Do you know
what ‘Vernacular Arts’ is? Until recently I didn’t either. But then I visited a startling exhibition
about traditional societies’ housing architectures from all around the world.
(Vernacular housing models from L to R in Indonesia, Japan and Tunisia, courtesy of EPFL Lausanne, retrieved 23.12.2013)
A couple of
things struck me. First, vernacular is
highly diverse and beautiful. Today a modern
tower looks pretty much the same anywhere on earth – a concrete glass and steel
rectangle. Second, vernacular entails a highly efficient energy footprint
before and after construction. In fact,
building components are made out of locally available materials with natural
heating and cooling properties. Hence, it is argued that only 1% (!) of the
modern total building costs are needed to erect and maintain ancient vernacular
structures.
Water-wise,
most of the models exposed had useful rainwater harvesting features. For
instance, rooftops in Central Africa were
meant to collect rainwater during the rainy seasons. In Indonesia, traditionnal houses similar to
“pagodas” had self-lifting tsunami-proofed rooftops sheltering from heavy
rains. Today, most rooftops in urban areas are covered with cooling units,
water tanks or satellite dishes making it difficult to install rain pipes and
water treatment units. On the other hand, cement and plastic have become a
universal quick-fix relinquishing wood and straw to cooking and heating fuel.
Although,
much more research needs to be done in the face of extreme weather events (typhoons,
earthquakes, flash floods etc.), it seems that vernacular engineering matches closely
with sustainable development and pro-poor strategies. Its sustainable use and re-use
of natural resources should inspire architects and planners around the
world. Also, traditional know-how should
be studied more in depth before relying on conventional glass and steel. Surely
asbestos does not enter in the list of vernacular construction materials…
RB
(Vernacular housing models from L to R in Indonesia, Japan and Tunisia, courtesy of EPFL Lausanne, retrieved 23.12.2013)
