Terminologies (d): Vernacular Architecture

The term “Vernacular architecture” is of recent origin that become in vogue in the 19^th century. Noble said that the term “vernacular architecture” is a term widely used in the United Kingdom which was used as long ago as 1858 as reminded by Paul Oliver. The term was “first used in the 19^th century by architectural theorists to refer to traditional rural buildings of the pre-industrial area” (Upton:1983), and is often used in connection to the study of the majority of the building of an area.

The term “vernacular”, from Latin vernaculus, which “is a figurative use of Latin nouns vernus and verna, which denote male and female slaves born in their master’s house as opposed to somewhere else” (Nakamura:2015).

Howard viewed vernacular as:

An analytic term applied to cultural forms or behaviours that are alternate to or held separate from those practices exhibited, regulated, or controlled by institutions. Sometimes used as a synonym for folk, the term more properly refers to cultural expression that is rooted in a specific community without necessarily suggesting any traditional features in the expression. (Howard:2011:1240).

Blier said, “The term “vernacular architecture” over the last half-century has come to represent a farrago of building traditions that lie outside canonical largely Western building exemplars created generally by formally trained architects” (Blier:2006:230). He holds that the term denotes native, indigenous, domestic, or subaltern that connotes popular as opposed to elite idiom.

However, a precise definition of the term “apparently so simple, has prove to be one of the most serious problems for advocates of vernacular architecture” (Nakamura:2015). Noble referring Cary Carson said, “The expression was widely used and popularized by archaeologists to describe buildings that are built according to local custom to meet the personal requirements of the individuals for whom they are intended” (Noble:2007:6). It is defined as “a type of architecture particular to a given place and time. This style of architecture uses locally available materials and will reflect the environmental, cultural and historical contexts of the location in which it is erected” (Ambrose, Harris, &Stone:2008:259).

Glassie regards “vernacular” as a tool used to learn the meanings of architectural object and said, “we call buildings “vernacular” because they embody values alien to those cherished in the academy” and “to highlight the cultural and contingent nature of all buildings” (Glassie:2000:20-21).

Blier hold:

In architecture specifically, the term “vernacular” embraces a range of an array of traditions around the world -everyday domiciles, work structures, non-elite places of worship... The term also embraces a range of other architectural forms outside the west (elite and otherwise) that long have been overlooked in Western scholarly study. (Blier:2006:230)

This shows that the vernacular architecture embraces a vast range of buildings or men made environment into its preview. Simultaneously, vernacular architecture “is a distinctive type of architecture as well as a distinctive paradigm for studying architecture. As in folk architecture, vernacular architecture refers to most buildings, built environments, and landscapes-tangible aspects of cultural heritage-that evolve organically from everyday human practices” (Gilmore &Reeves:2012).

Similarly, Upton said, “often vernacular architecture has been a catch-all term for the study of kinds of buildings neglected by traditional architectural history. Furthermore, the study of vernacular architecture has been mainly by default, an interdisciplinary or, more correctly, a multidisciplinary enterprise” (Upton:1983:263). Gwyn Meirion-Jones of the view that the vernacular architecture is the outgrowth and refinement of very early “primitive” building though there is “no clear divide between primitive and vernacular in architecture” (Noble:2007:7).

F.H.A. Aalen said:

Within regions there is marked and voluntary adherence by the majority of society to a single model or ideal pattern of house form. Even though professional builders may be operating, the basic model is not seriously questioned by builder or peasant. The model has no designer but is part of the anonymous folk tradition and tends to be persistent in time. Conformity, anonymity, and continuity may be seen as the hall-marks of regional vernacular architecture, reflecting the cultural coherence, simplicity, and conservatism of present communities and the deep rooted traditions within the building craft” (Noble:2007:7).

Rapoport said:

Another characteristic of vernacular is its additive quality, its unspecialized, open-ended nature, so different from the closed, final form typical of most high style design. It is this quality which enables vernacular buildings to accept changes and additions which would visually and conceptually destroy a highstyle design. (Rapoport:1969:5-6)

The origin of the architecture and development of culture is closely related and reciprocal in their respective journey of development. However, vernacular architecture is not outside the orbit of controversy and contradiction.

Thus, Moudlin opined:

Common to all vernacular buildings is that they are positioned by architects and architectural historians outside what is considered “architecture”. They are “other”.... The categorization of vernacular architecture as “other”, those buildings that are not “architecture”, has created a hierarchy of two distinct, selfcontained, professional and academic fields-architecture, and with it architectural history, and vernacular architecture studies-each with its own parameters, methodologies, typologies, professional bodies and academic societies. (Brown & Maudlin:2012:342-343)

Notwithstanding, the term vernacular architecture has received wide recognition and acceptance globally to refer to the category of materials. Thus, the major literature and prominent scholars of the field has used the term. Another justification in support of the term may be the parity between the language and architecture.

And the concept and meaning borrowed from the context of language bear significance, as:

Building skills also resembles language to the extent that they are taught by demonstration and learned by imitation so that the idiosyncrasies of teachers are passed on to pupils, thereby consolidated in a generation or two and perpetuated in the long term. (Noble:2007:7-8)