Vernacular Housing

Definitions

The term anonymous architecture is used when the designers are not known. Folk architecture indicates that designs are by local people without use of formally trained, specialized professionals such as designers, architects, planners, and engineers. Traditional architecture implies that the designs have undergone historical development, are accepted by the society, and handed down over time. Vernacular architecture refers to buildings—including housing—of, by, and for the people; that is, it is designed and constructed by the local people for their own needs. Skilled craftsmen, artisans, and master builders in the population could have contributed to the design and construction. To enable broad coverage, the term vernacular architecture as used here incorporates traditional and folk architecture. Vernacular housing composes a large part of vernacular architecture.

Qualities

Designers of vernacular housing have largely remained anonymous to outsiders, and rarely have they publicly claimed particular designs, though locals may have known who they were or their styles. Such anonymity may have reduced the desire for pretentious signature buildings that stood out.

Vernacular housing is thought to be heavily influenced by culture. Cultures define design problems, arrive at a negotiated range of options they consider appropriate, and influence the choice of a design solution. Cultural values, world views, beliefs, myths, mores, customs, traditions, norms, rules, symbolism, meanings, religion, rituals, preferences, and [Page 767]practices directly affect vernacular housing design by suggesting what is appropriate and inappropriate. Available stock of local cultural knowledge related to design, materials, structures, and construction guide outcomes. Indirectly, cultural values and ideas can influence preference for a particular lifestyle that in turn affects the choice of architectural solutions in vernacular housing. In these ways, culture becomes probably the most important set of ideations that affect vernacular designs. Vernacular housing uses designs, forms, materials, and technology that follow cultural traditions and other accepted procedures.

Vernacular designs can be symbolic. The design could be a representation of their cosmic view or religious beliefs. The house may be made auspicious through selection of propitious times and ceremonies at significant points, such as groundbreaking, construction, and completion. It may embody messages, and house-related stories might be created (e.g., of who did what). These personalize the house and build special connectedness with the home, its environment, and relevant people.

The vernacular housing of each region or nation has characteristic features making it distinct from that of other regions. The variety in vernacular housing around the world is testimony to the richness that exists in both the nature of problems the builders perceived and the diversity and resourcefulness in architectural solutions they developed. Some unique vernacular designs have become identifiers and identity markers for their cultures, thus enabling recognition and identification. Even though within a region there may appear to be overall uniformity, on careful examination, distinctive elements of self-expression of subgroup and individual identity can be seen within an overall unity or framework. Vernacular architecture of regions could also have similarities that could be attributed to materials used, technology, and similar climatic conditions. Studies from these perspectives, such as researchers noting housing in hot-dry or cold-dry desert areas, in hot humid zones, or in areas that use a mud type of architecture, have tended to look at vernacular housing across cultures, focus on similarities, and overlook differences and the influence of culture.

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