Exploring The Cultural Significance Of Vernacular Architecture

Traditional Houses as a Reflection of Cultural Dynamics

Question:

Discuss about the Human Settlements and Geographical Associations.

Dwelling places or houses represents significant insights in to the cultural dynamics and the change in individual preferences in order to express their socio-cultural identity as individuals or groups. Traditional houses in different regions have promoted the chances of understanding the cultures and values of different communities  based on the characteristics of the houses presenting the notion that residents tend to attach value and significance to their dwelling places. Majority of the researchers who have explored the topic presents the notion that houses or dwelling places  are significantly influenced by the cultural dynamics and are used by different people to express their socio-cultural identity as either individuals and as groups  in modern housing. In this regard vernacular architecture plays as significant role in demonstrating different aspects of a society such as stratification and presents the notion that dwelling and housing are culturally determined concepts. According to research housing preferences change as cultures change which helps in understanding the difference between the traditional and the modern houses[1] (p.39). While most parts globally has been confronted by rapid globalization, some regions tend to maintain their cultural heritage which forms part of their everyday reality. This study explores the vernacular architecture concept by selecting two different geographical locations to explain how local housing forms developed by incorporating social and cultural impact on architecture.

According to research, vernacular architecture is described as an architectural style that is designed to meet the local needs or reflect the cultural values and traditions as well as adopting local construction materials[2] (p.4). Besides, vernacular architecture represents the simplest of human housing needs but tends to vary significantly from the modern architecture. The vernacular architecture  originated from the time of mankind seeking shelter and comfort  by making use of the natural resources presenting the notion that they represented a reaction to the individual’s or society’s building needs[3] (p.4). However, in the wake of the modern architectural buildings influenced by technology, the vernacular architecture has been deemed as backward and incorporated inappropriate architectural values. Besides providing privacy, vernacular architecture provided the basis for enhancing the cultural values or heritage of different cultures. Vernacular buildings represents how architects have embraced cultural representations. However, despite involving different aspects of culture, they are also influenced by topography and climate, materials, orientation and spatial relationships of the buildings to their contexts such as social and cultural aspects. In countries such as India and China, local housing developed demonstrated key representations of vernacular architecture which significantly enhanced the chances of expressing the cultural values and social orientations. The example of vernacular houses of Ladakh in India and the vernacular houses of Siheyuan in China[4] (p.70).

Vernacular Architecture: Definition and Origins

Vernacular houses continue to be a key part of cultural representation and communication of the individual household identity in different cultures. Several researchers exploring the relationship between culture and social organization and the architecture or house building presents the notion that the three key aspects are closely interrelated and tends to influence each other. The vernacular houses of Ladakh served as a key representation of the culture in India which involved a large variety of architecture. According to research, the vernacular houses of Ladakha were made from wooden materials and have been considered worthy in their historical values despite wooden architecture being inferior to stone architecture in the modern India[5] (p.20). Ladakha region is located near the Chinese body and nurtured a culture of isolation from other Indian cultures. Wooden architecture was predominant in this culture and forms the basis for their vernacular houses[6] (p.7). The houses involves walls made by piling up stone and sun-dried bricks, wooden beams and floor joists across the walls which supported houses with more than one floor above them. The floors and roofs were also characterized by the use of mud treaded on wooden boards; however, the flat nature of the roofs served as one of the key challenges since they were not waterproof despite the region experiencing low rainfall. In this regard, a review of the architecture of the buildings presented the notion that there was a significant influence by the topography and climate in the region.

The vernacular houses served as one of the simplest forms adopted to address human needs, use local materials and incorporate architectural values that largely represented the culture and traditions of the people. In this regard, the vernacular houses of Ladakha confronted the dilemma of housing problem in the society but failed to incorporate the dwelling preferences. However, today, they serves as a representation of identity demonstrating the relationship between culture and social organization on one hand and the building environment on another. The vernacular houses of Ladakha region provided an opportunity for the residents to be culturally connected  in a typology that could be identified with a specific region. The vernacular houses in the region further presented sociological facets of architecture which was present in the materials used such as wood, mud and pilling up stones[7] (p.12).

From an architectural perspective, the vernacular buildings of Ladakha adhered to the green architectural principles of energy efficiency and the use of materials or resources that are from the local setting or close proximity with the houses. Additionally, the houses capitalized on the native knowledge of the community and failed to involve key aspects of architecture as they were only designed to address human needs through the use of local resources. On the other hand, the climate in the region was responsive to the architecture based on the idea that the region had less cases of rainfall which would have affected the buildings. In this regard the houses of Ladakha only considered the cultural aspects of the community and the basic human needs rather than nature of the design[8] (p.21). However the vernacular houses of Ladakha failed to effectively consider the influence of spatial relationships in terms of the interior of the build which was poorly done using the local materials. However, the relationship of the buildings to the context of social and cultural aspects was evident.  This is evident based on the idea that that houses were not climate responsive which risked the course of its life. Besides, they were poor designed which increased the probabilities of negative outcomes to the occupants primarily due to environmental issues. However, the structures provided a vital connection between the community and their culture and provided the basis for shaping the modern architecture to achieve sustainable and energy efficient buildings. A key example of buildings that retains the vernacular architecture of the traditional houses of  Ladakha involves The Gompa Temple, located 66km west of Leh and was founded in  958-1055 by Rinchen Zangpo. The building demonstrates the oldest form of wooden architecture which characterized the vernacular houses of Ladakha[9] (p.169).

The Vernacular Houses of Ladakh

Chinese region has also been extensively featured in the discussions on the architectural culture or heritage based on the buildings which has remained from the traditional times to date. Despite being near the Indian region the architecture of the traditional vernacular houses differed greatly with the vernacular houses of Ladakha characterized by wooden architecture. Like the houses of Ladakha, the vernacular houses of Siheyuan demonstrate a key representation of culture in architecture. The houses were characterized by different aspects which related to both the social and cultural context. The Siheyuan houses architecture represents a prominent part of the Beijing’s culture and were characterized by four rectangular buildings arranged in a square to create an inner courtyard[10] (p. 2819). The houses represented a multi-generational living were family daughters were reserved the rooms furthest from the street while the main building belonged to the head of the household. The architecture of the vernacular houses demonstrates the aspects of culture, privacy and governance representing the stratification in the society. Besides, the traditional architecture tends to align with the modern architecture.

The topography of the buildings involved the use of local materials and was regarded as a pragmatic solution to address the needs of the local people. The adoption of the local materials in creating the buildings provided a local feel and enhanced the chances of protecting the social and cultural identity of the community. On the other hand, the siheyuan building involved design that provided occupants with comfort and enhanced the chances of living comfortable despite the climate demonstrating the influence of climate in the design of the houses. For example, the houses were characterized by being enclosed and inward facing as a means to protect the occupant from the harsh weather conditions experienced in the region such as winter winds and dust storms of spring. Research on the ancient Chinese architecture also presented the notion that the siheyuan buildings represented a typical form of ancient architecture. Their design further served a reflection of the traditions and cultural aspects of China such as the governance of Feng Shui[11] (p.13).

The vernacular architecture of the Siheyuan houses also reflected the traditions in China and focused on the hierarchy in the society based on the positioning of the buildings. The buildings also had stone walls which provided privacy and durability of the buildings. Despite the adoption of poor designs, the vernacular architecture of the Siheyuan provided housing that perfectly adapted to the local needs and were more aligned towards preserving the local culture and identity. Unlike the vernacular houses of Ladakha which failed to consider climate change, the vernacular houses of siheyuan embraced the climate change aspects in their design enhancing the protection of the citizens[12] (p.8).

Cultural Representations in Vernacular Houses

On the other hand, the orientation of the vernacular houses of siheyuan involved more of represents family dwelling places which incorporating the aspects of social and cultural structures. In regards to the spatial relationships, the siheyuan building appeared more advanced compared to the vernacular architecture houses of Ladakha which lacked effective interior planning. In the case of Siheyuan, the building’s design incorporated key aspects of interior planning that represented the local needs and preferences of the society. The interior planning was also influenced by the traditional cultures, values and beliefs demonstrating key relationship between the vernacular architecture and the social/cultural context. Researchers also notes that the vernacular architecture houses such as the siheyuan adopted designs that could help protect the culture and values of the community. Besides, the houses demonstrated the adoption of natural resources in the creation of shelter or housing that was responsive to the climate and protecting the community[13] (p.13).

The design and topographical considerations of the vernacular siheyuan houses represented the reaction to the society building needs and allowed the construction of houses based on appropriate architectural values. On the other hand, the sociological facet of the vernacular architecture  in the Chinese region is evident in the material used, the color scheme of the houses and the cultural connection of the houses to its surroundings. A review of the materials used to create the rectangular siheyuan houses presents the notion that it adhered to the green architectural principles that defines the modern designs. The design is characterized by the creation of energy efficient houses that uses local materials and resources which is evident in the development of houses. One of the building examples that helps represent the vernacular architecture  of the classical Chinese ‘siheyuan’ involves the Beijing Courtyard House which involved the use of local materials and local skilled labor while the interior involved wall surfaces and structural exposure[14] (p.5).

Conclusion

Vernacular architecture serve as a key representation of culture and social aspects in buildings to achieve cultural identity. Besides, vernacular architectures have demonstrated the adherence to green architectural principles by utilizing the local resources and materials that promote energy efficiency. The advantage of using local materials is based on enhancing the cultural identity of the community in their dwelling places. Additionally, the vernacular architecture fostered the development of designs that considers environmental factors in their topographies thus protecting the occupants. However, some vernacular houses such as the Ladakha failed to effective demonstrate the climate consideration compared to the houses of Siheyuan  which impacts on the durability and effectiveness of the houses. Majority of the researchers who have evaluated the topic presents the notion that there is a vital connection between the communities and their housing or architectural structures suggesting that they serve as a critical part of their history.  Despite the great improvement in the modern architecture, the creation of sustainable buildings and respect of community cultural values and beliefs is dependent on the knowledge of the past and current to adopted a balanced perspective to architecture.

References

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