Abstract
Abstract. In the age of globalization, it becomes necessary to assess the possibilities for the conservation of the characteristic identity features of vernacular architectural heritage. The changes undergone in traditional dwellings appear to be on different scales in societies that are considered developed, and in those that are developing, while the idea of development itself can be the main precursor to change. A study underway aims to identify the nature of the transformations occurring both in traditional architecture and in the society that builds it through case studies and to determine the influence of the concept of “development” in these changes, spotting the potential role of cooperation in the conservation of vernacular architectural heritage and its capacity for sustainability. The analysis of the first case study, the village of Baasneere (Burkina Faso), has made it possible to implement a methodology based on the review of literature, quantitative and qualitative research techniques and the use of three types of cataloguing fiches on three aspects (urban, typological, constructive) of dwellings under study. Although it needs to be adapted to the specific characteristics of the new case studies, the methodology proposed has been proven valid in the study of vernacular settings and their transformations and is also expected to be of use in establishing comparisons between different contexts.
Highlights
Walls built using cement blocks are executed to form a rectangular enclosure which is covered with several modules of steel corrugated sheets
A few years later, the great Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World showed that these early approaches to the study of vernacular housing had already transformed into a long list of possible research perspectives (Oliver, 1997)
The ways in which vernacular architecture is being transformed in relation to the changes which have taken place in current societies, the influence of the concept of development in these transformations, and the role of cooperation in heritage conservations, will all be examined in a study, of which this paper presents the first evidence of the methodology
Summary
Walls built using cement blocks are executed to form a rectangular enclosure which is covered with several modules of steel corrugated sheets. The construction is carried out by members of the family who will live in the house or by local construction workers This description could well apply to dwellings in any rural area of Africa, America, Asia or Europe. It could be argued that modernization is irrevocably leading to a unification of constructive techniques based solely on the use of industrialized materials. We should question whether it is only the constructive knowledge of a given culture that is at risk (with the consequent loss), conserving the other virtues of the vernacular, or whether, on the contrary, the material transformation is indicative of a deeper change. The use of natural materials and traditional constructive techniques can be recovered by relearning and updating them, but can the art of creating meaningful habitats be relearnt? The product, the building, has changed, but have the creative processes behind its configuration changed? The use of natural materials and traditional constructive techniques can be recovered by relearning and updating them, but can the art of creating meaningful habitats be relearnt? That is to say, can we conserve this timeless or innate form of construction shared by a community or is the loss of this value an inevitable sign of development in society?
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