India · Masonry; Lime Roofing; Brick Craft; Architectural Craft
Madras terrace roof (MTR); achikal / arai-k-kal (the thin bricks); chunnam (lime)
A flat roof or intermediate floor made from teak or steel beams, thin high-density clay bricks laid on edge on diagonal lines and bonded with lime mortar, then covered with a thick layer of brick bats, lime mortar, gravel and sand, and finished with weatherproof flat tiles. The brick layers can be doubled or tripled, each laid in the opposite direction. The roof is cured for at least a week. It was widely built in Madras (Chennai) and across Tamil Nadu and South India from the 18th century, cooled houses without air-conditioning and shed rain without periodic maintenance, and is now rare outside heritage restoration. The craft depends on lime preparation, the thin brick and the skill of the mason.
Risk level: Endangered · Not listed by UNESCO. No national or state heritage-craft listing was found in the sources consulted.
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