In traditional Indian architecture, a jaali or jali (meaning ‘net’, ‘lattice’ or ‘grid’ in Hindi) is a type of lattice or fretwork usually made with an ornamental pattern. It was a decorative way of covering openings, common in Islamic architecture. But they also had a clear functionality, as jaalis allow air to pass through their openings, while filtering and diffusing intense sunlight. Therefore, in hot geographical areas, they help to combat the high temperatures outside, indoors.
Today, jaali walls are still used in contemporary architecture, demonstrating their timeless utility. There is something paradoxical about jaali walls, for their extreme delicacy and ornamental richness are offset by their solidity; they are porous, yet able to define space with elegance.
When daylight filters through the intricate latticework of the jaali, it produces a changing spectacle of patterns on walls and floors. They offer a respite from the intense glare of the sun, which they gently break up, resulting in an atmosphere of serenity and calm.
Today, jaali are made of materials such as concrete, metal or even glass. Modern architecture uses them, whether in homes or offices, as room dividers to subtly delimit spaces. With them, a soft glow creates atmospheres conducive to concentration and well-being.
Perhaps the return to jaali lattices signals a deeper trend in architecture: the desire for the design not only to ‘dictate’ the space, but to relate to it, the idea that it should not be reduced to enclosing it, but should become a daily inspiration.
By Manolo Barberá, senior hydraulic modeller in the Architecture Department of Amusement Logic
