VERNACULAR

ARCHITECTURE
IN
AFRICA
[ VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE ]

SUBMITTED TO :- SUBMITTED BY :-

AR. ANSHIKA AMIT KUMAR YADAV

SINGH B.ARCH 2ND YR.( 4TH SEM )
ITMSATP, LKO.
 VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN AFRICA

LOCATION :-
 AFRICA, THE SECOND-LARGEST CONTINENT, IS
BOUNDED BY THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, THE RED
SEA, THE INDIAN OCEAN, AND THE ATLANTIC
OCEAN.

 IT IS DIVIDED IN HALF ALMOST EQUALLY BY

THE EQUATOR.

 AFRICA’S PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY,
ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES, AND HUMAN
GEOGRAPHY CAN BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.

 AFRICA HAS EIGHT MAJOR PHYSICAL REGIONS:

THE SAHARA, THE SAHEL, THE ETHIOPIAN
HIGHLANDS, THE SAVANNA, THE SWAHILI COAST,
THE RAIN FOREST, THE AFRICAN GREAT LAKES,
AND SOUTHERN AFRICA.

 SOME OF THESE REGIONS COVER LARGE BANDS OF

THE CONTINENT, SUCH AS THE SAHARA AND
SAHEL, WHILE OTHERS ARE ISOLATED AREAS, SUCH
AS THE ETHIOPIAN HIGHLANDS AND THE GREAT
LAKES. EACH OF THESE REGIONS HAS UNIQUE
ANIMAL AND PLANT COMMUNITIES.
CLIMATIC REGIONS :-

 WHEN CONSIDERED IN DETAIL, THE MOVEMENT OF AIR MASSES AND THEIR EFFECTS PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR A DIVISION
OF THE CONTINENT INTO EIGHT CLIMATIC REGIONS.

 THESE ARE THE HOT DESERT, SEMIARID, TROPICAL WET-AND-DRY, EQUATORIAL (TROPICAL WET), MEDITERRANEAN,
HUMID SUBTROPICAL MARINE, WARM TEMPERATE UPLAND, AND MOUNTAIN REGIONS.

 HOT DESERT REGION

 THE HOT DESERT REGION CONSISTS OF THE SAHARA AND KALAHARI DESERTS,
WHICH ARE ALWAYS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRY CONTINENTAL TROPICAL AIR
MASSES, AND THE NORTHERN KENYA–SOMALI DESERT, THE ARIDITY OF WHICH IS
PRINCIPALLY CAUSED BY THE STABLE NATURE OF THE MARITIME AIR MASSES
THAT PASS OVER IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
 THE STABILITY OF THESE MARITIME AIR MASSES IS INDUCED BY THEIR PASSING
OVER THE COOL BODY OF WATER OFFSHORE.
 IN ADDITION TO ARIDITY, THE DESERT CLIMATE IS CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH
MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURES; THE DIURNAL (DAILY) TEMPERATURE RANGE
IS, HOWEVER, GREATER THAN THE ANNUAL RANGE OF THE MEAN MONTHLY
TEMPERATURE.

 SEMIARID CLIMATIC REGION

 SEMIARID CLIMATIC REGIONS FRINGE THE DESERT AREAS AND INCLUDE THE

GREATER PART OF THE LAND SOUTH OF THE ZAMBEZI RIVER.
 THEY DIFFER FROM TRUE DESERT REGIONS IN BEING JUST WITHIN REACH OF THE
ITCZ IN THE COURSE OF ITS SEASONAL MOVEMENT AND THEREFORE RECEIVING
MORE RAINFALL.
 TEMPERATURES ARE ABOUT THE SAME AS THOSE IN THE DESERT REGIONS.
 TROPICAL WET AND DRY REGION

 THE TROPICAL WET-AND-DRY REGION IS OFTEN CALLED THE SAVANNA

 CLIMATIC REGION; THIS IMPLIES, INCORRECTLY, THAT ALL AREAS WITH
SAVANNA VEGETATION HAVE THIS TYPE OF CLIMATE.

 THIS REGION COVERS A LITTLE LESS THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL SURFACE
AREA OF THE CONTINENT, EXTENDING TOWARD THE EQUATOR FROM THE
SEMIARID AREAS.

 THE GREAT DISTINGUISHING FEATURE OF THIS CLIMATIC REGION IS THE

SEASONAL CHARACTER OF ITS RAINFALL.

 DURING THE PERIOD OF HIGH SUN, THE MARITIME AIR MASSES PRODUCE
UP TO SIX MONTHS OF RAINFALL, THE LENGTH OF THE RAINY SEASON
DEPENDING ON NEARNESS TO THE EQUATOR.

 EQUITORIAL ( TROPICAL WET )

 REGIONS WITH THE EQUATORIAL, OR TROPICAL WET, TYPE OF CLIMATE,

OR VARIANTS THEREOF, ARE THE WETTEST IN AFRICA.

 AREAS WITH AN EQUATORIAL CLIMATE ARE CONSTANTLY COVERED BY

WARM MARITIME AIR MASSES, VARIATIONS IN THEIR MONTHLY AND
DAILY TEMPERATURES ARE LESS PRONOUNCED THAN IN THE TROPICAL
WET-AND-DRY REGIONS.

 THE MOST NOTABLE ANOMALY CAN BE OBSERVED ON THE WESTERN

AFRICAN COAST FROM AROUND CAPE THREE POINTS, GHANA, EASTWARD
TO BENIN, WHERE, ALTHOUGH THE BIMODAL RAINFALL REGIME PREVAILS,
THE TOTAL ANNUAL PRECIPITATION IS LESS THAN 40 INCHES (1,000
MILLIMETRES).
 MEDITERRANEAN REGION

 IN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN EXTREMITIES OF THE CONTINENT,

THERE IS A DRY SUMMER SUBTROPICAL, OR MEDITERRANEAN, TYPE OF
CLIMATE.

 RAIN FALLS ONLY IN WINTER (DECEMBER–JANUARY IN NORTH AFRICA,

JUNE–JULY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA), ALTHOUGH IN SOME LOCALITIES IT
MAY FALL IN AUTUMN (SEPTEMBER IN NORTH AFRICA, APRIL IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA).

 MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURES ARE LOWER THAN IN TROPICAL

CLIMATES, DROPPING TO ABOUT 50 °F (10 °C) IN WINTER, WHILE
SUMMER (JUNE–JULY IN NORTH AFRICA, AND DECEMBER–JANUARY IN
SOUTHERN AFRICA) TEMPERATURES MAY SOMETIMES EXCEED THOSE OF
TROPICAL CLIMATES. CLEAR BLUE SKIES ARE CHARACTERISTIC.

 HUMID SUBTROPICAL MARINE CLIMATE

REGION
 THE HUMID SUBTROPICAL MARINE CLIMATE IS RESTRICTED TO THE
SOUTHEAST COAST OF AFRICA.

 THIS REGION IS CHARACTERIZED BY RAINFALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,

BUT IT IS HEAVIEST IN SUMMER.

 IN SOUTH AFRICA, SOUTH OF KWAZULU-NATAL, THE WINTER RAINFALL IS

MORE PRONOUNCED, AND THE TEMPERATURES ARE A LITTLE LOWER
THAN IN THE NORTH.

 THUS, AT PORT ELIZABETH THERE ARE SIX MONTHS WHEN

TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 62 °F (17 °C), WHILE AT DURBAN MEAN
MONTHLY TEMPERATURES DO NOT FALL BELOW 64 °F (18 °C).
 WARM TEMPERATE UPLAND CLIMATE
REGION
 THE WARM TEMPERATE UPLAND CLIMATIC REGION IS FOUND ON THE
HIGHVELD OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.

 ITS RAINFALL REGIME IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TROPICAL WET-AND-

DRY CLIMATE, BUT TEMPERATURES ARE GREATLY MODIFIED BY THE
ALTITUDE; FROST, FOR EXAMPLE, OCCASIONALLY OCCURS IN LESOTHO.

 TOWARD THE COAST THE CLIMATE SHOWS MARITIME CHARACTERISTICS,

AND THERE IS A TENDENCY TOWARD WINTER RAINFALL.

 MOUNTAIN CLIMATE REGION

 THE MOUNTAIN CLIMATIC REGION INCLUDES THE HIGH MOUNTAIN AREAS
OF ETHIOPIA AND THE LAKE REGION OF EAST AFRICA.

 IN SOME RESPECTS THE CLIMATE IS SIMILAR TO THE WARM TEMPERATE

UPLAND CLIMATE, EXCEPT THAT TEMPERATURES ARE EVEN LOWER AND
SNOW OCCURS ON THE TOPS OF THE HIGHEST PEAKS, SUCH AS 
KILIMANJARO.

 THE RAINFALL REGIME IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE ADJACENT LOWLAND

AREAS.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS :-
 TIMBER

TIMBER WAS AND IS READILY AVAILABLE AND PLENTIFUL. MORE SO , BAMBOO

AND OTHER FOREST RESOURCES LIKE ROPES, FORKED WOOD FOR BUILDINGS
WERE IN ABUNDANT, THEREFORE, THE COST OF FOREST BUILDING MATERIALS
RESOURCES WERE RELATIVELY CHEAPER . SAVING WAS LOCALLY DONE,
SEASONING WAS DONE WITH THE HELP OF THE SOME AND CRAFT ON THAT
COULD EASILY HANDLE THEM WERE READILY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE (DMO
CHOWSKI, 1990).

 STONE

THE USE OF STONE AS A WALLING MATERIAL WAS UNPOPULAR IN THE NIGERIAN

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE PRECOLONIAL ERA DUE TO THE FACT THAT
INSTRUMENT USED FOR CUTTING AND THE BONDING MATERIALS FOR STONE
WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE.

 GRASSES

GRASSES WERE FOUND IN THE MIDDLE BELT AND NORTHERN REGION

ABUNDANTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTION IN
NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE. THE TYPE OF GRASSES AVAILABLE IN A
LOCALITY DEPENDS ON THE CLIMATIC REGION, VEGETATION AND CLOSENESS TO
WATER SOURCE. TOWARD THE SOUTH OF THE MIDDLE BELT REGION , ELEPHANT
GRASSES WERE COMMON; EVEN IN THE NORTHERN PART OF SOUTH WESTERN,
MID – WESTERN AND EASTERN REGION; WHILE IN THE MIDDLE BELT AND
NORTHERN REGION, SPARE GRASSES WERE VERY COMMON
(JOLAOSO,2001;BOURNE,1981,DENYER,1978, ENCARTA,2005).
 CLAY AND MUD

THE INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY ON CLAY AND MUD WALL, FLOOR AND

ROOF CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPED SO MUCH THAT VARIOUS METHODS
AND FORMS WERE USED TO PRODUCE WALLS , ROOFS AND FLOOR FROM
THESE TWO BUILDING MATERIALS . THE TECHNOLOGY USED INCLUDED –
DIRECT USAGE OF MUD AND CLAY PLACING TO CONVENIENCE WALL
THICKNESS. – ADDITION OF STRAW(COB) TO CLAY AND MUD IN THE
PRODUCTION OF MOULDED SMALL UNIT BRICKS AND BLOCK USED FOR
WALL CONSTRUCTION.
I. TABULI: THIS IS A PRODUCTION GOT FROM BROKEN SOLID MUD
MIXED WITH CHALK, STONE AND GRAVEL PLACED IN TIMBER
FRAMEWORK WITH WET MIX CLAY AND MUD TO FORM THE
BINDING MEMBER, WELL RAMMED TO FORM STRONG
CONSOLIDATED WALL BETWEEN FRAME WORKS USED TO FORM METHOD OF WALL CONSTRUCTION WITH MUD.
VARIOUS SHAPE OF WALL.
II. GRASSES LIKE “ ZANNA ” WOVENED INTO MATS AND USED AS
COVER FOR REINFORCEMENT GOT FROM BAMBOO OR SIMILAR
POLES TO PRODUCE STRUCTURAL MUD AND CLAY WALL.
III. SAWN BAMBOO, RAFFIA WOVENED IN SUCH A WAY TO FORM
SHAPE OF REQUIRED WALL, WHOLE MUD AND CLAY WERE PLACED
BETWEEN TO FORM STRUCTURAL WALL CONSTRUCTION.
IV. IN ORDER TO PREVENT SHRINKAGE AND REDUCED CRACKS IN MUD
CLAY WALLS; GRASSES,COCONUT FIBRES,COARSE SAND WERE ADDED
TO THE MUD MIXED BEFORE WALL PLACING.
V. THE USAGE OF LONG AND PROJECTED ROOF EAVES AND SPOUTS FOR
MUD AND CLAY CONSTRUCTION PREVENTED RAIN FALLING DIRECTLY
ON MUD WALL.
VI. MUD AND CLAY WALLS FLOORS, AND ROOFS CONSTRUCTIONS
WERE RENDERED WITH MATERIALS LIKE INDIGO LEAVE, CATTLE
WASTE, COLOURED MUD TO PREVENT WATER PENETRATION INTO METHOD OF WALL CONSTRUCTION,
THE SURFACE WALL. THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE PROCESS ARE REINFORCEMENT AND
SHOWN ABOVE. ROOFING.
 WILD COCONUT TREE

THIS FIBROUS TREE IS FOUND MAINLY IN THE SAVANNAH REGION

(MIDDLE BELT) OF NIGERIA. IT PRODUCED GOOD STRUCTURAL MEMBER
FOR ROOT, WALL LINTEL, CEILING AND BRIDGES CONSTRUCTION. IT IS
ALSO USED AS OVERLAY FOR TOILET PITS. UNLIKE TIMBER, IT IS A
TERMITE RESISTANCE STRUCTURAL AND DON’T EASILY DECAY UNLESS
SUBJECTED TO LONG PERIOD OF DAMPNESS (DMO CHOWSKI, 1990).

 BAMBOO
THIS POLE – LIKE STRUCTURE WAS MOSTLY USED IN CONSTRUCTION
STRUCTURAL MEMBERS OF WALL, ROOFS, FLOORS AND CEILING SO
ALSO IN FENCE CONSTRUCTION WHICH WAS COMMONLY FOUND IN
SOUTH WEST PART OF NIGERIA (BASSEY, 1989).

 LEAVES AND BACK OF TREES

IN THE RAINFOREST, SOME DECIDUOUS TREES HAVE BROAD AND LARGE
LEAVES (LIKE GBODOGI LEAVES AND “EBI–ENI”) AND BARK THAT COULD BE
USED AS ROOF COVER. ALSO, THE RAFFIA PALM LEAVE THAT FOUND IN THE
MOST RIVER BANKS
WEREMADEINTOTHATCHROOFCOVERCALLED“BAMBU”.THE BARKS OF
SUCH TREE WERE USED AS RIDGES TO ROOT WHILE LEAVES AND THATCHES
WERE USED AS ROOF COVER. SOME LEAVES COULD BE AS WELL BE USED
FOR WALL FINISHES E.G. INDIGO (DMOCHOSWKI, 1987; JOLAOSO, 1991).
 NATURAL VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF AFRICA
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THIS 'VERNACULAR' ARCHITECTURE FROM ACROSS AFRICA. VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
EVOLVES OVER TIME REFLECTING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE, CULTURE, NATURAL
MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF CENTURIES OF COMMUNITY BUILDING.
YOU WILL FIND SOME OF THE FOLLOWING BUTTONS ABOVE EACH OF THEIR PICTURES:

 SUDAN

THE TOPOSA ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRIBAL GROUPS LIVING IN THE
SOUTH EASTERN BORDER AREA OF SOUTH SUDAN. THEY LIVE IN WELL
ORGANISED VILLAGES, WITH DIFFERENT HOUSES FOR DRY AND RAINY
SEASON AND GRANARIES WHERE THEY KEEP THEIR FOOD AND VALUABLES.
THIS IS A TYPICAL HOME CALLED A TUKEL. THE EXTERNAL STRUCTURE IS A
TEMPORARY SCAFFOLDING FOR THE THATCHER. THE FRAMEWORK OF THE
HOME IS BUILT FROM MANY STRANDS OF SMALL BRANCHES BOUND
TOGETHER WITH TWINE.

 TUNISIA

THESE ARE THE VAULTED ADOBE HOMES OF THE 15TH CENTURY KSAR OULED
DEBBAB, SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY OF TATAOUINE, TUNISIA. THE HOMES
WERE BUILT ALONGSIDE SIMILAR, BUT USUALLY TALLER, GRANARIES. THE
WHOLE COMPLEX IS A FORTIFIED SETTLEMENT WITH ONLY ONE ENTRANCE.
THE GRANARIES KEPT FOOD COOL AND DRY BEHIND THE THICK ADOBE WALLS
AND PALM WOOD DOORS. THE HOMES ARE SIMILARLY COOL.
 SOUTH AFRICA
THE BASOTHO HUT IS SLOWLY, BUT SURELY, BEING NUDGED OUT OF THE LESOTHO
LANDSCAPE IN SOUTH AFRICA BY MODERN CONSTRUCTION. WITH A ROOF OF
STRONG GRASS THAT LASTS 20 TO 30 YEARS IT KEEPS THE INSIDE COOL DURING
SUMMER AND TRAPS HEAT DURING WINTER WITHOUT A DROP OF WATER
SEEPING THROUGH. THIS HOUSE IS PART OF THE BASOTHO CULTURAL VILLAGE
WHERE HOMES FROM THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY ARE DISPLAYED. 

 CAMEROON
THESE ARE CLAY OBOS OF THE MUSGUM PEOPLE IN POUSS, CAMEROON. THEY ARE
DESIGNED IN MUCH THE SAME WAY AS THE TURKISH BEEHIVE HOMES IN HARRAN,
TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT COOLING IN THE BAKING HEAT. BOTH ARE DESIGNED WITH
VENTS AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING AND SMALL ENTRANCES WITH FEW, IF ANY,
WINDOWS. THE HIGH DOMES COLLECT THE HOT AIR, MOVING IT AWAY FROM
PEOPLE SLEEPING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HOUSE KEEPING THE INTERIOR
AROUND 75F (24C).

 MALI
THESE ARE DOGON THATCHED CLAY GRANARIES (STORE ROOMS) AND HOMES IN
SONGHO, MALI. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DOGON GRANARY, MALE AND FEMALE.
THE LARGER MALE GRANARIES ARE USED FOR STORING GRAINS. MEN DISTRIBUTE
THE GRAIN, USUALLY MILLET, FOR THE DAY'S COOKING. THE FEMALE GRANARY IS
USED FOR STORING OTHER FOODS BUT ALSO PERSONAL THINGS LIKE JEWELLERY,
CLOTHING AND POTTERY.
EACH GRANARY IS BUILT FROM CLAY SUPPORTED ON ROCKS. THE STRUCTURES
ARE RAISED OFF THE GROUND TO KEEP TERMITES AND RODENTS OUT. THE ROOF
IS SOLID CLAY WITH A CAP OF STRAW THATCH TO KEEP THE RAIN FROM WASHING
AWAY THE CLAY. 
 ETHIOPIA
THIS IS A TRADITIONAL SPLIT BAMBOO PLAITED ROUNDHOUSE BY THE SIDAMA
PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA. THE DOME, WITH ITS POINTY TOP, IS DESIGNED TO SHED
HEAVY RAINFALL WHERE A CIRCULAR DOME WOULD HAVE A FLAT REGION PRONE
TO LEAKS. BAMBOO ONCE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE RURAL
ECONOMIES OF EAST AFRICA BUT INDISCRIMINATE CLEARING OF NATURAL
BAMBOO FORESTS HAVE RESULTED IN LOSING NATURAL RESOURCES AND MANY
OF THE TRADITIONAL BUILDING SKILLS.

BURKINA FASO
THESE ARE THE EARTHEN HOMES OF THE GURUNSI IN BURKINA FASO. THE MEN
BUILD THE HOUSE AND THE WOMEN DECORATE THE FACADES. ALL THE FIGURES
HAVE A SYMBOLIC MEANING.

ROUND SMALL HOUSES 'DRA' BELONG TO YOUNG SINGLES. THE RECTANGULAR

'MANGOLO' WITH TERRACE BELONGING TO YOUNG COUPLES. THE 'BILOBÉES' 
BELONGING TO THE OLDER WOMEN AND YOUNG CHILDREN. THE WATER USED TO
CLEAN SHEA BUTTER, WHICH ENDS UP WITH AN OILY TEXTURE, HELPS TO MAKE
THE PLASTER WATER-PROOF.

 MOROCCO
THIS IS AN IGHERM, A COMMUNAL FORTIFIED GRANARY, HIGH IN THE ATLAS
MOUNTAINS IN THE ZAWIYA AHANSAL REGION OF MOROCCO. THIS ONE, SOME
400 YEARS OLD, HAD FALLEN IN TO DISREPAIR LIKE MANY OTHERS IN THE
REGION. IT'S MADE FROM STONE AND ADOBE BRICK AND WAS RESTORED IN
2007 BY LOCAL BUILDERS. THE IGHIRMIN, WITH ORNATE IRON AND WOODEN
DOORS, ARE COMMUNALLY OWNED BY THE TRIBE PROVIDING EVERY FAMILY IN
THE VILLAGE WITH A ROOM TO STORE GRAIN
NORTHERN
COUNTRIES ARCHITECTURE
VERNACULAR
IN

ALGERIA
NORTHERN
COUNTRIES ARCHITECTURE
VERNACULAR
IN

EGYPT
NORTHERN ARCHITECTURE
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR
IN

MOROCCO
 ARCHITECTURE

IN
SOUTHERN
COUNTRIES
SOUTH AFRICA VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN
SOUTHERN
COUNTRIES
SWAZILAND VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN
SOUTHERN
COUNTRIES
ZIMBABWE VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN

BURUNDI

CENTRAL
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN

CAMEROON

CENTRAL
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN

LIBERIA

EASTERN
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN

TOGO

EASTERN
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN

ETHIOPIA

WESTERN
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE

IN

MADAGASCAR

WESTERN
COUNTRIES
VERNACULAR