L e c t u r e 2 :

v e r n a c u l a r b u i l t e n v i r o n m e n t

C h a l l e n g e s a n d t h r e a t s t o v e r n a c u l a r a r c h i t e c t u r e
T h e v a l u e o f v e r n a c u l a r b u i l t e n v i r o n m e n t

Challenges and threats to vernacular built environment

Due to the homogenization of culture, and of global socioeconomic
transformation, vernacular structures all around the world are very vulnerable
nowadays, facing serious problems of obsolescence, internal equilibrium and
integration

ICOMOS
International Council On
Monuments And Sites

(1) Unprecedented growth and change i.e. more population concentrating in

cities

"Vernacular building is
the traditional and
natural way by which
communities house
themselves. It is a
c o n t i n u i n g p ro c e s s
including necessary
c h a n g e s a n d
continuous adaptation
as a response to social
and environmental
constraints."

(2) Pressure from competing high value activities i.e. land prices
(3) Impact of major infrastructure programs - that means building more
superhighways, connecting newly developed and urban centers

(4) Environmental pressures i.e. uncontrolled carbon emission and polluted
industrial waste.
(5) Carrying capacity i.e. excessive use of rivers and deforestation for human
habitats.
(6) Human cause - such as war, theft, neglect, illegal trade, public works, and
ignorance.
(7) Natural cause - earthquake, typhoon, flood, tidal wave, humidity, and insects.

A lot of preservation and conservation activity has been concerned with big buildings, important buildings,
religious buildings, civic buildings and not so much the vernacular. In a sense, it's understandable because
traditionally the vernacular doesn't last as long as the big buildings. Houses go up, houses come down. Houses are
built of less permanent materials
Now, of course when we talk about big buildings you're basically referring to monuments, churches, town halls.
Buildings which we don't classify as vernacular buildings. Very often, these monuments are in the public realm and
it's more difficult to destroy buildings that are in the public realm. Whereas vernacular buildings are more or less in
the private ownership. And as the economy changes, real estate property prices go up in cities, and therefore
these are the first to go.

Why do we need to care about the vernacular architecture in the place you live in?

Determinants of built vernacular architecture

(1) CULTURE

(2) Climate

(3) Materials & technology

As per the ICOMOS Charter for Built Vernacular
Heritage (1999), the built vernacular heritage is
important; it is the fundamental expression of the
culture of a community, of its relationship with its
territory and, at the same time, the expression of the
worlds cultural diversity.

More importantly, the static preser vation of
vernacular architecture is in understanding the
building traditions, their knowledge systems and skills
that have continuously evolved to adapt themselves to
the changing environment and yet have remained
distinctive to a specific place. (Oliver 2003)

These are wooden structures for community gatherings, used in the early morning for people to come and chant
prayers. They are also used during the day for women and children for the men to sit and talk. Theyre basically
places that belong to the community and for the use of the community.

Why did the community decided to restore this structure, rather than put the money into improving the water
supply? Or put the money into improving education for their children or things like that?

"our community is important enough and maintaining our community and making places for our community is very,
very important. And we thought that this should come first before those little things."

Vernacular architectures cultural significance and value

Value of a place
These values are embodied in tangible or intangible
attributes, which are often referred to as the
character defining elements of a place.
Tangible attributes can be something about the
physical fabric or physical context of a place.
The intangible, for example, can be special
association for a certain group of people.
Together, these character defining elements embody
the cultural significance or value of a heritage place.


The story of a place usually tells us what is important
about the place, and therefore, why the place is
considered culturally significant.

Vernacular architectures cultural significance and value

(1) Historical value:
What the site has to tell us about the course of human history, or the history of a group or culture. The site may
conserve important physical fabric or other evidence of the past. It may be associated with important events,
people and developments.

(2)Aesthetic and artistic value:
The intellectual or emotional impact of a place. This may be the emotional association or the mood or feeling of a
site. It may be a demonstration of a particular design, style, artistic development, or high level of craftsmanship.

(3)Scientific and research value:
The capacity of a place to provide significant knowledge of value to humanity.

(4)Social and identity value:
The degree, the way in which a place is now, or was in the past, a focus of spiritual, political, national, or other
cultural activity to a majority or minority group.

In our discussion about the cultural values of vernacular architecture, we're referring to a shared societal value, or
common value that is cherished by all the people within the community or the city or the state, or even the nation.

Hoi An, ancient town in Vietnam

The rice terraces of Philippines Cordilleras

Shophouses in Malacca and George Town

Urban houses in the historic precinct of Macau

 Town of Luang Prabang in Laos.

Conservation Approach To Vernacular Heritage

The challenge we have now with vernacular architecture is how do we make these
ordinary built forms sustainable in a modern globalized world?



The concept of sustainability is widely accepted as follows:
While we wish to meet the needs of the present generation, we don't want to
compromise or jeopardize the ability of the future generation to meet their needs
and aspirations.
We must find ways to make vernacular architecture sustainable going beyond just
documenting it on paper. It is easy to say let's save it for future generations, but
how and at what cost? How do we make it meaningful for the future generations,so
it can indeed meet their needs and aspirations?

To preserve is to keep safe from harm...to maintain... guard against decay...To
preserve is to keep something frozen-in-time, and it is a sterile, negative process."

Conservation, on the other hand, is a creative, forward-looking activity.

Architectural conservation is a process by which the economic life of a building or
group of buildings is extended. And the cultural significance of the place is
retained.

To conserve
or
to preserve?
Historical monuments:
Pre s e r v e h i s t o r i c a l
value
Vernacular architecture:
Conser ve culture
significance and value
"Vernacular building is
the traditional and
natural way by which
communities house
themselves. It is a
c o n t i n u i n g p ro c e s s
including necessary
c h a n g e s a n d
continuous adaptation
as a response to social
and environmental
constraints."

Conservation Approach To Vernacular Heritage

The biggest challenge in conserving vernacular heritage is the adoption of modern standards of human comfort.
On the one hand, it is most desirable to retain the residents and a place together, and not just to retain the empty
shell as a historic relic for tourism purposes. But on the other hand, with the provision of modern conveniences,
such as plumbing, drainage, electricity, and air conditioning, it is difficult and unreasonable to ask the residents to
remain living in an outdated mode. This is the major dilemma we face today with built heritage, but especially so in
vernacular heritage.

Thus, architectural conservation is not merely identifying what is to conserve, but more importantly, how we
should conserve it and make it applicable for the future.

According to Australian Burra Charter, it says, Change may be necessary to retain the cultural significance, but it
is undesirable where it reduces cultural significance. Change is inevitable, but the emphasis should be placed on
how we can manage those change and facilitate for the future needs without diminishing or destroying the cultural
significance of a place.

According to John Earl, he says:
"Conservation is the art of controlling change. It's not about preventing change, it is about controlling and
managing those changes. Retaining the cultural significance of a place is of fundamental importance and ensuring
the place can continue its original function or continue to be used in a way what it compliments its heritage value. If
we have a good understanding of what the cultural significance of a place is and what character-defining elements
contribute to the cultural values of a place, we have a better chance of conserving it appropriately. We can try to
keep the relevant physical character-defining elements in their original place, or reuse them appropriately such
that the place doesn't lose its identity and character.

Conservation Approach To Vernacular Heritage

It is indeed not an easy task conserving vernacular heritage, often because of the ordinariness of the vernacular
built forms, people are not aware of these values and these places are neglected or ignored. With this in mind, it is
imperative that we better understand our environment and where applicable, conservation guidelines and
methodology should be provided to help local communities appreciate and to maintain their vernacular heritage.

Apart from these values that help build up the cultural significance of a place, the vernacular place also ought to
be truthful and authentic. This means that no later alteration should be faked as real or original. That is no
replicas of a new structure or a new building material can take the place of the original building or material.

The vernacular place should be protected within a larger physical context such that it is not isolated from its
surrounding cultural landscape. So the protection of a built cultural heritage, must be considered in congruity with
the integrity of the site.
It is therefore not just because the place is old, beautiful, large in size or associated with historical persons, that it
warrants protection, but the aggregate cultural significance of that place, is of primary importance.
How the story is told, and the way in which the inhabitants can identify with a place gives meaning to the place.

fake authenticity of Vegas to the authentic fakery of Santa Fe.

Further readings:
1. Oliver, Paul. Built to meet needs :
c u l t u r a l i s s u e s i n v e r n a c u l a r
architecture.
2. Rapoport, Amos. House Form and
Culture.
Websites:
1. "InternaEonal Council on Monuments
and Sites" hHp://www.icomos.org/en/.

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