Vernacular architecture (also folk architecture ) is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. It is not a particular architectural movement or style, but rather a broad category, encompassing a wide range and variety of building types, with differing methods of construction, from around the world, both historical and extant and classical and modern. Vernacular architecture constitutes 95% of the world's built environment, as estimated in 1995 by Amos Rapoport , as measured against the small percentage of new buildings every year designed by architects and built by engineers.
59-569: A torogan ( lit. ' resting place ' or ' sleeping place ' ) is a type of pre-colonial vernacular house of the Maranao people of the Philippines . A torogan was a symbol of high social status. They were very large buildings and served as the residence to a datu of a Maranao community, along with his retainers and their families. Nowadays, concrete houses are found all over Maranaw communities, but there remain torogans
118-463: A 1964 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York , designed by architect Bernard Rudofsky , with a subsequent book. Both were called Architecture Without Architects . Featuring dramatic black-and-white photography of vernacular buildings around the world, the exhibition was extremely popular. Rudofsky brought the concept into the eye of the public and of mainstream architecture, and also kept
177-518: A Maranao nobleman, Togoran I Sabino Lakowa, has also been purchased and restored by the private park and resort hotel Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan , and is now part of the Casa Maranao exhibition. Like other similar purchases, this has been met with some criticism due to the relocation and commercialization of heritage houses. However, Las Casas Filipinas has defended the relocations as
236-514: A horse-racing track crossing it, called the paso-ay . The area beneath the main floor is called the dorung , which is also used for various purposes like storage or keeping domestic animals. Torogan are pre-colonial and date to before the conversion of the Maranao people to Islam (which happened during the Spanish colonial period ). They were of great importance to Maranao communities and were symbols of wealth and power. They primarily served as
295-508: A hundred years old. The best-known are in Dayawan and Marawi City , and around Lake Lanao . Torogan are massive structures built entirely without using nails. Instead it used fitted joints and fiber lashings. They are usually the biggest structure in a village. They are elevated from the ground on large wooden columns, not all of them load-bearing. There are usually around 25 columns, but very large torogan can have as many as 56. Each column
354-484: A lengthy discussion of the relevant terms, in Traditional Buildings: A Global Survey of Structural Forms and Cultural Functions. Noble concluded that "folk architecture" is built by "persons not professionally trained in building arts." "Vernacular architecture" is "of the common people", but may be built by trained professionals, using local, traditional designs and materials. "Traditional architecture"
413-507: A number of different forms of shelter appropriate to different seasons and geographical locations, including the igloo (for winter) and the tupiq (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 lavvu and goahti . The development of different solutions in similar circumstances because of cultural influences
472-610: A proponent of the Gothic Revival movement in England, Scott used the term as a pejorative to refer to the "prevailing architecture" in England of the time, all of it, as opposed to the Gothic he wanted to introduce. In this "vernacular" category Scott included St Paul's Cathedral , Greenwich Hospital, London , and Castle Howard , although admitting their relative nobility. The term was popularized with positive connotations in
531-556: 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. The local environment and the construction materials it can provide, govern many aspects of vernacular architecture. Areas rich in trees will develop a wooden vernacular, while areas without much wood may use mud or stone. In early California redwood water towers supporting redwood tanks and enclosed by redwood siding ( tankhouses ) were part of
590-611: A self-contained wind-powered domestic water system. 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. Construction elements and materials frequently found in vernacular buildings include: As many jurisdictions introduce tougher building codes and zoning regulations, "folk architects" sometimes find themselves in conflict with
649-405: A steep central gable aligned to the east. The central gable is supported internally by vertical posts called pulaos bungan , which in turn is supported by the intricately carved central beam of the roof called the tinai a walai (literally "intestine of the house"). The torogan was also surrounded by a wide open space called the lama , where other activities are also held. The lama commonly had
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#1732790851749708-528: Is architecture passed down from person to person, generation to generation, particularly orally, but at any level of society, not just by common people. "Primitive architecture" is a term Noble discourages the use of. The term popular architecture is used more in Eastern Europe and is synonymous with folk or vernacular architecture. Architecture designed by professional architects is usually not considered to be vernacular. Indeed, it can be argued that
767-523: Is borrowed from linguistics , where vernacular refers to language use particular to a time, place, or group. The phrase dates to at least 1857, when it was used by Sir George Gilbert Scott , as the focus of the first chapter of his book "Remarks on Secular & Domestic Architecture, Present & Future", and in a paper read to an architectural society in Leicester in October of that year. As
826-426: Is informed largely by vernacular architecture. Vernacular architecture is influenced by a great range of different aspects of human behaviour and environment, leading to differing building forms for almost every different context; even neighbouring villages may have subtly different approaches to the construction and use of their dwellings, even if they at first appear the same. Despite these variations, every building
885-407: Is located at the back of the torogan, with the floor about half a meter lower than the rest of the space. It contains a rectangular bamboo platform called the bantolang filled with earth and ashes that serves as a fireplace. Each bantolang can usually hold two datola , which is an arrangement of three small rocks on which cooking vessels are placed. On top of the bantolang is a bamboo rack called
944-475: Is made out of a single huge tree trunk, often transported over long distances from forests. The raising of the columns are individually celebrated by feasts. The corner ( tukud ) and front posts and the middle ( tapuwilih ) row of posts are intricately carved in okir designs painted in bright primary colors. Each post is supported at the base by five or six large boulders for protection against earthquakes, with one directly beneath it to prevent direct contact with
1003-450: Is no clearly defined and specialized discipline for the study of dwellings or the larger compass of vernacular architecture. If such a discipline were to emerge it would probably be one that combines some of the elements of both architecture and anthropology with aspects of history and geography. Architects have developed a renewed interest in vernacular architecture as a model for sustainable design. Contemporary complementary architecture
1062-584: Is not a stylistic description, much less one specific style, so it cannot be summarized in terms of easy-to-understand patterns, characteristics, materials, or elements. Because of the usage of traditional building methods and local builders, vernacular buildings are considered cultural expressions—aboriginal, indigenous, ancestral, rural, ethnic, or regional—as much as architectural artifacts. The term vernacular means 'domestic, native, indigenous', from verna 'native slave' or 'home-born slave'. The word probably derives from an older Etruscan word. The term
1121-553: Is regarded as a place of honor. Torogan and their grounds also serve as the community social hall where feasts, weddings, games, funerals, meetings, and other social and cultural activities are held. The Kawayan Torogan , built by Sultan sa Kawayan Makaantal in Bubung Malanding, Marantao, Lanao del Sur , the last remaining habitable torogan, was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of
1180-634: Is subject to the same laws of physics, and hence will demonstrate significant similarities in structural forms . 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 even absent altogether. Buildings in warm climates, by contrast, tend to be constructed of lighter materials and to allow significant cross ventilation through openings in
1239-552: 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 gers (yurts) with them, or
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#17327908517491298-582: The Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World edited in 1997 by Paul Oliver of the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development . Oliver argued that vernacular architecture, given the insights it gives into issues of environmental adaptation, will be necessary in the future to "ensure sustainability in both cultural and economic terms beyond the short term." The encyclopedia defined
1357-400: The tapaan , which is where fish or meat is smoked for preservation. Baskets with covers (called balengkat ) are also hung on horizontal bamboo poles ( tabak ) on one side of the kitchen, and are used as food storage. Water for cooking and drinking is stored on bamboo containers called laya which are hung on the kitchen walls. Torogan are usually built near the shores of Lake Lanao , so
1416-748: The Philippines in 2008. There are also existing torogans in various locations in Lanao such as the Dayawan Torogan of Marawi and Laguindab Torogan of Ganassi. All are in need of massive funding for their rehabilitation. These collection of torogans from various towns in Lanao are being pushed to be included in the tentative list of the Philippines in the UNESCO World Heritage List . A torogan built in 1873 in Lanao del Sur for
1475-594: The Vastu-Shilpa Foundation in Ahmedabad to research the vernacular architecture of the region; and Sheila Sri Prakash who has used rural Indian architecture as an inspiration for innovations in environmental and socio-economically sustainable design and planning. The Dutch architect Aldo van Eyck was also a proponent of vernacular architecture, as were Samuel Mockbee , Christopher Alexander , and Paolo Soleri . Oliver claims that: As yet there
1534-417: The bathroom and toilet facilities are on adjacent structures (most notably the diamban , which is a platform built over the water used for bathing). The torogan also has an internal bathroom which is simply an enclosed space with a narrow slit on the floor and a clay jar of water. Torogan have a distinctively-shaped hip-and-gable roof made from thatched palm leaves. The flaring edges taper shallowly towards
1593-509: The black desert tents of the Qashgai in Iran . Notable in each case is the significant 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 are adapted to suit the local climate. The Mongolian gers (yurts), for example, are versatile enough to be cool in hot continental summers and warm in
1652-571: 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. There 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 such as huts , and if necessary, transport such as tents . The Inuit have
1711-464: 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
1770-537: The climate it is used in, does not need to provide the same degree of protection from the elements. 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
1829-422: The courts ordered the building to be demolished by 1 February 2009. On 26 December 2008, the tower was pulled down, and the remainder was dismantled manually over the course of the next several months. Inter-regional Brazil Canada Iraq Germany Indonesia Israel Italy Norway Philippines Tinapa Tinapa , a Filipino term, is fish cooked or preserved through
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1888-566: The definitions loose: he wrote that the exhibition "attempts to break down our narrow concepts of the art of building by introducing the unfamiliar world of nonpedigree architecture. It is so little known that we don't even have a name for it. For want of a generic label we shall call it vernacular, anonymous, spontaneous, indigenous, rural, as the case may be." The book was a reminder of the legitimacy and "hard-won knowledge" inherent in vernacular buildings, from Polish salt-caves to gigantic Syrian water wheels to Moroccan desert fortresses and
1947-538: The design skills and tradition of local builders, who were rarely given any attribution for the work. More recently, vernacular architecture has been examined by designers and the building industry in an effort to be more energy conscious with contemporary design and construction—part of a broader interest in sustainable design . As of 1986, even among scholars publishing in the field, the exact boundaries of "vernacular" have not been clear. Vernacular architecture tends to be overlooked in traditional histories of design. It
2006-678: 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. In hot arid and semi-arid regions, vernacular structures typically include a number of distinctive elements to provide for ventilation and temperature control. Across the middle east, these elements included such design features as courtyard gardens with water features, screen walls, reflected light, mashrabiya (the distinctive oriel window with timber latticework) and bad girs ( wind-catchers ). Buildings take different forms depending on precipitation levels in
2065-485: The family. In polygamous communities 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
2124-441: The field of vernacular architecture as: comprising the dwellings and all other buildings of the people. Related to their environmental contexts and available resources they are customarily owner- or community-built, utilizing traditional technologies. All forms of vernacular architecture are built to meet specific needs, accommodating the values, economies and ways of life of the cultures that produce them. In 2007 Allen Noble wrote
2183-445: The ground and inhibit rotting and termites. Each is usually capped at the top end with larger-diameter stone boulders that prevent vermin from entering the house. Beams and a wooden floor ( lantay ) are then laid over the columns on which the main structure is built. The end of the beams (which are built facing east) are decorated with large wing-like carved wooden slabs called panolong (literally " prow "), which are representations of
2242-582: The highly self-conscious academic attempts at the beautiful throughout Europe". Since at least the Arts and Crafts Movement , many modern architects have studied vernacular buildings and claimed to draw inspiration from them, including aspects of the vernacular in their designs. In 1946, the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy was appointed to design the town of New Gourna near Luxor . Having studied traditional Nubian settlements and technologies, he incorporated
2301-405: The individual will have been guided by a series of conventions built up in his locality, paying little attention to what may be fashionable. The function of the building would be the dominant factor, aesthetic considerations, though present to some small degree, being quite minimal. Local materials would be used as a matter of course, other materials being chosen and imported quite exceptionally. In
2360-411: The interior is separated into "rooms" for sleeping by hand-embroidered colorful cloth dividers, rattan or split-bamboo screens, and thick bed curtains ( kolambo , which also serve as mosquito nets ) for privacy. These are usually hung from horizontal cloth sheets hung directly from the rafters, thus forming tent-like structures. Multiple families live inside a torogan, with the main "rooms" being that of
2419-544: The landscape to minimise potential storm damage. 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
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2478-546: The leader and his family. Indentured servants and slaves and their family have "rooms" in the back near the kitchen area, while the family in charge of protecting the leader have their "rooms" near the entrance. A kulintang ensemble is also usually present near the leader's bedroom. Each "room" is bordered inside the cloth dividers with rows of wooden chests, brassware ( gador ), porcelain ( solang ), and other furniture which serve as containers for personal belongings (including weapons), artwork, food, and water. The actual walls of
2537-444: The left or right along a wooden channel, a design type called sinongod . These are traditionally "locked" with pieces of wood that prevent them from sliding open. The main floor ( poro ) has a square floor plan. It has no permanent partitions and no ceiling , and thus appears as a large hall. It is used both for sleeping and other activities. During night time, mattresses (made from straw and woven mats) and pillows are brought out and
2596-516: The local authorities. A case that made news in Russia was that of an Arkhangelsk entrepreneur Nikolay P. Sutyagin, who built what was reportedly the world's tallest single-family wooden house for himself and his family, only to see it condemned as a fire hazard. The 13-storey, 44 m (144 ft) tall structure, known locally as "Sutyagin's skyscraper" ( Небоскрёб Сутягина ), was found to be in violation of Arkhangelsk building codes, and in 2008
2655-430: The occupants cool, and in many cases also includes chimneys, not for fires but to draw air through the internal spaces. Such specializations are not designed but learned by trial and error over generations of building construction, often existing long before the scientific theories which explain why they work. Vernacular architecture is also used for the purposes of local citizens. The way of life of building occupants, and
2714-576: The only way to restore and preserve the heritage houses for future generations, which in most cases were neglected and decaying in their original locations. This Philippines -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Vernacular architecture Vernacular architecture usually serves immediate, local needs, is constrained by the materials available in its particular region and reflects local traditions and cultural practices. The study of vernacular architecture does not examine formally schooled architects , but instead that of
2773-409: The people, and by the people, but not for the people." Frank Lloyd Wright described vernacular architecture as "Folk building growing in response to actual needs, fitted into environment by people who knew no better than to fit them with native feeling". suggesting that it is a primitive form of design, lacking intelligent thought, but he also stated that it was "for us better worth study than all
2832-419: The process of smoking . It is a native delicacy in the Philippines and is often made from blackfin scad ( Alepes melanoptera , known locally as galunggong ), or from milkfish , which is locally known as bangus . Though canned tinapa in tomato sauce is common and sold commercially throughout the country, it is also still produced and sold traditionally or prepared at home. Tinapa recipe mainly involves
2891-485: The process of washing the fish and putting it in brine for an extended amount of time (usually 5 – 6 hours), air drying and finally smoking the fish. The fish species which are commonly used for making tinapa could either be galunggong (scads) or bangus (milkfish). The term tinapa means "prepared by smoking". The root word tapa in Philippine languages originally meant fish or meat preserved by smoking . In
2950-706: The region – leading to dwellings on stilts in many regions with frequent flooding or rainy monsoon seasons. For example, the Queenslander is an elevated weatherboard house with a sloped, tin roof that evolved in the early 19th-century as a solution to the annual flooding caused by monsoonal rain in Australia's northern states. 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 tend to present minimal surface area to prevailing winds and are often situated low on
3009-440: The residence of the leader of a community, ranging from village leaders ( datu ) to the sultans of the federation of Maranao states . Audience with the leader is usually done inside the torogan. Most visitors speak with the leader from the lower part of the bed nearest to the door (an area known as the dasigan ). Favored guests, on the other hand, are usually invited to sit or lie down on the mattress itself (the sendigan ), which
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#17327908517493068-409: The same designs on the prows of the traditional Maranao boats ( awang ). They deliberately give the entire structure the appearance of a floating royal vessel held up by several canoes. The panolong are usually intricately carved with niyaga (also transcribed as naga or niaga , a mythical sea serpent ) with open mouths, and other flowing okir designs. Each panolong has a different design, with
3127-412: The sixth one usually having a curling piyako (also pako or piako , "fern") motif. Smaller and less intricately-carved panolong may also be found on the front left and front right sides of a torogan, especially those owned by powerful leaders. Carvings are also found beneath the window sills and on window and door frames. The narrow windows and doors are traditionally opened and closed by sliding them to
3186-406: The sub-zero temperatures of Mongolian winters and include a close-able 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 traditional Berber tent, by contrast, might be relocated daily, and is much lighter and quicker to erect and dismantle – and because of
3245-399: The torogan are also decorated with various types of patterned woven cloth. During daytime, most of the beds and dividers are cleared and the space is used for working (like weaving textiles), eating, praying, or meeting visitors. Activities are usually kept to a minimum early in the morning when some "rooms" are still up, but gradually become busier as all the occupants wake up. A kitchen area
3304-644: The traditional mud brick vaults of the Nubian settlements in his designs. The experiment failed, due to a variety of social and economic reasons. Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa is considered the pioneer of regional modernism in South Asia . Along with him, modern proponents of the use of the vernacular in architectural design include Charles Correa , a well known Indian architect; Muzharul Islam and Bashirul Haq , internationally known Bangladeshi architects ; Balkrishna Doshi , another Indian, who established
3363-401: The very process of consciously designing a building makes it not vernacular. Paul Oliver , in his book Dwellings , states: "it is contended that 'popular architecture' designed by professional architects or commercial builders for popular use, does not come within the compass of the vernacular". Oliver also offers the following simple definition of vernacular architecture: "the architecture of
3422-478: 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 ethnic communities live in family compounds, surrounded by marked boundaries, in which separate single-roomed dwellings are built to house different members of
3481-535: Was considered iconoclastic at the time. The term "commercial vernacular" was popularized in the late 1960s by the publication of Learning from Las Vegas by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown , referring to 20th-century American suburban tract and commercial architecture. Although vernacular architecture might be designed by people who do have some training in design, in 1971 Ronald Brunskill nonetheless defined vernacular architecture as: ...a building designed by an amateur without any training in design;
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