Traditional Rural Houses Research Articles

Maximum shear analysis of clay brick masonry structures for advanced design with bamboo diagonal reinforcement

Abstract The traditional rural houses in Indonesia, constructed with clay brick masonry wall, lack the usage of detailed reinforced concrete frame. Therefore, in the event of an earthquake, numerous structures made of masonry walls experience a collapse. Clay brick masonry walls require alternative reinforcement that is both accessible and readily available, such as bamboo, which is abundant in rural regions of Indonesia. The objective of this study is to analyse the behaviour of wall collapse under lateral stresses and assess the potential for enhancing the wall’s shear strength through the use of bamboo diagonal reinforcement. Bamboo is expected to be more advantageous for low-cost construction, replacing steel, particularly in the rural regions. The test findings are examined and inferences are made for the subsequent analysis phase. The analysis conducted involves the modelling of clay brick masonry walls, both with and without bamboo diagonal reinforcement, using the acquired data on material properties. The inclusion of bamboo diagonal reinforcement results in a 9.57% reduction in the principal stress at maximum normal stress.

Space Syntax Analysis of the Spatial Configuration of Yalova Traditional Rural Houses

Space Syntax Analysis of the Spatial Configuration of Yalova Traditional Rural Houses

Quantitative Comparison of Space Syntax in Regional Characteristics of Rural Architecture: A Study of Traditional Rural Houses in Jinhua and Quzhou, China

In China’s rural renewal, the regional characteristics of rural traditional houses are often ignored. Local governments and real estate developers have distorted the perception of traditional buildings, damaging their sustainability. This paper analyzes the traditional rural houses of Jinhua and Quzhou, Zhejiang, China, based on space syntax. Its objective is to demonstrate concretely the regional characteristics of architecture through quantitative analysis. By summarizing the comparison of various variables, these characteristics can be further expressed. This will allow us to better understand the wishes of local residents for living space in a more accurate and quantified manner. As the subject of this study, 34 typical buildings are examined in 19 villages. According to the analysis of the RA, integration, and control values of space syntax, each room in these buildings is calculated. The courtyard, the hall, and the main room are chosen as the principal research areas. In addition, the exterior space is considered to be a key factor. As a result of this study, it is found that rural traditional houses in Jinhua and Quzhou have their own regional characteristics. These characteristics are presented as differences between the above-noted spaces in different comparative analyses and are consistent with the actual situation. It enables the rural traditional houses to be scientifically and quantitatively analyzed, which can be helpful for architectural renewal. As a consequence, it is possible to support the sustainability of rural buildings using data analysis, as well as safeguard the personalized rights and interests of local residents regarding housing.

Residential Building Construction Techniques and the Potential for Energy Efficiency in Central Asia: Example from High-Altitude Rural Settlement in Kyrgyzstan

Building construction in rural Kyrgyzstan is heavily dominated by earthen buildings. Old and inappropriate residential building structures contribute significantly to high domestic space heating energy consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the relevant building construction techniques. However, the scant information on Kyrgyz building techniques, especially for high-altitude rural settlements, was the prime motivation to perform the presented study. The key objective of the study is to investigate residential building construction techniques in high-altitude rural Kyrgyzstan, and this was to be achieved by house visits during field trips, literature review, and pilot interviews with local people. The analysis enabled the detailed identification of individual building envelopes as well as predominant building materials to be recorded. Based on the assessment, a housing profile was created that represents the typical characteristics of traditional rural Kyrgyz houses. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the potential for energy savings in rural Kyrgyz houses of 50–70%. However, local conditions prevent people from making improvements to all domestic energy efficiency parameters simultaneously. Therefore, the study developed a ‘sequential roadmap’ to reduce domestic space heating demand in different phases based on simulation studies. Existing low-income rural Kyrgyz habitations can use the presented roadmap to reduce domestic space heating demand sequentially to overcome financial barriers and, therefore, contribute to establishing sustainable buildings in Kyrgyzstan. These results may be partially replicated in other Central Asian rural communities depending on their location and building characteristics.

Assessing the impact of a novel house design on the incidence of malaria in children in rural Africa: study protocol for a household-cluster randomized controlled superiority trial

BackgroundTraditional rural housing in hot, humid regions of sub-Saharan Africa usually consists of single-level, poorly ventilated dwellings. Houses are mostly poorly screened against malaria mosquitoes and limited airflow discourages the use of bednets resulting in high indoor transmission. This study aims to determine whether living in a novel design house with elevated bedrooms and permeable screened walls reduces malaria, respiratory tract infections, and diarrhoea among children in rural Tanzania.Methods/study designThis is a household-randomized, controlled study in 60 villages in Mtwara, Tanzania. A total of 550 households are randomly selected, 110 of which are allocated a novel design house and 440 households continue to reside in traditional houses. A dynamic cohort of about 1650 children under 13 years will be enrolled and followed for 3 years, approximately 330 living in novel design houses and 1320 in traditional rural houses. The primary endpoint is the incidence of malaria; secondary endpoints are incidences of acute respiratory tract infections and diarrhoea diseases detected by passive and active surveillance. Exposure to malaria vectors will be assessed using light traps in all study houses. Structural, economic, and social science studies will assess the durability, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability of the new houses compared with traditional housing. Environmental data will be collected indoors and outdoors in study homes to assess the differences between house typologies.DiscussionThis is the first randomized controlled trial to assess the protective efficacy of a new house design targeting malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings of this study could influence the future construction of homes in hot and humid zones of Africa.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT04529434. Registered on August 27, 2020

Sustainability of Vernacular Houses in North-Eastern Part of Madhya Pradesh

Homes made up of Mud with with sloping roofs covered with ‘khapra’( country made tiles ) is the characteristic of houses in rural area of Madhya Pradesh .These traditional rural houses are the best examples of environmental design response to regional climatic conditions. This study emphases the evolution of basic simple structural form achieved by using locally available material, articulation of spaces and sustainability. These beautiful houses are gradually being replaced by costly modern building materials.

The Vernacular and Rural Houses of Agrarian Areas in the Zeta Region, Montenegro

Architectural quality and preservation of rural characteristics is a goal of building design for sustainable environments. The environment has a different function for different societies, creating a large variety of meanings. In the Zeta region of Montenegro, the negative transformation of the rural environment is happening more rapidly than the recording of its traditional built assets. Protection and conservation of traditional rural architecture in this rural region of south-eastern Europe are important to both mitigation of the consequences of unsustainable rural shifts and the preservation of cultural heritage. This research focuses on the meaning of the different dwelling and residential environment features for the residents of the traditional houses of the rural areas of the Zeta region, Montenegro. The aim of the research was to obtain more insight and information on the meaning of architectural and rural design features by exploring the sustainability-related characteristics of traditional rural houses in the so-far insufficiently studied micro-region of the western Balkans to reveal their value and to initiate discussion of the role of heritage regeneration in sustainable rural development. Fifty (50) traditional houses of agrarian and rural areas of the Zeta region of Montenegro were observed and analysed in terms of the building site, space planning of the interior space, and building materials used. The analysis has revealed that many ecological aspects were taken into consideration and different methods were implemented during the construction of the traditional houses of the Zeta region. Taking into consideration the age of those structures, the constructors did not have an in-depth awareness of sustainability theories, and they were acting based on their personal practices and specific environmental requirements. This study’s results can help update a database of sustainability for the traditional architectural heritage of Montenegro, which will enhance the process of creating sustainable buildings without losing the place identity and staying in the same cultural context. Restoration of the traditional houses of the Zeta region of Montenegro, but also of the other rural areas of Montenegro, must in future be defined in a way that enables the preservation of recognized general values and further improvement of environmental quality and climate resilience. Simultaneously, functional reactivation of traditional houses should be understood as a contribution to the sustainable development of the studied region of Montenegro.

Seismic Performance and Risk Assessment of Traditional Brick-Wood Rural Buildings Based on Numerical Simulation

The recent earthquakes have caused serious damage to Chinese rural houses. Research on the seismic performance and reinforcement for traditional rural houses is strongly needed. In this study, the seismic performance of traditional brick-wood structural houses in Jiangxi province and surrounding areas is analyzed and confirmed by site investigation and numerical simulation. And, the traditional constructions, such as the purlin roof and the cavity wall, are considered. These construction types can reduce the seismic behavior of rural houses, and limited research has been carried out. This study found that the structure will produce plastic deformation and local damage above 6-degree earthquake fortification action. The damage positions occurred in the walls close to purlins and the walls close to doors and windows. Given the above seismic safety problems, a reinforcement method of reinforced cement mortar strip and mesh surface is proposed, which is suitable for engineering applications for traditional rural houses. The seismic strengthening effect is analyzed by numerical simulation. Comparing the calculation results, it is found that the seismic performance of the structure after reinforcement is significantly enhanced, and the stress concentration of the walls is improved.

Thermal Evaluation of Sloping Roofs on Indoor Environment of Traditional Rural Houses in Cold Areas

In order to explore the influence of sloping roofs on the indoor thermal environment in cold regions in summer, the article takes the sloping roofs and flat roofs of traditional houses in a county in the cold region of Weinan City as the research object. A combination of theoretical and field measurements was used to analyse the effect of sloping roofs on the internal and external surface temperature of the floor level, indoor temperature and humidity, and comfort in summer. The results show that the existence of sloping roofs largely reduces the surface temperature of the roof and the heat transfer from outdoors to indoors, and can reduce the indoor air temperature by 1.3°C compared to flat roofs, which has a good effect of stabilising the temperature change and keeping the indoor thermal sense in a warm state, and the results of the study can provide a scientific basis for the construction and application of sloping roof houses.

Experiment and Numerical Simulation of Wooden Door Frame

To prevent the wooden door frame of traditional rural houses from being stuck due to diamond deformation under earthquake and improve the seismic capacity of rural houses, an innovative method of reinforcing the angular displacement of the wooden door frame with channel steel and the diagonal brace is proposed. The rationality of the finite element simulation is demonstrated by comparing the results of finite element simulation and quasistatic test based on reinforced and unreinforced wooden door frame specimens. On the basis of the finite element model of wooden door frame, the seismic performance of channel type and diagonal brace thickness of reinforced wooden door frame and the seismic performance of friction coefficient of unreinforced wooden door frame are studied, respectively. The results show that the lateral stiffness and the lateral bearing capacity of the reinforced wooden door frame increase with the increase of channel steel type and the diagonal brace thickness. The height of the channel steel section of the seismic reinforcement structure should be half of the unreinforced structure. With the increase of the friction coefficient, the lateral bearing capacity of the unreinforced wooden frame increases, while the ductility of the unreinforced wooden frame decreases.

A Study on the Sustainability of the Traditional Sirinić Houses in the Šar Mountain Region, the South-Western Balkans

The research of traditional rural architecture in developing regions is important to both the preservation of cultural heritage and the mitigation of the trends and consequences of unsustainable rural shifts. In the Western Balkans, for example, negative transformation of the rural environment happens more rapidly than the recording of its traditional built assets. For that reason, the objectives of the present research were to explore general and specific (sustainability-related) characteristics of traditional rural houses in the so far insufficiently studied microregion of the Western Balkans of Sirinićka Župa (Sirinić), to reveal their values and to initiate discussion of the role of heritage regeneration in sustainable rural development. Study has shown that the most significant values of Sirinić houses include opulent spatial-functional typology, distinct architectural expression, and sustainability-related quality in terms of applied materials, structural systems, and multipurpose techniques and elements, as well as a high level of spatial comfort. A necessary regeneration of the traditional houses of Sirinićka Župa must be formulated in a way that enables preservation of recognized general values and further improvement of environmental quality and climate resilience. Simultaneously, functional reactivation of traditional houses should be understood as a contribution to the sustainable development of Sirinićka Župa.

How “Peasant Apartments” Could Undermine Rural Governance in China: Spatial Realignment, Moral Reconfiguration and Local Authority

AbstractA seismic change in the residential pattern is emerging in rural China today: traditional rural houses have been rapidly erased from the face of the countryside with large numbers of peasants being relocated to modern high-rise buildings. This process of “peasant elevation” has had a monumental impact on rural China. It redefines the entitlement to land use by the rural citizenry and negotiations for a new regime of property rights concerning land administration, while, most importantly, it undermines the position of the local state in rural China, whose authority is an aggregation of three distinctive elements: coercive power inherent in the state apparatus, control over economic resources, and resonance with local morality. Based on original data collected in Chongqing, Nantong and Dezhou, this paper argues that the comprehensive uprooting of the Chinese peasantry from the land and the resulting complications have caused moral disorientation among the relocated peasants and fragmentation of local authority. The difficulty in establishing community identity in the new setting has further undermined local governance. This may in turn trigger a wave of social and political tensions that may eventually turn out to be a major political challenge to the regime for years to come.

Functioning and Protection of Traditional XIX-Century Wooden Architecture in the Capital of South-Eastern Poland

The south-eastern region of Poland is a culturally interesting area, where there are relatively many harmonious rural landscapes, with the open landscape (fields, tree stands) and the residential buildings consistent with the historical character. Podkarpackie villages, despite their interrupted construction patterns associated with the Second World War and the Communist-era Poland, still retain the traditional character thanks to the wooden housing, sacral and public buildings present in their structure. The research undertaken by the author (since 2015) makes us realize that wooden objects also exist in the Podkarpacie cities are threatened by strong investment pressure and lack of fixed construction patterns. The presented research focuses on Rzeszów city, the capital of the Podkarpackie province. The primary aim of the research was to determine the characteristic features and ways of functioning of 19th-century relics of wooden secular buildings in Rzeszów. The scope of the study included the analysis of documents registering historic objects of the region, including wooden objects. Field studies documenting wooden architecture in Rzeszów, which was created in the 19th century, were documented in the form of pictures and drawings. The collected materials were analysed in terms of preserved, original building materials, formal solutions and details. The transformations concerning the studied objects and their landscape context have been identified. The implemented activities show a significant saturation of the spatial structure of Rzeszów with historic wooden architecture. XIX-century buildings determine historical rural arrangements in the landscape of the developing city and document the construction traditions of the region. Construction with simple forms, generally devoid of decorative elements and details, presents regional patterns resulting from the then economic, cultural and natural conditions. The studied collection of Rzeszów wooden houses preserved in its original location does not contain objects valuable from the perspective of the monument conservator. These objects have largely undergone transformations and modernizations disturbing their original form. The conducted research allows to determine the manner of functioning of these buildings in a completely new cultural and spatial context. The author of the article tries to answer the following questions: How do traditional rural houses from the 19th century function in the contemporary “capital of innovation”? Is it worth taking steps to protect and study these objects?

Сакральные ландшафты как фактор формирования этнического экологического сознания (на примере горных марийцев Республики Марий Эл)

Specifics of sacral landscapes (SLs) are discussed with reference to the Mari people in the Republic of Mari El. The SL is a multicomponent system penetrating all elements of the traditional rural ethnic-cultural landscape, from habitation and mansion houses to sacral shrines. SLs are determined to most fully manifest themselves in sacral shrines and traditional land management. SLs are demonstrated to be a key component of the ethnical culture of the highland Mari people and have archaic, traditional, and modern aspects. The paper presents results and analysis of the questionnaire survey of Russian and Mari villages and hamlets in the Gornomariiskii District of the Mari El Republic with the application of nonparametrical mathematical statistics. Data on the attitude of neighboring peoples to nature reveals both similarities and significant differences of the ecological thinking of the Russian and Mari people. Nevertheless, these data convincingly demonstrate that the worldviews of the peoples are closely related to the natural environment and provide sound grounds for the conclusion that SLs are an important factor of the origin, evolution, and stability of ethnical thinking and traditional land management. The latter is, according to the authors, the basis of ethnical ecological thinking. The authors arrive at the conclusion that ecological ethics of the present and future should rely, first and foremost, on rational land management, which is based on historically established and verified traditional land management and on traditional ethnic nature-oriented mentality, whose stability and vitality are maintained by sacral cultural landscapes.

Climate Adaptive Pattern Languages Implied in the Traditional Rural Houses in the South Shaanxi Province of China

This paper introduces part of the results of a research that was mainly focused in the area of south Shaanxi province of China. The main features of climate conditions in the researched region is introduced, based on which four main climate adaptive pattern languages implied in the traditional rural houses are identified, their applications in the contemporary rural houses are discussed. A summary of the research is provided and further researches are recommended.

A Preliminary Study on the Climate Adaptive Design of Green Rural Houses in west China

This paper introduces a preliminary study on the climate adaptive design of green rural houses in the Qinling mountainous region of west China. Based on literature reviews and field investigations on the existing traditional and contemporary rural houses in the researched region, the folk wisdom implied in the traditional rural houses, the perceptions and expectations of local residents, and the inheritance of folk wisdom in contemporary rural houses, are identified and discussed. Suggestions for the climate adaptive design of new rural houses in the researched region are provided, further researches are also recommended.

중국연변지역 조선족 농촌주택의 시기별 변천에 대한 조사연구 - 평면의 변화를 중심으로 -

The purpose of this paper is to analysis on periodical changes of rural houses of Korean-Chinese people residing in Yanbian area, China focused on periodical changes of floor plans according to Chinese government's policies and regulations influencing on rural houses. Changes of floor plans are classified into four periods; immigrating settled period, 1960-1970s, 1980-1990s, and after 2000. Total number of 67 cases were analyzed that data was collected 48 cases of literature studies and 19 cases of field study in Yanbian, China. The results are as followings. In immigrating settled period, floor plans of the rural houses have tended to be continued the pattern of the Korean traditional rural houses. Nevertheless China was changed socialism system, rarely floor plans were influenced by the system during this period. From 1960s to 1970s, the livestock and rural mechanization are influenced by the "People's Commune" policy. The "Barn" and "Mill" were converted into "warehouse". The residential part consists of one Jeongji (space mixed dinning and kitchen) and one to three of Ondolbang (room). From 1980s to 1990s influenced by the policies of "Cultural Revolution", "Birth Control" and "Chinese Economic Reform", the Korean traditional customs like "elders first" and "distinction between the male and female have been gradually vanished. Meanwhile, spaces of the rural houses have consisted of Jeongji, big Utppang (room), and warehouse. Each space is opened and mutual. Since 2000, influenced by the policy of a "new Socialist Countryside Construction", the bathroom and kitchen are added in interior spaces, the life style in rural houses has been changed as for both the sedentary style and western style.

Indoor hygrothermal condition and user satisfaction in naturally ventilated historic houses in temperate humid continental climate around the Baltic Sea

Indoor climate and user satisfaction were analysed by field measurement and a questionnaire in 67 traditional rural houses in Estonia, Finland and Sweden. Our findings showed that the indoor climate in all the investigated historic rural houses needs improvement. The room temperature was mainly too low during winter. Leaky houses had also a larger vertical temperature difference. The relative humidity in the unheated and periodically heated houses was high during winter and caused risk for mould growth in 17% of all houses and 33% of unheated houses. Significant differences of indoor humidity loads in different houses were revealed depending on the living density and usage profile. During the winter period, the design value of moisture excess was 4–5 g/m3 and the average moisture load was 2–3.5 g/m3. The indoor humidity load in historic houses was similar to that in modern houses. The results of the questionnaire showed that main problems were related to unstable or too low temperatures. At the same time, inhabitants rated the overall indoor climate as healthy and no statistically important relations were found between average indoor temperature and complaints about too cold or too warm indoor temperatures.

The issue of thermal performance and protection and modernisation of traditional half-timbered (bondruk) style houses in Serbia

Traditional rural houses are one of the most endangered forms of cultural and built heritage in Serbia today. In the past, the building of rural houses was in interaction with nature and the conditions of the immediate environment, especially in terms of its climatic and geographic properties. Today, they are often abandoned to decay, or replaced with new buildings, removing any connection with tradition. Problems related to their protection and regeneration to a great extent could be connected either with the properties of the original materials used for their construction, since they are usually not very durable, or with the level of how comfortable they are, which falls below modern living standards. Through a review of types and methods of building of the so-called half-timbered (bondruk) style houses, as well as an analysis of their achieved thermal performances and potentials, this paper strives to point out the real need for their modernisation and optimal possibilities for their energy improvement, with respect to the need for the protection of their integrity and authenticity during the renovation process.

Analysis of traditional rural houses in Turkey in terms of energy efficiency

Energy consumption of recent buildings in Turkey continues to increase, as it does around the world. Conversely, traditional rural house types perform well in terms of energy efficiency. This study investigated the energy efficiency methods applied in traditional rural houses in the rural Thrace region of Turkey, built using timber, stone and adobe construction methods. The energy-efficient characteristics of the sample structures were identified by investigating their site layout, plan types, building outer shell design and material specifications. This study concludes that in traditional rural houses, prevention of heat-loss has been regarded as highly important; solar energy is highly utilised and the colloquial architecture is well suited to the climatic conditions of the region. This study may contribute to the increased awareness of this subject among designers. The ecological characteristics of traditional rural houses can be applied to current buildings by evaluating and replicating these characteristics.