Konso Vernacular Architecture

Konso Vernacular Architecture

Content

1.Contextual Background

2.Settlement Formation

3.Inspration for konso vernacular housing

4.Principles of konso housing

5.Characterstics of knoso housing

6.Transformation prosses of knoso house

7.Conclusion
Contextual Background
Location of Konso

Konso is found in the southwest of Ethiopia

at about 600 Kms away from Addis Ababa
the administration of Konso is under special
woreda level being accountable directly to
SNNPRS.

Enlarging map of SNNPRS and Konso

.It covers an area of about 2354.3

km2.

It is surrounded by Derashe, Amaro

and Burji Special Woredas and the
Oromia Regional
State and Debub Omo Zones, in the
north, northeast, east, south and west
respectively.

Enlarging map of konso

The Konso Settlement Formation
Origin of Konso people
.The Konso people settled at their village
about four centuries ago. Based on oral tradi-
tion, the Konso people came from two direc-
tions, from the east and west.
While the eastern group migrated from Leb-
en (Borena) the western group came from the
high lands of Derashe,Mashile, Gewada, and
Tsemay areas.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the dis-
persed Konso people construct their own for-
tified villages and formed settlements.
Settlement pattern
The Konso settlements are two
types; the compacted traditional
villages and the scattered settle-
ments.
The Konso vernacular houses for-
mation of the rural community is
integrating with their culture and
nature.
The defensive stone walls are made
several centuries around the villag-
es of Konso neighborhoods. These
defensive wall structures are called
Paletas.
The Paletas are not only one con-
centric ring stone walls; there are
five up to six different stone walls.
Inspration for konsovernacular
housing

.Culture and traditional aspects in their day to

day lifes.

Which means supervising the Konso housing

character according to their cultural value
and norms Principles of konso
housing
. symmetry
. buliding team or harmony
. Esthetical proportion and colours
 paffta housing

The Konso Settlement Formation

Origin of Konso people

. In konso settlement there are architectural

spaces like individual compounds formed
with fences, individual houses with several
The Pahpaha the wide open public space
functional spaces and forms, communal walk-
ways and public spaces like Moras.

The Daka Dirumma the stone of manhood

Typical residencial compound

(TIKKA) formation of konso

The Konso residential compounds

are located at the hill sides and
mountainous areas.

All of them are parceled in two

parts. The upper part of the com-
pound is called Oyeta and the low-
er part of the compound is Arahata

The Olahitta the generation pole.

 group of agita housing

Characteristics of konso
vernacular houses

.Konso vernacular houses are divided into three

major parts, based on functional organization:
1.those which serve as a storage housing

2.housing characteristics that serve as living

kossa housing
cottages
3. social service housing character

.The space organization of Konso villages in-

corporate some elements of the forest with the
primary aim of safety.

.Their door are defensive structure,and sym-

bolic elements adhere to their external surface

.Rampant Walkways and Gates pafta bulit near the main gate of the vil-

.Zigzag pathway lage(under rennovation)

fence and main gate

 1st floor plan

Gf plan

Types Of Konso Houses

1.Agita Roof plan

Agita is constructed only in the residential

compound (Tikka) of clan leaders (Poqulla
or Baletumma).It serves;

. as arenas for traditional religious rituals,

. as sleeping space for the clan leaders and
their wives

. as waiting space for the corpse of the king Construction Materials of Agita
and his mother. Elevation
.Wood
.Grass
. Mud and cow dung used for wall finishtric ring
stone walls; there are five up to six different stone
walls.
Form Organization
Agita’s have an elliptical form, that looks like half
of an egg, which has another overlapping elliptical
form as a roof for the house.
Section
 plan

Types Of Konso Houses

2.Manna
Roof plan
Manna is constructed like Agitas with
thatched roof and wall surface an average of
60cm wall thickness and only has one floor
level.
.It serves;

.As maternity housing unit,

.preparation of Cheka (local Beer) and
.Resting house for head of the household
. As space to entertain the guests of the head Elevation
Construction Materials of Agita
of the household.

.Apart from this, Manna houses are used to Construction Material of Manna is the same as
Agita.
regulate the temperature.
Space Organization of Manna
The space in manna houses is organized to have a
circular form, which have a post at the center sup-
porting the upper cover (roof structure) of the
house.

Section
 plan

Types Of Konso Houses

3.Kossa
Kossa has two levels, which are built in both Roof plan
of the upper and lower part of the Tikka.

.It serves;

.As storage.
.Under the raised floor level Kossa has spe-
cial usage for shading of domestic animals.

Form Organization of Kossa

Elevation An elevated structure supported by six posts on the
ground level,That has a wall cover with an elliptical
form and another overlapping elliptical form as a
roof for the house. And finally a MASHADAWA as
a decoration on the top of the house

Space Organization of Manna

space in KOSSA houses is organized to have a circu-
lar form, which have 6 posts surrounding the house,
supporting the upper floor level and a central post
supporting the roof cover of the house.
Section
 Gf plan

Types Of Konso Houses

4.Reqa
1st floor plan
Reqa housing unit, which is located in all of
the Konso residential compounds and it is
constructed on the lower level of the konso
residential compound (Arhata)

Construction Materials of Reqa

Elevation
Reqa is constructed with major local building mate-
rials, which are;

.wood
.grass
.Rope is made from grass and animal skin, used to
tighten the bundle of grass for the roofin

Section
 Gf plan

Types Of Konso Houses

5.Paffta

1st floor plan

.Paffta housing is located in konso walled vil-
lages.

.Pafftas were built on an open public space

called Morra.

.Morra were mostly located in good strate-

gic place to watch their enemy systematically. Its construction takes place;

Elevation
. beginning from collecting local building materi-
als

. involvement of construction experts, elders, and

. religious leaders.
.By useing circular basalt stones
. The roof edge cover is produced from brick called
Mashauda.

Section
Transformation of Konso
vernacular houses
Reason for transformation of Konso ver-
nacular houses.

.Land scarcity and Population growth.

.Urbanization.
.Shortage of local building materials.
. Termite attack.
. Lodge construction

Total transformation of kossa to qorqoro hous-

ing unit.

The figure show us the 3D view of untransformed

kossa housing and the totally transformed
Qorqoro residential house.
 Why we believe konso verncular housing
must consider as UOV
.Criteria:
(3).cultural traditionas

(5).interaction with the environment

characteristics of knoso vernacular hous-

ing

.The features of acultural konso vernacular

housing reflect their the values and tradi-
tions.
 Conclusion
.As whole the project try to present knoso
vernacular housing caracter ,function,space
organization,form organization and transfor-
mation of houses.

Reference
.Garedew Mengesha
paper report
Group Members

.FrehiwotSimachew
.Frehiwot Nigussie
.Goytom Tekeste
.Haron Tilahun
.Heyru Molla

Thank you