Abstract:
What is vernacular and what is traditional?
Although a lot of discussion revolves around
defining and re-defining the vernacular; there
is hardly any debate on the differences
between vernacular and traditional in the
field of architecture. As a result, these two
terms are often interchangeably used,
resulting in the lack of critical thinking in this
area of study. This is perhaps one of the
reasons why vernacular architecture is very
often viewed in stylistic terms- like one of the
"isms's" of architecture.
This paper posits that vernacular architecture
is a time specific response to the local
context, whereas traditional building is a
continually modified process that is place
specific.
This hypothesis is elaborated through a study
of the craft skills of construction and a study
of space use patterns of selected houses. This
study is then cast in the dualities of space and
time- where space is related to the
architecture as a product frozen in time, and
time is related to architecture as a process of
constructing and using space that is place
(culturally) specific.
This paper does not intend to overthrow
existing ideas of the vernacular or the
traditional. However, by looking at the terms
in a different way, it hopes to inform the
debate on the role of vernacular architecture
in the contemporary context. Thus, vernacular
architecture can be seen not only as heritage
that needs to be preserved but as a
contemporary process that needs to be
understood.
