Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it exists. It has often been dismissed as crude and unrefined, but also has proponents who highlight its importance in current design.

It can be contrasted against polite architecture which is characterised by stylistic elements of de tentionally incorporated for aesthetic purposes which go beyond a building's functional requirements.

The building knowledge in vernacular architecture is often transported by local traditions and is thus based largely - but not only - upon knowledge achieved by trial and error and handed down through the generations, in contrast to the geometrical and physical calculations that underlie architecture planned by architects. This of course does not prevent architects from using vernacular architecture in their designs or from being firmly based in the vernacular architecture of their regions

The term vernacular is derived from the Latin vernaculus, meaning "domestic, native, indigenous" from verna, meaning "native slave" or "home-born slave".

In linguistics, vernacular refers to language use particular to a time, place or group. In architecture, it refers to that type of architecture which is indigenous to a specific time or place not imported or copied from elsewhere . It is most often applied to residential buildings

Influences on the vernacular [edit] Climate

One of the most significant influences on vernacular architecture is the macro climate of the area in which the building is constructed. Buildings in cold climates invariably have high thermal mass or significant amounts of insulation. They are usually sealed in order to prevent heat loss, and openings such as windows tend to be small or non-existent. Buildings in warm climates, by contrast, tend to be constructed of lighter materials and to allow significant cross-ventilation through openings in the fabric of the building.

Buildings for a continental climate must be able to cope with significant variations in temperature, and may even be altered by their occupants according to the seasons.

Buildings take different forms depending on precipitation levels in the region - leading to dwellings on stilts in many regions with frequent flooding or rainy monsoon seasons. Flat roofs are rare in areas with high levels of precipitation. Similarly, areas with high winds will lead to specialised buildings able to cope with them, and buildings will be oriented to present minimal area to the direction of prevailing winds.

Climatic influences on vernacular architecture are substantial and can be extremely complex. Mediterranean vernacular, and that of much of the Middle East, often includes a courtyard with a fountain or pond; air cooled by water mist and evaporation is drawn through the building by the natural ventilation set up by the building form. Similarly, Northern African vernacular often has very high thermal mass and small windows to

keep the occupants cool, and in many cases also includes chimneys, not for fires but to draw air through the internal spaces. Such specialisations are not designed, but learnt by trial and error over generations of building construction, often existing long before the scientific theories which explain why they work.

CultureThe way of life of building occupants, and the way they use their shelters, is of great influence on building forms. The size of family units, who shares which spaces, how food is prepared and eaten, how people interact and many other cultural considerations will affect the layout and size of dwellings.

For example, the family units of several East African tribes live in family compounds, surrounded by marked boundaries, in which separate single-roomed dwellings are built to house different members of the family. In polygamous tribes there may be separate dwellings for different wives, and more again for sons who are too old to share space with the women of the family. Social interaction within the family is governed by, and privacy is provided by, the separation between the structures in which family members live. By contrast, in Western Europe, such separation is accomplished inside one dwelling, by dividing the building into separate rooms.

Culture also has a great influence on the appearance of vernacular buildings, as occupants often decorate buildings in accordance with local customs and beliefs.

Nomadic dwellings

An Igloo, an Inuit winter dwellingThere are many cultures around the world which include some aspect of nomadic life, and they have all developed vernacular solutions for the need for shelter. These all include appropriate responses to climate and customs of their inhabitants, including practicalities of simple construction, and if necessary, transport.

The Inuit people have a number of different forms of shelter appropriate to different seasons and geographical locations, including the igloo (for winter) and the tupiq tent (for summer). The Sami of Northern Europe, who live in climates similar to those experienced by the Inuit, have developed different shelters appropriate to their culture, including the atnaris-kahte tent.[18] The development of different solutions in similar circumstances because of cultural influences is typical of vernacular architecture.

Many nomadic people use materials common in the local environment to construct temporary dwellings, such as the Punan of Sarawak who use palm fronds, or the Ituri Pygmies who use saplings and mongongo leaves to construct domed huts. Other cultures reuse materials, transporting them with them as they move. Examples of this are the tribes of Mongolia, who carry their yurts or gers with them, or the black desert tents of

the Qashgai in Iran.[19] Notable in each case is the signicant impact of the availability of materials and the availability of pack animals or other forms of transport on the ultimate form of the shelters.

All the shelters will be adapted to suit the local climate. The Mongolian gers, for example, are versatile enough to be cool in hot continental summers and warm in the sub-zero temperaturs of Mongolian winters, and include a closable ventilation hole at the centre and a chimney for a stove. A ger is typically not often relocated, and is therefore sturdy and secure, including wooden front door and several layers of coverings. A berber tent, by contrast, might be relocated daily, and is much lighter and quicker to erect and dismantle - and because of the climate it is used in, does not need to provide the same degree of protection from the elements.

Permanent dwellings

A Southern African rondavel (or banda)The type of structure and materials used for a dwelling vary depending on how permanent it is. Frequently moved nomadic structures will be lightweight and simple, more permanent ones will be less so. When people settle somewhere permanently, the architecture of their dwellings will change to reflect that.

Materials used will become heavier, more solid and more durable. They may also become more complicated and more expensive, as the capital and labour required to construct them is a one-time cost. Permanent dwellings often offer a greater degree of protection and shelter from the elements. In some cases however, where dwellings are subjected to severe weather conditions such as frequent flooding or high winds, buildings may be deliberately "designed" to fail and be replaced, rather than requiring the uneconomical or even impossible structures needed to withstand them. The collapse of a relatively flimsy, lightweight structure is also less likely to cause serious injury than a heavy structure.

Over time, dwellings' architecture may come to reflect a very specific geographical locale.

[edit] Environment and materialsThe local environment and the construction materials it can provide governs many aspect of vernacular architecture. Areas rich in trees will develop a wooden vernacular, while areas without much wood may use mud or stone. In the Far East it is common to use bamboo, as it is both plentiful and versatile. Vernacular, almost by definition, is sustainable, and will not exhaust the local resources. If it is not sustainable, it is not suitable for its local context, and cannot be vernacular

Vernacular Architecture of Himachal Pradesh, India

Traditional House in Solan (Himachal  Pradesh, India)

[The south east side elevation]

 

Traditional dwelling which have evolved over the ages have been influenced

by these factors:

Climatic response to the envioronment.

Cultural pattern of the inhabitants.

Adaptability of the house according to the social lifestyle.

Locally available construction material.

LOCATION

Site plan showing the scarcity of houses

The house is located in village Basal, Solan in Himachal Pradesh.

Built on a gentle hill slope which is sparsely populated, it has a small water

channel running besides it.

The dwelling was built in 1923 and occupied by a n agrarian family whose

main preoccupation was to stores grains efficiently.

Built around 80 years back, the house belongs to an agrarian family.

Situated along a gentle slope,the density of houses is lessand lot of greenery.

Hills give this house it scenic beauty.

The house has been built taking into account the furious winters when it

snows and the summers, which make the house really warm.

 

GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION

Diagram showing precipitation level in Solan

Solan lies at an altitude of 1750 m above the sea level in middle himalayas.

Although in cold and cloudy climate the place experiences  a fair number of

sunny days.

It experiences a fairly long winter with a severe cold spell of about two

months with short wet periods.

The summers are pleasant with maximum temperature 29c.

LAYOUT PLAN

The house has been built such that the cow-shed and kitchen form a separate

unit, away from the living quarters.

The living quarters basically include bedrooms and stores for storage of

grains.

ELEVATIONS

ELEVATION aa'

ELEVATION bb'

The sloping roof as seen in the traditional dwelling is a common feature in all

the houses in the area as is compact planning of the house.

SECTIONS

The house which constitutes many stores has been built for storage of grains

which formed the back bone of the agrarian family.

Boxes of various sizes can been found.

THE ATTIC

An interesting part of the house is the attic which is used to store corn which

forms the staple diet of the people.

The two windows on the sides ventilate and dry the corn at the same time

protecting from the rain.

Although the main function of the attic is to insulate the house, it serves as

an excellent storage space.

BUILDING MATERIALS

This is the kind of ladder used to go to the attic where the corn is stored.

All the building construction material used is locally available like the stone

and sand of which the walls are made, the timber is also readily available.

The staircase used to reach the first floor of the house is made of timber, with

stone slabs also introduced.

BUILT FORM

The house as seen from south side. (Paper Model)

The built form of the house constitutes about 60% of the plot area.

The house in its totality forms a compact unit.

As a general rule the houses  do not have a boundary wall.

The cow shed and north side elevation of the house

The timber truss which covers the first floor roof is effective in insulating the house as

well.

Vernacular Architecture of Udaipur

Location: Rajasthan, Situated in a valley , surrounded by the Aravalis

Climate: Largely hot and arid

Type of structure studied: Courtyard Haveli

Time of construction: approx. 200 yrs ago , i.e. 1800s

A view of Udaipur City

THE   HAVELI

Havelis display a unique architectural style that evolved around the

courtyards to ensure safety and privacy of the womenfolk and protection

from the heat of the long and harsh summers.

Though not indulgent in its embellishments, the front façade has an air of

aristocracy to it.

ELEMENTS

All the following elements are special due to the activities linked with them.

THE COURTYARD

The haveli consists of 3 courtyards, viz,

One outside the haveli - Meant for tying domestic animals,

evening walks, celebrating special occasions.

Central courtyard - For family get-togethers, children playing,

offering morning prayer, holding feasts.

Within the zenana – crushing spices, drying masalas, grinding

wheat, get together of the women.

SEGREGATED   MEN   AND   WOMEN   SPACES:

The Merdana and the Zenana

MEN SPACE

WOMEN SPACE

SPATIAL HIERARCHY

THE KITCHEN

A room in the merdana which has been converted into the kitchen.

The kitchen was where the food was prepared and eaten, mutually respected

by the members of the house it was never entered into by the men folk.

Food was cooked in chulhas.

It was well ventilated.

There were stones slabs inserted in the depressions in the wall for utensils.

Terraces (Chandni) – opened up for serving food on special occasions, drying of clothes.

Jharokhas used by women to overlook the activities in the outer chowk.

Brilliant guise for the purdah system.

Beautifully crafted arches (Gokhras)

Stack Effect :Courtyard is a low pressure zone during the day, cool air from

outside ( low pressure ) replaces this air.

Town Planning: It was done such that minimum area in terms of roof and

walls is exposed to the sun.

CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE

SECURITY

The residents have shifted to one part of the house while the rest

of it has been locked.

They have cut down the tree in the courtyard to prevent nuisance

caused by monkeys.

CONVIENIENCE

No need to maintain rest of the house.

Made toilets in existing structure.

The kitchen has been shifted and there is a separate dinning room

instead of the traditional eating area outside the kitchen (influence

of western lifestyle).

WINDS OF CHANGE

FOCUS THEN

No need for radical thought / ideas.

Blending in with and flowing with the general trend.

Emphasis was on community and not on private lives.

There was no need for artificial regulators like the A.C. and

heaters.

Space was not a considerations , so neither were encroachments

big issues.

Delicate details and intricate carvings were oft found.

Most buildings were made with local materials.

FOCUS NOW

To show and encourage creativity.

Saving space, artificial controls mandatory , thus energy saving

has taken a back seat.

Privacy is very important.

New technology and materials have replaced stone and lime

mortar.