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CHAPTER:-1

INTRODUCTION

The term “Vernacular” is derived from the Latin word “vernaculus” which means domestic,
native, indigenous. (O. Paul, 1997) Vernacular architecture is now considered a sustainable
architecture model, and the techniques that are now the foundation of sustainable building are
derived from elements and features of this style of architecture.

Vernacular architecture (also folk architecture) is building done outside any academic
tradition, and without professional guidance. It is not a particular architectural movement or
style, but rather a broad category, encompassing a wide range and variety of building types,
with differing methods of construction, from around the world, both historical and extant and
classical and modern.

Vernacular architecture constitutes 95% of the world’s-built environment, as estimated in

1995 by Amos Rapoport, as measured against the small percentage of new buildings every
year designed by architects and built by engineers.

Through history, human civilization has evolved and kept its continuation through
integration with the surrounding environment and is dependent on the preservation of nature.
Over time and the multifaceted interaction of evolution and human adaptability to the
ambient environment, every place and region developed unique characteristics that
distinguished it from other places, that is, the core of “identity.”
Preserving the identity and special characteristics of a place requires in-depth
understanding of the natural systems in place and immersion into the time-tested cultural
responses to that environment’s assets and liabilities, which contain the essence of
sustainability.
Sustainability is an inherent urban and architectural problem. It is simultaneously
characterized by many different dimensions (economic, environmental, and social) With
the rapid development of urban-rural integration in China, the sustainability concept is
reflected in the construction process of rural revitalization in China at the present stage at
the same time. Since the 1990s, China began to implement the process of urbanization,
increased number of rural populations migrated to the city in search of better employment
prospects.
In this context, large-scale idle houses appeared in rural areas, and massive
traditional villages lost their vitality and were gradually abandoned or demolished. This
phenomenon leads to the unequal development trajectory between traditional villages and
modern cities. With the advent of industrialization and the rise of the modern movement,
architecture relinquished the past in favour of the future.

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Traditional vernacular architectural culture has been gradually assimilated in the

wave of urbanization, and rural regional culture has been eroded to varying degrees, mainly
manifested in the absence of cultural continuity and environmental protection. “On-site
protection” and sustainable development of traditional villages have become issues that
need to find planning approaches able to respond to demands for both sustainability and
extensive urban development.
In this background, to ensure a sustainable environment for generations to come, the more
effective protection and use of vernacular building resources, the continuation of the
history of the regional cultural context make it adapt to the development of the times, it is
imperative to research on the sustainable development of vernacular architecture. In
today’s era of inheriting historical and traditional culture and combining present new ideas,
concepts, and technologies, as well as abstract concept design.
Architects need to establish sustainable thinking through active relationship
creation, and coordinate the relationship among protection, utilization, and development.
Hope to build a beautiful and ecologically liveable village, while maintaining village
characteristics and views while simultaneously ensuring the benefit of the ecological
system under the principle of sustainability.
Vernacular architecture is an architectural design style and concept that reflects the
geographic and cultural context of the site and surroundings, focusing on local construction
with traditional and regional materials. While later architectural styles may have become
similar, vernacular architecture has always been unique as a response to the site. It is
considered a symbol of the cultural identity of a particular region and accommodates the
specific needs and values of the region and culture.
Vernacular architecture is often interpreted as traditional architecture. Most traditional
vernacular buildings are simple, less than three storey's high, constructed in local materials.
Rural dwellings are an example of vernacular design which also includes agricultural,
educational and religious buildings.

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History of Vernacular Architecture:

The word vernacular comes from the Latin word “vernaculus” meaning domestic or
native, usually related to a country. Its etymological origin already tells us what vernacular
architecture is – design that identifies a specific region which is also native to where the
material source. Vernacular architecture may be considered as one of the oldest architectural
design concepts. Nowadays, numerous materials are available at our disposal, in all types and
sizes, but centuries ago, that was not the case. Until the Industrial Revolution, we humans
built with whatever materials were available locally. The rapid development in various
industries has given us countless construction materials and systems that accelerate the
process from beginning to end. By the late 19th century, even the houses in rural areas had
lost their vernacular identities.
Vernacular Architecture Styles in India:
Vernacular architecture in India shows the country’s diverse traditions respective of
each region. Like many architects worldwide, sustainable architects and architecture firms in
India are also learning from the vernacular strategies for a greener construction.
These are traditional houses of Rajasthan and Kutch, known for their sturdy structures
that can withstand earthquakes. Circular in shape, they are climate responsive and built using
traditional materials like mud and thatch. The circular form minimises facade exposure to the
extremely hot climate.
As a way to brace against the frequent floods, some 80 core houses were built using
bamboo in Assam after the devastating floods in 2017. The idea was inspired by the
traditional methods of construction in the area that are both environmentally sustainable and
climate-responsive. Some of these houses are on stilts while others have a higher plinth level
but in a single storey. They can be built together with materials such as mud, wooden planks
and other lightweight materials.
This architectural style is nearly 1000 years old, built to be able to resist earthquakes
in a high seismic region like Uttarakhand. These imposing structures reflect the
understanding of earthquakes, local materials and sensibilities to the site. They can be up to
3-4 storeys high despite being in an earthquake-prone region. The most common materials
used are timber and stone that are abundant in the region.
Vernacular architecture is a reflection of time, culture and location with the climate-
responsive approach at its core. The design strategies behind vernacular architecture provide
us with an established connection between occupants and the environment. While it may
have diminished against the modern technologies, the concept and its features are getting the
fitting recognition for their sustainable benefits.

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The phrase dates to at least 1857, when it was used by Sir George Gilbert Scott, as
the focus of the first chapter of his book "Remarks on Secular & Domestic Architecture,
Present & Future",[13] and in a paper read to an architectural society in Leicester in October of
that year.[14] As a proponent of the Gothic Revival movement in England, Scott used the term
as a pejorative to refer to the "prevailing architecture" in England of the time, all of it, as
opposed to the Gothic he wanted to introduce. In this "vernacular" category Scott included St
Paul's Cathedral, Greenwich Hospital, London, and Castle Howard, although admitting their
relative nobility.

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CHAPTER :- 2
LITRATURE REVIEW
1. Al-Hinai et al :- During thousands of years, the habitants of each region of the
world have evolved bioclimatic methodologies and systems for mitigating the
effects of adverse weather condition of the local climate. Solution for each clothing
worn, the diurnal-nocturnal work patterns and constructions of buildings.

2. Nguyen and Reiter :- The origin of bioclimatic design in architecture can be traced
back to the design principles applied in most vernacular/ traditional architecture
(for simplicity, here after we use the term “vernacular architecture) evolved over
time, reflecting environmental, cultural, technological, historical context of a
specific location on which it built.

3. F. Mirahmadi, H. Altan,2017:-With growing concerns regarding the future well being of

our environment in terms of energy consumption, global warming and the provision of
housing for the rapidly growing population, architects and developers are actively seeking
ways to minimize the negative impact on the environment while providing for
contemporary needs

4. H. Ghodsi,2012 :- As ‘sustainability’ is becoming a topic concerning professions

within the built environment, there are many contemporary, renewable solutions
being developed in order to tackle the issue. Relatively recently however, there has
been research carried out regarding the use of vernacular architecture for a more
sustainable future.

5. I. Ciotoiu, N.Georg,2010 :- As vernacular buildings are always realized with a direct

participation of the first owner, they constitute the expression of practical and
spiritual needs of each community, sharing same values systems. Synthesis of
centuries of life experiences and building traditions, vernacular architecture is a
synthetic and symbiotic harmony of individuals, community and the built
environment.

6. Galán-Marín et al. (2018):- One of the most recent studies about Mediterranean
vernacular and traditional buildings was done in Cordoba, southern Spain, This study
focused on one traditional element—the courtyard—and tried to improve it by
determining the influence of shading this element by analysing its thermal
performance, comparing it with non-shaded courtyards. This study proved, with a
quantitative approach, the thermal benefits of the courtyards, and how their positive
contributions can be enhanced and integrated into the contemporary architecture.

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7. Fernandes et al. (2014):- Reviewed the importance of vernacular architecture as a

type of construction that should be studied from a sustainability point of view. The
study is based on a comparative analysis between the vernacular architecture of two
Mediterranean areas—southern Portugal and north of Egypt.

8. Weber and Yannas, 2013 :- Also highlighted the good thermal performance of
vernacular buildings in the Mediterranean climate context and emphasized the
benefits of using local materials. This paper concluded that climate is an important
issue to consider in building design and that some of the cooling passive strategies
found in the Mediterranean vernacular architecture were relevant principles to
consider in the design of energy efficient buildings.

9. Ijla and Broström (2015):- Most of the studies are focused on a specific aspect such
as the conservation of the elements of the vernacular architecture or studying the
potential of reusing vernacular buildings. For instance have presented different
examples of reused traditional buildings in order to explore the importance of
adaptive reuse.

10. Abdel Hadi (2013):- Compared old and contemporary buildings in Palestine
regarding the specific aspect of thermal performance, concluding that old buildings
have a much better thermal performance and cost than contemporary buildings.

11. Haddad (2010) :- Focused on vernacular and traditional building methods,

highlighting that these buildings and solutions should be studied, evaluated, and
developed and not copied.

12. Hussein et al. (2010) :- Highlighted the socio-environmental characteristics of

private outdoor spaces in contemporary Palestinian housing, comparing it with the
traditional outdoor spaces, with the goal of improving the living quality of future
housing design in Palestine.

13. Al Tawayha et al. (2016):- Discussed the differences between vernacular and
contemporary cities of Palestine at an urban scale and have presented a comparative
study between vernacular and contemporary urban areas of Nablus, in order to allow
architects and other stakeholders to identify the principles of the vernacular
architecture that can be used in improving the sustainability of new urban areas.

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14. Bernard Rudofsky:-The term was popularized with positive connotations in a 1964
exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, designed by architect with a
subsequent book. Both were called Architecture Without Architects.

15. Sakinc (2010):- At the same time, vernacular buildings/settlements preserve a rich
accumulation of knowledge concerning a wide variety of subjects within a reality that
is being lived out, and as such they are reminiscent of a library we live inside in which
reason-outcome relations can be directly observed.

16. Marx and Bornmann(2015):- We continued to question the relationship between the
research topics and the research methods and how they influence the quality of the
studies. First, we supposed that the citation metric is a good measure of quality of a
scientific research. The average number of citations of an article in the field
engineering and technology in the period 1990e2010 was estimated at around 13, as
given.

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OBJECTIVES OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE:

1. To investigate passive/ bioclimatic/ environmental ecological design principles/
measures/ features to achieve a comfortable living environment, eco-friendly and
energy efficient architecture.
2. To learn about vernacular construction techniques.
3. To study social cultural values of vernacular architecture.
CHARECTERISTICS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE:

1. Application of traditional construction techniques and crafts.

2. Traditionally established building types and forms.
3. Features responsive to the environment and climate.
4. Features responsive to social and communal use.
5. Use of local materials that focuses on function over beauty.

VERNACULAR BAMBOO STRUCTURE

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CHAPTER: - 3
METHODOLOGY
By Locally Available Materials:

The first factor influencing the development of vernacular construction practices is related to
the availability of local building materials. In many areas, the locally available resources
have governed the use of the following constituent materials for walls:

1. Adobe (mud blocks or whole walls)

2. Masonry (stone, clay, or concrete blocks)
3. Timber

Frequently, a combination of materials has been used in the construction.

Vernacular Planning Concept :-

Indian vernacular planning involves planning and designing a built environment with
the informal, functional design of structures. It is mostly found in rural areas of India, with
structures built using local materials and designed and planned to meet up with all the needs
and requirements of the local residents. The structures built are not just made by using
vernacular materials but even the planning is done keeping in mind the necessities of native
society and culture. The builders and planners of these structures are untrained in formal
architectural design.
This is reflected in their work which reflects the rich diversity of India's climate, the
local building materials, and the elaborate variations in the social customs and craftsmanship.
The rich vernacular tradition of India starts from the natural settings of the site, and responds
to metaphysical concerns, climate, local skills, construction materials and appropriate
technology. The form of a building plan is correlated with the cultural, historical background
and planning traditions of a particular region.
The layout of vernacular structures is an important factor that influences and drives
their design. Many cultural, historical, and urban planning patterns have been connected to
the archetypal form of a building plan. The size of the building is ruled by its particular use.
The mixed-use buildings necessitate construction of an additional floor, which calls for
increased wall load-bearing capacity, especially if these walls also need to withstand
earthquake effects. It should be noted that the building size is also related to the population
pattern and housing density in a given area.
This study employed the archival research method. This involves the investigation of primary
sources held in an archive, a special collections library, or other repository. The archival

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research method is one of the common methods applied to architecture studies as carefully
described in section. We collected studies on sustainable features of vernacular architecture
from two primary databases: Scopus and SpringerLink. These are the resources where the
authors were granted the access right. Other studies were also obtained from open sources
such as Google Scholar, or by contacting authors directly. To reduce the possibility of
omitting key information, different keywords were repeatedly applied in the searches in these
databases in August 2018. The intension was not to attempt to collect all relevant research as
this is not possible. However, the attempt was made to collect highly cited or easily seen (by
scientific search platforms) studies, forming a fairly large set of samples with a good
representation of contributions relevant to the research area. This large set was filtered out to
eliminate inappropriate and/or duplicated studies. We found that some authors published two
(even three) papers in both a conference and a journal, but the content of these papers was
similar or even homogeneous. In such a case, we only selected the journal paper. Some
review papers on vernacular architecture were also excluded as they do not focus on any
specific region, climate or specific local structure.
The main site analysis includes:-

 Site context and topography - the site and its existing conditions affect the design as
they inform appropriate use of the site.
 Orientation - The building should be oriented along a direction that ensures
favourable ventilation and thermal comfort.
 Shading - For thermal comfort, the analysis includes sun path and shade patterns.
 Ventilation - cross ventilation is necessary especially in hot and humid climates to
regulate humidity and heat.
 It is Economic Low-income groups predominantly are observed to have greater
acceptance of vernacular materials due to their affordability, as opposed to financially
welloff respondents with better purchasing power. However, it is also observed that
both groups share the same aspiration to global materials.
Some of the construction techniques face the problem of widespread negative societal
perception, especially the mud houses i.e., the cob houses. These are widely seen as the
choice of the poor; therefore, the current residents' upward mobility also aspires to go for
concrete, or even brick houses. In regions where stone is the predominant single vernacular
material, the reason is reversed. Group 2 & 4 show that the prices of stone have gone up
tremendously due to legal reasons and demand from cities. Here economic reasons deter
low-income group even more from using the local stone.

It applies a qualitative approach through explanatory qualitative analysis and

comparative synthesis methods for vernacular sustainable strategies used in Palestinian
vernacular architecture at the building scale. The application of this method and the
comparison is focused on both old and new residential buildings of Nablus. The
comparative analysis was based on a systematic comparison of different design principles
used with a focus on building scale strategies to understand similarities and differences.

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To build a comprehensive documented knowledge, this study focuses only on
comparable architectural components, including the building elements with similar functions
(residential buildings), in both the old and the contemporary architecture, which were
affected by socio-cultural values.
The old city is divided into five quarters (Figure 1) and the observations and
fieldwork were carried out in all of them. The quarters in the old city are mostly residential,
with the necessary commercial and workshop areas and stores, which means there are no
industrial strips or agricultural areas. All quarters connect at least to one main street.

FIGURE 1

FIGURE 2

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TYPES OF VERNACLAR ARCHITECTURE :-

Depending on the rural and urban settings, vernacular architecture can be described
as 'rural' and 'urban' respectively. Proposes a category of vernacular buildings based on their
usage.
1. Architecture Reflects Culture:

Architecture is a product of the culture that it was designed for. And architects usually
aim to construct spaces for the times and the people who will use them, becoming inherent
problem solvers. They don't just construct solid and strong buildings. They build ecosystems
where, now and in the future, individuals can gain in numerous ways. All is about the big
picture. The relationship between architecture and culture is one that has been studied for
many years. But what’s happening now is much more revolutionary. No longer is a static
creation that performs well for a while, the mindset now to build in a way that adapts to a
culture’s changing needs.

2. Climate and Architecture:

A fundamental purpose of architecture is to provide shelter from the elements; that is, to
purposefully shape the immediate physical, as well as social and aesthetic climate in which
we live. This energy – originating in the sun, and converted into a variety of forms –
represents a recurring and persistent source of income, which builders have drawn upon for
millennia. Most of the traditional and modern buildings built as vernacular buildings are well
lit and well ventilated/climate responsive to reduce the use of artificial lighting and air
condition systems. There was a strong use of microclimatic management of making use of
water bodies in forms of canals, pools or fountains etc in open spaces like the courtyards.
This helped to modify the unfavourable climatic impacts of hot and dry climate. The thick
walls were used to introduce time lags in the fluctuating diurnal cycle. Light is one of the
most important aspects of architecture both in terms of quantity as well as in terms of its
qualitative aspects like glare. Most of our buildings had grills and fenestration/façade work
done to control and manipulate light by means of strategies like Jalis or double windows
with wooden Louvers etc. Many religious buildings such as mosques or masjids and temples
also used similar strategies to control light and air movement.
Although there is an assortment of structures within vernacular architecture due to the
diversity of different regions and cultures, here are some well known examples from across
the world.
A style unique to American architecture, ranch houses have a wide floor plan with a
single storey. They first appeared in the 1920s and are still present in the suburbs, built in a
combination of modern and vernacular techniques. Some of their features include-

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 Single story
 Usually L-shaped
 A connection to the outdoors with emphasis on backyard and other outdoor spaces

Thatched Cottages:-
Surprisingly, we can find these cottages in many parts of the world, though they use
the vernacular elements in different styles. The main feature is the thatched roof, a roof
made of straws or any vegetation. Japan still has many rural villages well known for their
thatched-roof houses.
Igloos are much rarer than other structures, found mostly in Alaska, Canada and Greenland.
These geodesic dome structures are built out of snow bricks stacked together.

Material Used :

The focus of the vernacular concept is on local construction techniques and materials.
People leaned towards high-tech buildings while looking down on vernacular ‘rural’
architecture as it was often associated with remote or poorer regions where the lack of
resources and finances resulted in the use of locally available materials.
However, the rising costs and the environmental damage, caused by the construction
industry, prompted the industry professionals to seek out ecological solutions. These
solutions lie in the use of locally sourced materials and resources, to cut down on carbon
footprint and energy consumption.
The availability of local building materials has a great contribution in the
development of vernacular construction. Materials used in old and contemporary buildings
are different in many properties, such as density, thermal conductivity and heat transfer.
These differences affect the thermal performance of the buildings. Traditional building
materials, such as timber, stone and clay, are undergoing a revival in that they offer
sustainability where the more labour intensive and costly materials, such as (reinforced)
concrete, fiberglass, glass and steel, are unrealistic in terms of budget. Result of a complex
balance between material, shape and natural context, vernacular architecture is the most
integrated architectural form in communion with the environment. As vernacular buildings
are always realized with a direct participation of the first owner, they constitute the
expression of practical and spiritual needs of each community, sharing same values systems.
Synthesis of centuries of life experiences and building traditions, vernacular architecture is a
synthetic and symbiotic harmony of individuals, community and the built environment.
Wood is the most common construction material and we can find it in most vernacular
buildings. It is a locally sourced material that can be found anywhere in the world. It is also
well known as a sustainable material.
In addition to wood, mud and clay are also common materials associated with vernacular
architecture as they are readily available on-site.
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 Adobe – a type of mud brick, often covered with white-wash, commonly

used in Spain and Spanish colonies
 Cob – a type of plaster made from subsoil with the addition of fibrous
material to give added strength
 Mashrabiya (also known as shanashol in Iraq) – a type of oriel window with timber
lattice-work, designed to allow ventilation, commonly found in Iraq and Egypt in
upper-class homes
 Mud bricks – loam or sand mixed with water and vegetable matter such as
straw
 Rammed earth often used in foundations Saddleback roof
 Thatch – dry vegetation used as roofing material
 Windcatcher – a type of chimney used to provide natural ventilation without the use
of air conditioning, commonly found in Iran, Iraq and other parts of the Middle-East
 Wychert – a blend of white earth and clay

Purpose of Vernacular Architecture:-

Modern architecture has taken away the uniqueness of each regional design as more
and more buildings look deplorably similar despite their different site locations. Take
Shanghai Tower by Gensler, one of the most sustainable buildings in China, as an example.
Remove it from the current site and place it in, say, Berlin, and it would not look out of place.
Then, take a traditional house of Southeast Asia and place it anywhere out of the region, it
will be so out of place that it would disrupt the urban scene.
Another easy example is the stilt houses in flood-prone regions. These can be found in many
tropical regions or temperate regions close to rivers (see the example of vernacular
architecture in Assam below). The stilt houses are raised on a stilt or pillars lifting the main
superstructure off the ground, and away from potential flood water.
That is why vernacular architecture is unique to each region, no matter where in the world.
However, we can categorise the characteristics of this architectural style, and in doing so,
understand its uniqueness.

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CONCLUSION:-

Though this style of architecture is less common in modern times, it is still encouraged for
long-term construction. Since the construction industry absorbs a substantial portion of the
world's resources and contributes substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions, it poses a
danger to human survival. Architects, architects, and town planners will collaborate to
construct green buildings, which will help to promote sustainable growth. Architects are
currently concentrating on vernacular buildings in order to make them more energy efficient
and sustainable. Even in this age of rapid technological innovation and urbanization, there is
still space for vernacular tradition to be adopted. It can be used as a blueprint for long-term
growth by integrating historical lessons with modern technology. , vernacular architecture is
environmentally friendly. As a result, embracing the vernacular style of architecture is
important for a long-term future. Since it uses natural, readily available materials, vernacular
architecture is also environmentally friendly. Using local materials is also cost efficient since
these materials are readily accessible and do not require transportation.
Through discussion and analysis, the chapter tried to find analogies between identity, as
an indicator of a certain society, and sustainability, as a lifestyle developed by people in that
society to live in harmony with the surrounding nature and available resources sustaining
balance with lifecycle around them. Architecture, vernacular in particular, as a product of
people is a vibrant manifestation of how identity and sustainability are related spontaneously
in accordance with nature and culture.
Vernacular architecture is a demonstration of identity and sustainability; it is the “mirror”
of nations that reflects place, time, and culture. Architecture that was built by people to
people; it has developed sustainably through time and modified itself through trial and error
to fulfil society’s needs in harmony with the ambient environment.
The search for establishing a new regional identity means being independence from the
imported values and ideologies without losing cultural interrelation that serve the human
civilization. Regaining an Arab identity is fundamental to the formation of a new Arab
culture, not only in the field of architecture but throughout all aspects to feature a trace in the
drastic changeable world.
Raising awareness among students about the importance of vernacular architecture in
architectural education is of utmost importance with respect to the establishment of future
architectural environments, during the course of which they will play a part and be effective
actors. The course LF-VA, which has been evaluated in this article, is an outcome of that
belief. Knowledge about architecture is based on accumulation and expertise. The roots of
today’s architecture (and of the future) are embedded in the past and past expertise. The
development/evolution of the profession of architecture, which has gone hand in hand with
the development/evolution of humankind, always comes to the fore with successful examples
of the work it does. Architectural products, which are a part of the culture and lives to which
they are related, cannot be considered apart from their context. Therefore, it can be firmly

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stated that previous architectural knowledge is a key part of architectural education.
However, another issue that should be emphasized here is that this knowledge must go
beyond passive architectural knowledge. Understanding, reading about, and keenly observing
instances of
vernacular architecture are surely the most important steps involved in the transfer of
architectural knowledge to the future. But to take this one step further, it is necessary to
investigate how this information can be made useful. Utilizing knowledge about vernacular
architectural as a resource for future architectural production is only possible if we are able to
look beyond (visible) buildings and settlements and differentiate between abstract cases and
concrete particulars. The only way to grasp the principles of vernacular architecture is by
understanding the dynamics that created it. In other words, the relationships involved in
vernacular architecture are not established by repeating existing patterns but by
understanding and sustaining the attitudes that brought such forms of architecture into being.
The main issue here is understanding the approaches and principles that have come about
through years of experience and bringing them into the present by correlating them with the
facts of the century. As Bektaş (2018) has suggested, “It can only be bound with traditions
through modernism.” The transmission of vernacular knowledge from generation to
generation is similar to how people learn from their families and relatives without having to
make a concerted effort.

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REFERENCE:-
1. Ciotoiu I., Nash G. 2010. Vernacular architecture as a model for contemporary
design, WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, Vol 128.
2. Draft Concept Note on Smart City Scheme". Government of India - Ministry of
Urban Development.
3. Ghodsi H.2012. Vernacular Architecture: Solution to a more sustainable future,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259278928.
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Wilson (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017): 697-98.

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REVIVAL OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE
FOR DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT:-
Vernacular architecture is a form of architecture that considers all of the needs and
requirements of the inhabitants, as well as nature, building materials, and cultural traditions
and values. It evolves over time to reflect the community's culture, traditions, history,
climate, residents' desires and needs, and economy. Structures designed by professional
architects are not considered as vernacular architecture. The main concept of vernacular
architecture is architecture that is not intentionally or knowingly planned. It is designed
specifically for the local environment, using local environment. Architect Paul Oliver stated
that vernacular architecture is "the architecture of the people, and by the people, but not for
the people”. The main purpose of this study is to investigate passive/ bioclimatic/
environmental ecological design principles/ measures/ features to achieve a comfortable
living environment, eco-friendly and energy-efficient architecture.
This paper identifies principles that will provide important insights and lessons for
those who are involved in the development of future sustainable built environments. Two
case studies chosen with particular geographical and cultural contexts, one located in the
north-eastern mountain valleys of Afghanistan and the other located in the central-arid region
of Iran, have been used. This paper will demonstrate principles of vernacular architecture as
characterized by sustainable affinity between nature and human settlement that are prevalent
in these regions. The value of compact townscape, self-help and participatory building
approaches, conservation, the use of natural energy systems, and other strategies that will
help preserve the ecological integrity of place and at the same time enrich its cultural heritage
will be presented. Production and technology systems, which started with the
industrialization era, transformed our understanding of consumption together with production
and consumption phenomena in social life. Since the first consumed values are traditions,
habits and cultural values, living habits and spatial preferences have also changed. The
changes in urban spaces, traditional settlements brought from the past and symbolizing
cultural values, and the tangible and intangible cultural heritage values of local architectural
structures have also begun to be abandoned by the preference to modern life and space
fiction. These social changes and transformations have revealed the spatial preferences of
tangible/intangible cultural value and the tendency to abandon traditional residential
areas/structures.
Today, while urban centers are changing, traditional residential areas and local /
vernacular architectural structure systems, which remain in the remote corners of the city,
have the potential to challenge modern architectural systems with their tangible cultural
heritage value. The potential of traditional residential areas, which have begun to be
integrated into urban textures with modern urban planning techniques, with their cultural,
economic, spatial, social and touristic contributions has been proved. Vernacular architectural
structures that adorn these traditional residential areas have a very high level of success with
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGG 18 GOVT ENGINEERING COLLAGE
REVIVAL OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE
FOR DEVELOPMENT
their achievement in meeting the daily life levels in spatial, social and cultural terms with
their tangible cultural heritage value, as well as with environmentally friendly and nature-
friendly architectural construction / manufacturing techniques. The study aims to reveal the
contribution of the survival of the residential areas with vernacular architectural values that
have survived from the past to the present and are accepted as tangible cultural heritage, to
the sustainable development in spatial, social and cultural terms. In this context, the study
method focuses on the analysis of local architectural values in the town of Safranbolu in
Karabük, in line with the literature researches and field studies on the subject. It is aimed to
contribute to this field by raising awareness of the importance of the data obtained at the end
of the study in the sustainable development of the city with the cultural and spatial values of
vernacular architecture, which is a tangible cultural heritage.

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGG 19 GOVT ENGINEERING COLLAGE