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IS THERE A NEED TO THINK OF A HERE AND NOW

VERNACULAR?

Vernacular architecture is the architecture of the domestic and functional. A true Vernacular is the

best bringing together of climate and locally available resources to create comfort conditions within.

In the vernau;ar of the yore, resources to build had to be sourced locally and the details employedwere passive with respect to energy use. Active energy use was kept to be minimal whereby

lifestyle was frugal and rarely sybaritic.

For example a courtyard in the composite climate of !orth India would be a place to soak in sun

winter days and to sleep in hot summer nights whereas in the hot humid "erala the interior

courtyard is a light shaft which provides for cross ventilation and its use does not change throughout

the yeariin fact it is rarely put to any physical use in most small homes.

#ith introduction of active energy in the homes the spaces as well as lifestyles have changed. #ith

transportation becoming easier to source materials from far and wide, available knowledge of

various materials, movement of labour to execute hitherto unknown skills in a region and

manufactured materails being easy to purchase and cheaper has brought about a change in the very

definition of vernacular.$he client re%uirement has changed cosiderably from the vernacular of yore to a brief of the same

living, dining, kitchen , bedrooms and toilets for people of all regions,class or creed where the

inhabitants change but the nomenclature does not whatever may be their native tongue. &o the

%uestion which arises is if the nomenclature does not change is there a granularity in the design

encountered' $he granularity does happen in the designed and in single family residences to some

extent but not at in the mass built apartments. (ass built apartment residents go for interior

modifications to express their connect with the space.

#ith the explosion of greater number of demand and building of homes a change is occuring in the

urban and rural scenario. $he un%uestioning acceptance of sameness in brief, design and

methodology to build creates an unkind pressure in the resources available to build and live in these

homes.

$he vernacular of yore or the historical vernacular concentrated more on the resources to build with

and the need for passive cooling or heating which alongwith lifestyle, food and frugal aspiration did

not negatively demand other resources like water and energy. $he here and now vernacular and the

lifestyle set different demands.

$here is demand on resources to build with since the numbers needed is much more and the homes

are also getting larger due to the increasing privacy levels needed within.

&o what is now the here and now vernacular' )ow does one define it in the current global

scenario.It definitely has moved beyond local with respect to use of materials or the brief. $he

re%uirement as mentioned earlier are global vernacular, the materials are sourced from far and wide

based of affordability whereby many a times local is not lower in cost than the materials whichcome from distant places.

$herefore the here and now vernacular is tending to be really not vernacular of local materials or

construction techni%ue and is moving away from the term vernacular of the yore. $he here and now

vernacular thus needs a new definition * it needs to position itself in the realm of climate change

since buildings play a very active part in energy,water and resource consumption and have huge

imprint on pollution.

$he here and now vernacular needs to be valued on its ecological costs and not economical costs.

$he here and now vernacular needs to be valued on its reach towards skill dissimination which arms

people with lifeskills as a climate adaptation strategy as there would be migration from detrimental

aspects of climate change.

$he here and now vernacular would be future proofing and extending the resource available notonly to build but also to live within the built while creating habitat for flora and fauna however

small may it be.

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+esources to build with $hese definitely have to be sourced and used in terms of their embodied

energy whether they are locally available or sourced from a distance.$he materials used should be

such that they cna be reused once the next geenration demolishes or alters the use of teh building.

$he building should be %uarry for new buildings, so that every generation gets its right to create its

own habitation if need be.

+esources to live with$his is mostly energy and water assuming clean air is available. -rovidingfor clean air is a different aspect completely caus eit has many exrtaneour elements like traffic

policy, design of combustion engine, fuel %uality etc dependent on it.

$here is much progress done in the sphere of dveloping of alternative clean energy and these need

to be adapted and made mandatory even for teh smallest of homes. se of these will also have

positive imprint on air %uality.

$he next is the need to look at water use and making the wastage /ero by integrating rainwater

harvesting individually and in community systems, reusing wastewater for sanitation needs and by

ade%uate demand and waste management increasing the availability and supply of clean water for

more people.

0iodiversity to live with 0y incorporating gardens and water elements there is need to create small

and local ecosystems for other species. 1ocally terraces and gardens can become food growing/ones surviving on composted wet waste and treated waste water. $his helps in regenerating soil

lost due to construction , reduces the heat island effects as well as frees up the countryside form the

waste gererated within the cities.

A here and now vernacualr thus will be a positive imprint in the eco systema nd not a parasite and

go beyond the idea of space making but be a 2local product.