Economic and Tourism Potential of Vernacular Architecture

The construction of vernacular architecture involves comparatively less labour, time, and cost. Hence, it enhances the possibility of adopting the vernacular architecture technology to address the growing housing need. It is because, “The design of economic housing is at once one of the most complex and urgent problems throughout the world” (Watson, AIA, & Bertaud:1976:208). Different aspects of vernacular architecture like materials or technical nuances can be used for the construction of cost effective architecture.

In present time, the vernacular architecture also possesses great tourism potential as the vernacular architecture and housing culture is used as element of tourist attraction. In the tourism sector, the concept of eco-tourism, ethnic tourism, cultural tourism, home-stay, etc. are gaining popularity. The traditional built environment, culture, and vernacular architecture are turning the raw materials for the development of such concept and industry. Such prospect is very high in a region like Assam, where so many ethnic communities are present with their characteristic VA. The loaded features of vernacular architecture divulge the possibilities of using this treasure to allure tourist and using as raw material for tourism. Gradually, the eco-tourism, ethnic tourism, or home-stay industry is growing in the region for which the government has also taken positive steps for encouraging such concept. Thus, the Govt. of Assam has come up with an initiative called “Aamaar Aalohi”, a scheme to promote rural home-stay scheme, “to offer a new dimension to the Rural Homestay facilities in the state” and “create self employment opportunities for educated youths in rural and semi-urban areas in potential tourist destinations” (Annual Achievement Report, 2017-18). Such initiatives have widened the possibility of visiting the remotest areas of the region, which lacks the tourism infrastructure but are active pockets of traditional culture. Thus, this can provide opportunity to the tourists to stay in the villages and experience the way of life of the people. Thus, the vernacular architecture bears the potential for the growth and development of the tourism industry and simultaneously contributing towards employment and income generation (Bayan:2016).

In the region, the vernacular architecture is contemporaneously exploited for commercial objectives. Thus, the traditional aspects of the vernacular architecture are beautifully adapted for commercial establishments. Thus, it is seen that the hotels and restaurants, popularly known as the “dhaba’ are often constructed in the manner of the pajaghar using traditional materials to give an ethnic look and ambience. Similarly, in the “Ethnic Village” of Haflong, the vernacular architecture of different ethnic communities of the district are constructed for display and thereby developed it as a place of tourist destination. This is an innovative initiative of the application of the vernacular architecture for the tourism.