MODULE 2:

APPROACHES
AND
CONCEPTS
TO STUDY VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Although the term “vernacular architecture” originated in the
nineteenth century and was a subset of twentieth-century historical
studies, its origins date back to the seventeenth century.

In the late seventeenth century in the United Kingdom, part of the

educated group had structured a new cultural standard known as
“polite”; they considered the rest of society a subject for study-
“POPULACE”

From 1650 to 1725 they made direct observations on the customs of

the populace which were not carefully studied until the nineteenth
century.

Therefore, the creation of two social classes; the elites, and the
populace, were the source of the first studies in the culture and life
of another part of the society that later became vernacular.

Over the last two to three centuries a variety of interpretations of

vernacular architecture have emerged; architects, ethnologists,
historians, geographers, social anthropologists, sociologists,
psychologists, and others each have their approaches to the study of “THE OTHER”
the artificial environment.
The diversity of vernacular architectural studies can be classified into:

1. Vernacular architecture as the object of aesthetics AESTHETIC

2. Vernacular architecture as a biological phenomenon/

Formalism/typologies (types and evolution) ARCHITECTURAL
3. Vernacular architecture as a material-physical substance- site
and climate, (physical explanations)

4. Vernacular architecture as a cultural-sociological reality:

CULTURAL
defence, economy, household structure, religious practices and
collective spatial images.

5. Vernacular architecture as an anthropological phenomenon ANTHROPOLOGICAL

1. Vernacular Architecture as The OBJECT OF AESTHETICS

Although the early roots of vernacular studies were related to the social sphere, studies of vernacular architecture initially had a
formalist approach to aesthetics.

Architecture without Architects – Bernard Rudofsky: His book was full pictures of buildings taken from different cultures and
non-industrial societies rather than using analysis methods to understand the meaning of these buildings or the reasons for their
construction and built.

Although this book deals with other layers of architecture in often underdeveloped and non-Western societies, the idea still
provided in the selection of images shows that the nostalgic desire through Western elitist aesthetics has been the basis of the
project. So the result was achieved through the trained eyes that had placed themselves outside, in front of the subject.
 Form Ornamentation Colour material palette
Two distinct approaches to architecture can be
termed as aesthetic:

ETHNOGRAPHIC – the efforts are to understand

the aesthetic dimensions in the culture of the
builders and uses of traditional architecture.

RESPONSIVE – the effort is to select neglected

buildings and to bring them in to the circle of
consideration. The goal is to widen the
architectural appreciation of the spectator. The
result is the use of alien architectural concerns
to stabilize the observer’s tradition.

THE IDEA OF AESTHETIC

• Affective aspect of communication

• Enlivens feeling, exciting the pleasure of the
senses.
• Architectural communications
Focusing on form based appreciation of the structures
with no background of the context or culture
2. Vernacular Architecture As A BIOLOGICAL PHENOMENON (Types And
Evolution)

According to Mercer (1997, 9), formalism is the basis of any examination of man-made objects because they are
ordered by their formal classification. What is referred to as the biological viewpoint is the subject of “species”
and “typological developments”.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, many architectural theorists tried to classify several kinds of
architectural objects. Such efforts also highlighted the difference between species and models.

Species: a class of things of the same kind and with the same name : kind.

There are numerous different individual styles in primary constructions, so they are not species. In other words,
the species in the vernacular buildings are specific to a particular time and region, but the model refers to specific
monuments. Hence, Vernacular architecture can be considered as Typological developments
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries
many architectural theorists advocated a formal
typological classification of architectural space.
Considering architectural typologies both as a
function of the history of architectural space and Materials and
techniques
of the design process employed by architects. used for the
construction.
Type should not be equated with a model, a
model is explicit and specific, whereas a type is
Constraints
suggestive and general. An architectural type is imposed by the
deduced from historical experience, yet it has no site and the
definite form; it acts as a sign or image for some of intended use of
the stock of existing buildings. the building

This interpretation is contrary to the majority of Architectural

architectural history and theory which has composition: the
repeatedly considered buildings as models rather arrangement of
constituent parts
than as examples of types.
3. Vernacular Architecture as a MATERIAL-PHYSICAL SUBSTANCE
(Physical Explanations)

In this view, vernacular architecture is considered a kind of physical expression in the sense that
the design and development of vernacular buildings could be analyzed based on one or more of
its physical factors, such as availability of materials and topography and surrounding.

This interpretation of vernacular architecture is tends to simplify and reduce the subject to a
few elements and cannot contain other concepts.

Considering the typology of vernacular architecture based on materials used in the roof
structure, walls, and the like, although it may provide a better description of the building, it
cannot explain the reasons for its formation and fail to explain why materials preferred over
other specimens.
Climate
Topography

Surroundings

Materials used
4. Vernacular Architecture As CULTURAL-SOCIOLOGICAL REALITY

Vernacular architecture regarded as a piece of sociological evidence in some researches.

In this view, architecture is a cultural idea that has the materiality needed to shape and transform memory into a schema.
Schema is nothing but what can be seen by others.

From this perspective, paying attention to cultural interests means considering the former mentality and the way the
ancients look at the world. That had become depicted in the ultimate form of settlements because it is more than just the
result of economic life; it is the pervasive social and cultural environment which affect making any decision and form of
housing

Investigating the structure of the vernacular building also includes data more than technical notes. For example, they show
the skills, craftsmanship, training methods, specialization, mobility, and organization of employees and their links to other
professions as well as to workers (Dyer 1997, 1).

The layout, the interior decorations, and the way the house expanded in line with the growth of the household, all
belonged to a social system that somehow embodied the design criteria in the vernacular buildings. Besides, gender studies
have also been honored in vernacular architecture. Compelling studies have likewise focused on the role of women in the
design and development of vernacular buildings.
 Layout The interior decorations Beliefs

Mobility

Settlement
Skills

Role of women
Economics Expansion Social Hierarchy
5. Vernacular Architecture As An ANTHROPOLOGICAL PHENOMENON

Based on German Romanticism, the Heimat concept supports the idea that history does not evolve based on
mere sequences of specific events but that history includes the stable anthropological interactions that exist
between housing, settlements, and landscapes.

Vernacular shelters are surviving and valuable witnesses to the historical memory of any place that fits into the
values, economics, and lifestyles of the cultures that produce them.

Vernacular architecture is a document that, along with other written records such as agreements and covenants,
can be considered as a source for tracing changes in building-residence-landlords relationships.
REFERENCES:

Asadpour. A (2020). Defining The Concepts & Approaches In Vernacular Architecture Studies. Volume 7, Nomor
2, 2020, hlm 241-255 p-ISSN: 2302 – 6073, e-ISSN: 2579 - 4809 Journal Home Page: http://journal.uin-
alauddin.ac.id DOI: https://doi.org/10.24252/nature.v7i2a8 .

Roderick J. Lawrence (1983) The Interpretation of Vernacular Architecture, Vernacular Architecture, 14:1, 19-28,
DOI: 10.1179/vea.1983.14.1.19