The first and foremost characteristic of the Hoysala temples is a star-shaped plan. In the plan, the walls and superstructure are broadly circular, though its geometry is based on rotating a square imposed on a circle. This stellate plan is called the aśtabhandhanā style. The stellate system is carried from the platform until the top of the tower producing a fluted effect. The whole complex is raised over a platform or Upāpitha, providing an open circumambulatory around the entire unit. The second feature of Hoysala architecture is the presence of more than one garbhagraha. For example, the Kesava temple at Somnathpur has a trikutachāla, meaning it has 3 garbhagrahas and each of them has a vestibule, or an antarāla and corresponding vimānas. The 3 antarālas join into the maṇḍapa. There is also the ardhamaṇḍapa or the porch. The third feature of this group is the treatment of wall surfaces with highly placed ornate design niches having tiers of superimposed friezes of elephants, warriors, horses, and so on. The fourth technical feature is the design of monolithic pillar shafts that were lathe-turned, produced a series of rounded horizontal moldings resembling a ring. The construction materials used by the Hoysalas were stones of very fine granite, a greenish and bluish-black chloritic schist and especially suited to the preparation of the minute carvings. The Chennakesava temple at Belur, Hoysaleshwara temple in Halebid, and Kesava temple in Somnathpur are examples of this type.

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