Architectural and constructive characteristics of vernacular settlements in southern Italy: the Esaro’s valley and the popular identity of some exemplary cases

Abstract

The paper proposes the analysis of a significant portion of the territory of southern Italy and, more precisely, that in Calabria within the Esaro river valley, characterized by a wide hilly area that hosts numerous small ancient centres. The analysed territory, which for centuries has had a strong agricultural and pastoral vocation, presents a varied range of case studies typical of popular identity and vernacular culture but different in morphologies, construction techniques, materials and types. Through a comparative reading of some examples, therefore, the paper aims to highlight the architectural and construction features typical of the local architecture, underlining their spontaneous and identity character. Not only sporadic and isolated episodes are taken into consideration, but also entire portions of the inhabited area, which in structure and building fabric reflect the traditional life of the past. The territory’s variety allows us to analyse different types of architecture through which the vernacular culture is manifested. In addition to the most valuable examples such as farms, country houses, farmhouses, in fact, there are also examples of more modest architecture (ovens, stables, oil mills, mills, clay buildings) that express, even more, traditional and popularaspects. The study, therefore, through the analysis of the formal, functional and constructive characteristics, has made it possible to define variants and invariants of an architectural heritage with a strong identity value to protect and preserve.