Vernacular Architecture

MUYRAM AMEHAR

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

CONTENTS I: WHAT IS VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE II: CHARACTERISTICS, PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE STNETNOC

III:THE NEED OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN PRESENT TIME IV: BENEFITS VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE V: DRAWBACKS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE VI: CONCLUSION VII: REFERENCES

WHAT IS VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE?

The construction methods depend on the local material available and the techniques known to local builders, as well as the needs , economy, values and culture of the people and place.

NOITINIFED

Vernacular Architecture is a category/style of architecture where ordinary buildings are constructed based on the identity and needs of the region.

JAPAN'S MINKA HOUSE

FEATURE STEEP THATCHED ROOFS AND PROJECTING EAVES. FOUND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THE EXACT STYLE OF MINKA BUILDINGS DEPENDS ON THE LOCAL CLIMATE AND THE STATUS OF THEIR OWNER.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

FUNCTIONAL

EVOLVING

BASIC

The category of domestic vernacular architecture suits the normal functions of life such as eating, sitting, sleeping etc in other words focuses on the funtion rather than the trends or aesthetics.

Vernacular architecture is independent of a certain time and place. It tends to evolve over time and reflect the traditional, environmental and technological transitions and change of the area.

Vernacular architecture responds and address the human need in the simplest form using the available resources.

PRINCIPLES THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DESIGN IN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE VARY FROM REGION TO REGION DUE THEIR DIFFERENCE IN CULTURE, NEEDS AND CLIMATE.

CLIMATE RESPONSIVE Where structures are designed to suit the climate of the region

COST EFFECTIVE Built from locally available materials

SPACIAL DESIGN SYSTEM Where the natural, cultural and user requirements are respected in deisgn.

INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGIES Where the technology used by the native inhabitants of a region is dereived from their culture and heritage.

HOWEVER VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE, SHARES THE SAME PRINCIPLES OF BEING:-

ELEMENTS SIMILARLY THE ELEMTS OF DESIGN IN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE REFELECT THE VERNACULAR NEEDS OF THE REGION SUCH AS WINDOWS AND SCREENS FOR VENTILATION, VERANDAS, COURTYARDS ETC

EXAMPLES

OVERHANGING ROOFS Used in hot-arid climate to provide shade and drain off rain water

STRAW AND MUD HUTS Huts made from the available material of mud and straw to make basic units.

CHINESE ROOF &COURTYARD

WHEEL BARROW

Cultural roof elements and traditional central courtyard

self made transportational and material carrier

FACTORS AFFECTING VERNACULAR ARCH.

IN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE THE BUILDING GENERALLY FOCUSES ON THE FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES WHILE THE DESIGN TENDS TO PROGRESS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN FACTORS SUCH AS:

ENVIROMENTAL RESOURCES such as near water, desert, woodland, mountains etc.

MADAGASCAR DIVERSE GEOGRAPHY HAS GIVEN RISE TO DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURAL STYLES, SUCH AS THESE VILLAGE HOUSES IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.

LOCAL CULTURE the local culture and tradtions directly reflect the form and shape and size of the buildings.

CLIMATIC CHANGES Form is largely impacted by the climactic needs of the region. for instance sloped roofs are essential in snowy areas where as overhanging in hot climates.

LOCAL TECHNOLOGY the local technology available impacts the form and style of the structures.

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS The economy impacts the growth of and evolving of vernacular architecture. A richer region can develop larger local resources.

WHY DO WE NEED VERNACULAR ARCH. BACK? THE CORE IDEA AND PRINCIPLES OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE ARE BASED ON THE NATURAL SKILLS, LOCAL SKILLS AND MATERIAL AND IDENTITY OF A PLACE, WHICH CAN RELIE OUR WORLD OF MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMICAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES WE FACE TODAY BECAUSE OF ARCHITECTURE.

BELOW ARE SOME PROBLEMS WE FACE TODAY AND EXAMPLES OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE CAN PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THEM.

ECOLOGICAL ISSUES TODAY EMISION OF GASES

GLOBAL WARMING Today, artificial ventilation is one of the leading factors contributing to global warming.

NOITULOS EHT

According to the United Nations,"buildings consume some 40 percent of the energy and approximately 1/3 of the green house gas emisions by construction process such as cement production, and burning of fossil fuels.

TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL OF GUELMI, MORROCO

BY THE COMMUNITY A MORDERN EXAMPLE OF VERNACULAR ARCH. LARGE NORTH-FACING WINDOWS (AND SMALL SOUTH-FACING ONES) REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT ENTERING THE SCHOOL PROVIDING ENOUGH NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Presentations are tools that can be used as lectures, speeches, and more.

ECOLOGICAL ISSUES TODAY HUGE CARBON FOOTPRINT

RESOURCE DEPLETION construction activity is a major use of the world's non- renewable resources. the use of these nonrenewable fossil fuels is causing the current rate of depletion of these resources.

China

NOITULOS EHT

the contruction of buildings has a huge impact on the carbon footprint due to the use of heavy machinery, the transport and importation of materials realising CO2 in the enviroment which traps solar energy in the atmosphere, thereby heating the planet and causing climate change.

CAVE HOUSES,CHINA CARVED INTO THE HILLSIDE, CAVE HOUSES IN RURAL CHINA ARE DESIGNED FROM LOCAL MATERIALS ,TO REMAIN COOL IN THE SUMMER.

ECONOMICAL ISSUES TODAY THE VILLAGE OF THE WENOHIAN, GHANA

COST OF PROCESSING, TRANSPORTING MATERIALS NOITULOS EHT

Materials, such as (reinforced) concrete, fiberglass, glass and steel used today, expensive in the aspect of production, transportation and implementation as well as creating a huge impact on the carbon footprint.

OVERHANGING ROOFS ARE MADE FROM LOCAL MATERIALS SUCH AS BAMBOO AND STRAW

OVER POPULATION the rising issue of over population is creating Lack of space for people and worsening economic conditions leading them to live in unhygienic conditions, lowering the standard of living for many countries.

THE ENTERPRISE CENTRE,UK

A CAMPUS BUILDING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA, WAS DESIGNED USING A VARIETY OF MATERIALS SOURCED AND TESTED FEWER THAN 50 KILOMETERS (31 MILES) FROM THE SITE.

SOCIOLOGICAL ISSUES TODAY LOSS OF CULTURE AND HERITAGE NOITULOS EHT

Today the push to urbanize and globalization IS compressing the heritage and identity of a region and place. the Traditional architecture and aesthetics are taken over by the trends of skyscraper ,casing heritage and loss of culture

RAJISTAN, INDIA

LOCAL MATERIALS, ART, AND CARVINGS IN THE JUNA MAHAL PALACE IN REFLECT CULTURE'S IDENTITY AND TRADITIONS.

UNEMPLOYMENT The demand and requirement of professional education and technology today, deprives the poor from employment..

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES WORKERS STILL USING CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES USING DATE PALMS DATING BACK MORE 7,000 YEARS.

BENEFITS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

COST EFFECTIVE Uses local material and technology at the site, cutting back on production and transportation cost of the construction.

Reduces the maintenance costs architecture.

SUSTAINABLE Designed to directly respond to local climate to the region and evolves as it changes.

Adapts the principles of sustainable architecture through using materials and techniques locally present and familiar to the people.

ENERGY EFFICIENT Uses techniques of passive ventilation and lighting, heating or cooling, reducing the energy consumption of artificially creating these facilities.

UNIQUE IDENTITY Connects people back to their heritage and traditions giving a community its own identity and uniqueness.

Enhances knowledge and skills of the local labor.

DRAWBACKS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

RESTRICTED DESIGN Due to the constraints of local material and technology, the designer may face restrictions in the design of the structure.

STRUCTURAL CONSTRAINTS Due to the limited technology of the region, the structure may be restricted in the form of height and other engineered architectural element and result in being temporary.

TIME CONSUMING By using manual labor, the structure demands more work force and time as compared to non-vernacular achitecture.

CONCLUSION Vernacular Architecture is a category of architecture in which the cultural and local values of the users is respected through their basic needs and the natural availability of their resources.

This style is a solution to multiple problems we face today such as global warming and loss of identity by composing principles of sustainability and cultural architecture elements in vernacular design. Vernacular architecture may be restricted to material and climate but it enhances the local skills and repersents the culture of the region.

BOOKS

ARTICLES

SECNERFER

Laugier (1977), Essay on Architecture. Los Angeles: Hennessey [https://hawkegihm.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/l augier-an-essay-on-architecture.pdf]

Vernacular Architecture, N.P. Vernacular architecture Designing Buildings Wiki (https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Vernacu lar_architecture#External_references)

Sandra Piesik, Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Planet, Thames & Hudson (https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/vernaculararchitecture-sustainability/index.html)

L Domingos and V Rato 2019 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 297 012038 (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/17551315/297/1/012038/pdf)

R W Brunskill, Illustrated Handbook of Vernacular Architecture

Z.K, Why preserve Vernacular Architecture, ad how? (http://www.eheritage.si/DDC/DDC_005_004_GD GQOSXJFJPVLZXLCCBDKKHCTYEDVH.pdf)

The Imporatance of the study of vernacular architecture, Built to meet Needs (https://arc456.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/theimportance-of-vernacular-architecture.pdf) Maha Salman, Sustainability and Vernacular Architecture: Rethinking What Identity Is (https://www.intechopen.com/books/urban-andarchitectural-heritage-conservation-withinsustainability/sustainability-and-vernaculararchitecture-rethinking-what-identity-is.pdf)

Petar Veselinovic, The Impact of Architecture on the Environment, Energetski portal, (https://www.energetskiportal.rs/en/the-impact-ofarchitecture-on-the-environment/) Ned Cramer, The Climate Is Changing. So Must Architecture. (https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/editoria l/the-climate-is-changing-so-must-architecture_o)