Vernacular Architecture: A Sustainable Approach

Abstract

The fundamental purpose of buildings is to provide a comfortable living environment protected from the extremes of climate. In this regard vernacular buildings evolved gradually to meet environmental, socioeconomic, and sociocultural characters of the society to meet the changed lifestyle over a period of time. These buildings obtained deep harmonization with site surroundings and had a minimal environmental impact. The concept of sustainability, which arose during the 1980s, evolved very rapidly from an ecologically friendly approach to a series of rather high-tech and expensive responses. Nevertheless, vernacular heritage throughout the world was, and is, very much alive and still plays an active role in present society and its architecture.

The main objective of this paper is to understand the principles and strategies for sustainability from vernacular heritage and integrate those in present society. The methodology adopted is documentation of the vernacular built heritage of Kalaburagi, a hot and dry climate region of Karnataka State, and analyzed based on environmental, sociocultural, socioeconomic, planning, and energy conservation aspects. This paper concludes with an appreciation of principles of vernacular architecture to integrate them in the present scenario.