2.12 Structuralism The theoretical framework for Polyvalence 2.13 Herman Hertzberger and the development of the concept of Polyvalence 2.2 Polyvalent Form 2.21 Reciprocity of form and program 2.22 Relationship between form and user 2.23 Accessibility 2.24 Articulation and organization of space 2.3 Parameters for Evaluation of Selected Case Studies 3 POLYVALENCE IN THE POL HOUSE, AHMEDABAD 67 AN ANALYSIS OF SELECTED CASE STUDIES 3.1 Criteria for selection of Case Studies 3.2 The Traditional Pol House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 3.3 Case Studies 3.31 Case Study 1, Jethabhai ni Pol 3.32 Case Study 2, Jethabhai ni Pol 3.33 Case Study 3, Pipardi ni Pol 4 CONCLUDING ANALYSIS 129 Glossary 144 Illustration Credits 145 Bibliography 146 Acknowledgements 149