Vernacular Architecture Research Articles

From Granary to Arts Incubator: An Evolutionary Perspective on the Concept of Food for Thought

Does our food for thought come virtually from the internet? When we take a long view, the instant stroke of a keyboard pales in comparison to the centuries-old evolution of real food harvesting and the generation and exchange of ideas, which have resulted in creative capital. The vernacular architecture of the agricultural built environment has almost dematerialized in its transition from the ancient pre-industrial era to the post-truth world, to become almost only an imagined concept. The symbology of the common threshing terrace of a Portuguese remote mountain village can now be found in multiple spaces of the urban realm, including in the metaphor of a community arts incubator’s modus operandi in Albany, New York (USA). How has the concept of food for thought developed and materialized? How has it evolved? And what are some of the expected ways it might be utilized in the future? The purpose of the paper is to trace the evolution of this concept and its elements via the BLC Framework. The methodology employs a time analysis of approximately three centuries to distinguish three distinct evolutionary phases: (i) the pre-industrial era, (ii) the industrial era, and (iii) the information-driven era. The key finding is an up-to-date discussion of the food for thought concept in two distinct geographical worlds and three-time eras, as well as a set of lessons learned according to a protest poem and a rock song. The results are presented in the form of five lessons learned with implications for public policy: the first two lessons pertain to issues of procedural justice as encapsulated in the anonymous ‘The Goose’ poem, while the last three result from a discussion of selected verses in Nick Cave’s ‘Fable of the Brown Ape’ rock song.

Exterior Facades with a Neo Vernacular Architecture Approach to the Seni Bela Diri Pencak Silat Competition and Training Building in Madiun Regency

Madiun Regency is an area of martial arts preservation of Pencak silat. Thus, Madiun Regency has several pencak silat hermitages as a forum for learning pencak silat martial arts but currently does not have a representative pencak silat facility as a joint competition and training event. Therefore, designing a Pencak Silat Martial Arts Competition and Training Building with a Neo Vernacular Architecture theme approach derived from local culture is necessary. This is in connection with the aim of the Madiun Regency government to have a plan to provide a Joint Silat College Building to unite martial arts colleges and improve the economy in Madiun Regency. The design research method uses qualitative methods in case studies and descriptive, data collection techniques in the form of observation, literature studies, case studies, documentation, questionnaires, and interviews. The Neo Vernacular Architecture Theme approach applied to the shape aspect is expected to be able to combine local culture with the current architectural style. The design of the Pencak Silat Martial Arts Competition and Training Building with the Neo Vernacular architectural theme uses the macro concept of cultural stylization and the micro concept of cultural representation which is expected to represent the formation of the Joglo House and the characteristics of the Pencak silat building. the facade design represents pencak silat techniques/attitudes which apply the form of Sembong cloth attributes as an ornament and uses the colors yellow, green, and brown.

The Sustainable Development of Urban Planning and Architectural Identity in Barka City – Oman

This study examines the concept of architectural identity and its importance in attaining sustainable urban growth, using the seaside city of Barka in Oman as a model. Architectural identity refers to the unique features and attributes that distinguish a particular site or structure, which are influenced by cultural, historical, social, economic, and environmental aspects. As Barka rapidly urbanizes, there is an urgent need to strike a balance between modern development needs and the preservation of the city's distinctive architectural legacy and urban fabric. The study examines Barka's current urban morphology, vernacular architecture, and community needs to create a framework for guiding future growth in a balanced manner. It focuses on combining contemporary designs with traditional Omani architectural components to create a unified feeling of place and social sustainability. Maintaining architectural identity is critical not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for promoting cultural continuity, community resilience, and inhabitants' sense of belonging. By evaluating varied architectural styles throughout neighborhoods, the study identifies contextually relevant planning and design interventions that preserve Barka's roots while improving livability. Finally, it seeks to educate politicians and urban practitioners on how to create an inclusive development path that respects Barka's unique identity while meeting modern needs.

Uloga Umetničkog pregleda u razvoju nove urbane kulture i modernizacije Kraljevine Jugoslavije

Milan Kašanin's decisive initiative to launch The Art Review (1937-1941), the official journal of the Museum of Prince Paul, was pivotal in coordinating cultural and educational activities and played a key role in shaping and implementing cultural policy in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. From its inaugural volume, the journal was guided by a meticulously conceptualized and systematically organized editorial, personnel, and financial policy. Managed as a professional, educational, popular, and propagandistic medium, The Art Review made an immeasurable contribution to the cultural development and social modernization of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. This study examines the articles published in The Art Review from 1937 to 1941, focusing on architecture, urbanism, horticulture, interior design, and vernacular architecture, and analyzing their authors, who were predominantly architects. The aim is to elucidate the significance of this journal in interpreting the fundamental creative impulses of architectural practice, thereby facilitating the understanding of architecture as a discipline verging on the social and artistic. The architects who wrote for The Art Review, spearheaded by the editorial secretary Ivan Zdravković, included such prominent figures as Milan Zloković, Branislav Kojić, Aleksandar Deroko, Branislav Marinković, Branko Maksimović, Đurđe Bošković, Milutin Borisavljević, and others. These architects were both participants in and witnesses to a wide range of European intellectual movements at that time, while simultaneously acting as their advocates in this region. In this context, the paper discusses the issue of distinctive creative thinking on architecture from the perspective of Serbian and Yugoslav architects, focusing on two complementary components of creativity: the subjective (individual) and the collective (social), which, according to Kašanin, represents a higher level of understanding and appreciating architecture.

Vernacular Architecture on Display: From Exhibited Artifact to Operative Discourse

Vernacular Architecture on Display: From Exhibited Artifact to Operative Discourse

Biomimetics and biomimicry. Their role as a tool and ideology in contemporary architecture

The aim of the study is to present how biomimetics and biomimicry manifest themselves in the architectural practice on two basic levels: as a tool and ideology. Biomimetics can be perceived as an architectural tool. It takes inspiration from the details of form, structure, and behaviour of living organisms, producing architectural elements of specific functionalities. Biomimicry is a contemporary architecture’s ideology. It means the imitation of biological rules and processes at the ecosystem level. Here, nature provides inspiration at the macro level, the idea of biomimicry is of a synthetic character, based on a holistic view and general laws and principles. The final products are buildings, perceived in a holistic way, and urban complexes. The idea of biomimicry can be implemented either using advanced high-tech solutions (biomimetic tools), or with a low-tech approach, taking inspiration from vernacular architecture or animals’ habitats.

Harrison John, Mustang Building. Tibetan Temples and Vernacular Architecture in Nepal Himalaya

Harrison John, Mustang Building. Tibetan Temples and Vernacular Architecture in Nepal Himalaya

Tabulation and Landscape Characters of Lenggong Valley’s Malay Traditional Houses

Lenggong Valley is famously known as an archaeological site due to UNESCO's World Heritage Site verification. Following this, the aspiration towards Global Geopark recognition comprising Lenggong's distinctive cultural heritage was initiated. Malay traditional house is one of the attributes of cultural heritage. It presents a character that symbolises uniqueness reflected in the states where they were built and the relation between historical events. This study aims to explore the distribution tabulation and landscape characters of Malay traditional houses in Lenggong Valley, Perak, Malaysia. The methodology includes site observation and evaluation, with the spatial location of the houses recorded using GPS. The collected samples of hundred eight (108)traditional houses were analysed using Kernel Density Analysis. Results showed that the tabulation of Lenggong traditional houses is concentrated approximately to caves and the Perak River concurrence with the historical evidence of Paleolithic human settlementand the Malay sultanate era. Two (2) significant types of traditional houses found are Rumah Limas Bumbung Perak (RLBP) with 79% and Rumah Kutai (RK) with 14%. Most of the houses are still preserved with vernacular architecture and semi-vernacular which points to their significant identity. The landscape of the traditional houses also points to the unique characters supported by the geographical setting of Lenggong as a valley. These findings support the aspiration of a Geo-Park in Lenggong in the context of the cultural heritage landscape and provide substantial information to authorities regarding conservation and preservation of Lenggong as a heritage cultural site in a broader sense. Future study is encouraged to provide a detailed assessment of the houses' condition towards heritage preservation and conservation efforts.

Extracting sustainable design strategies for hot arid regions from vernacular desert architecture: a case study of Jordan

Extracting sustainable design strategies for hot arid regions from vernacular desert architecture: a case study of Jordan

Extracting sustainable design strategies for hot arid regions from vernacular desert architecture: a case study of Jordan

Extracting sustainable design strategies for hot arid regions from vernacular desert architecture: a case study of Jordan

Thermal Performance of Yaranga Style Vernacular Architecture in Chukotka

Thermal Performance of Yaranga Style Vernacular Architecture in Chukotka

The Stone Fireplaces of Denendeh

Stone fireplaces and chimneys have been documented in nineteenth century Indigenous settlement sites in the Northwest Territories. The cabin and chimney designs were adapted by Dene craftsmen based on examples they encountered when engaging with Euro-Canadian traders and explorers. The Indigenous cabins and chimneys were built during a period of transition in Dene culture, at a time when they began the process of integrating into a fur trade economy. The chimneys and cabins are elements of Euro-Canadian vernacular architecture adapted by Indigenous people in the north. The Indigenous cabins and chimneys are an example of cultural diffusion and, in some instances, might have also been expressions of social status. Together, the Indigenous stone chimneys and the extant chimney features at Fort Confidence and Fort Reliance in the Northwest Territories are part of a shared architectural heritage.

Local Cultural Heritage “Omo Hada” As An Icon Of Cultural Tourism Attraction In West Nias District

Cultural heritage is one of the attractions of cultural tourism to attract tourists to visit a place. The local cultural landscape in the form of traditional houses and megalithic remains scattered across West Nias Regency is a special attraction for tourists. War strategies and local traditional rituals influenced the figure of Omo Hada. Buildings characterized by oval-shaped vernacular architecture are called in the local term "owulo". However, unfortunately, age and climate factors have made Omo Hada a building that has become obsolete over time. It was discovered that currently Omo Hada is threatened with extinction and has been contaminated by modern materials and supporting buildings. This research is basically to reveal the form and symbolic meaning and socio-cultural values ​​contained in the traditional house (Omo Hada) in West Nias Regency. This data collection was carried out by observation, documentation, interviews and literature study. Findings show that Omo Hada is no longer built by the community due to strict customary processes, and their numbers are also decreasing. West Nias Regency does not yet have traditional house names as its cultural identity, and there is no digital interpretation media for conservation. This discovery can provide recommendations to policy makers so that the name Omo Hada "Owulo" is patented as the name of the Traditional House of West Nias Regency. Cultural heritage needs to be equipped with interpretive media that is appropriate to current developments to preserve information and cultural heritage values.

Vernacular Architecture of a Rural Magar Settlement of Nepal: The Case of Taka, Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality, East Rukum

The vernacular settlement of the Magar community in the Taka village of East Rukum are still lively, and represent the society, cultural and history of the place, which reflects the sustainable living pattern of a rural community. This study of Taka village clearly defines the geography, settlement pattern, community groups, settlement cluster, social structure, construction of dwelling and rituals. It further identifies the dwelling types and construction technology on the basis of three features: i. representation of each community, ii. Representation of each locality, and iii. Representation of variation in house form. The settlement pattern and dwelling form in a way represent the characteristics of social structure and life style in the sharing of spaces of the dwelling environment. The dwelling form, building materials and construction technology blends with the terrain profile and climate creating a harmonious settlement pattern with nature and society. There is also community awareness on the conservation of Taka rural settlement heritage which is the positive sign on maintaining the identity of the community and place.

Building with Stovewood in Eastern Europe (c. 1895–1965)

Stovewood construction refers to methods of building walls with short logs or cut pieces of wood, arranged crosswise and laid in a bed of mortar instead of being nailed. In this paper, the history of stovewood construction in tsarist Russia and in its successor states and territories is discussed, based on existing literature and field surveys. From 1895 to 1914, in the Russian Empire, stovewood construction was developed and promoted by professionals and received government support. This process continued to be used in the Soviet Union and in Poland, both between and after the wars. Other variants of stovewood construction also developed and became popular without any official support—in effect, they became a form of vernacular architecture. Both these two groups of stovewood constructions are still represented by hundreds of specimens in north-east Poland.

A Database of Aisled Buildings in England and Wales

The Vernacular Architecture Group Aisled Buildings Database is described. It contains entries for 391 aisled halls and 2,127 aisled barns, with a handful of other aisled buildings. Their distribution and dating are presented, and the remarkable 700-year date-span of aisled barns is emphasised. Individual features of the buildings in the database are summarised, including the number of bays and the roof types recorded for halls and barns.

A Strategy to Improve Comfort Level and Optimize the Thermal Behavior of the Building

Due to centuries of rich experience, vernacular architecture offers significant lessons on sustainable building practices. This style competes exceptionally well with contemporary designs because of its efficiency, adept functionality, environmental compatibility, and harmonious relationship with human societies. The M'zab Valley in Ghardaia, Algeria, deserves to be classified as a World Heritage Site because it features original vernacular architecture that expresses smart building concepts while blending seamlessly into natural landscapes. In this paper, we validate the hypothesis that traditional Ghardaia housing in the Ksour reflects high energy efficiency and low reliance on active heating and cooling. We shall conduct a comparative study between a traditional dwelling belonging to vernacular architecture in the ancient Ksar Beni Isguen and a modern residence in Ksar Tafilelt. Through this comparison and simulation method, we seek to determine the most efficient architectural style in terms of energy use and the provision of thermal comfort in order to draw lessons and contribute to reducing the excessive consumption of non-renewable energies.

Energy Performance of Vernacular Architecture in Various Desert Climates

Summer 2022 is officially the 2nd hottest summer in France since 1900. It resulted in three episodes of heat waves over a total of thirty-three days. Heat waves are characterized by very high temperatures (exceeding seasonal averages) during the day and night for at least three consecutive days. According to initial estimates, it caused a surplus of more than 11,000 deaths in 2022 in France. In France, despite new thermal standards, the thermal comfort of new housing in hot weather remains very inadequate. Thanks to these empirical developments vernacular architecture has demonstrated its adaptation in particularly harsh climates. The objective of this research is to understand the design strategies of four vernacular houses located in four deserts (Algerian Sahara, Arizona, Libyan desert, and Yemen) to ensure summer comfort in hot environments. The thermal behavior of these four vernacular houses has been studied through dynamic thermal simulations performed with the software ‘ArchiWIZARD’, using the same climate conditions. The results are interpreted in terms of operative temperature and related to building compacity. They show how vernacular architecture, located in desert climates, considered summer thermal comfort with design strategies. The thermal inertia of the four case studies is characterized by the daily thermal damping. The results also show the contribution of natural night ventilation on the energy performance of these four vernacular architectures in hot and arid climates.

Implication of Shading Passive Strategies in Buildings of Hot and Humid Climates for Energy Optimization: Lessons from Vernacular Dwellings in Nigeria

Residential buildings consume approximately 30% to 40% of total primary energy, representing a significant share of the world's energy consumption. The contemporary designs of residential high-rise buildings in Nigeria borrow from different climates and adapt to Nigeria's hot and humid climate. Shading is an effective strategy for reducing solar heat gain and improving cooling conditions in hot and humid climates. This study tries to explore the most effective and most adaptable shading elements in the study area to be implicit in the contemporary design of high-rise residences. This study has a particular emphasis on shading techniques; hence, it will examine and present existing literature on shading devices and strategies. The aim of this research is to minimize energy consumption in residential buildings in Nigeria. Therefore, the research investigates the most effective shading strategies in the vernacular buildings that can be utilized as design criteria in future buildings. The findings led to identifying the effective and adaptable shading strategies found in vernacular architecture, which can be utilized in contemporary high-rise residential buildings in Nigeria for energy optimization. Finally, the research suggests guidelines to support architects in reducing energy usage in high-rise residential buildings in Nigeria.

The Symbolism and Survivability of Royal Identity (RI) for the Upper Section of the Taoist Temple Built in the 19th Century in the Klang Valley, Malaysia

Taoist temples are considered a nation-specific religious and exceptional cultural landmark regionally. The design principle of the lower, middle, and upper sections of the physical building profoundly symbolised royal identity (RI). Scholars discovered that despite Chinese lineage positively recognising the importance of this symbolism, they were clueless about it, notably the configuration of the upper section. The objective of this paper is primarily to identify the design symbolism of the Taoist temple and assess the survivability of the RI for the upper section: 1) roof form; 2) ornamentation and 3) roof colour. Qualitative research was administered by conducting an observational study amongst the ten selected Taoist temples constructed in the 19th century in the Klang Valley. The results revealed that most of the design symbolisms inherited from the Southern region of Mainland China and RI were lessened. Interestingly, the samples synthesised the orthodox RI with indigenous local Malay vernacular architecture, the ventilated roof. The finding not only potentially intensifies the Chinese community by providing insightful knowledge, but it also eases the practical-knowledge gap amongst design practitioners and revitalises the tourism industry in the culture, arts, and heritage domains.