Gathering together the world's leading experts on vernacular architecture, this once-in-a-generation publication examines how local buildings have stood the test of time and offer vital lessons for the future. The core of the book is arranged by climate zone, from desert to tropical, temperate to arctic. Within each section, buildings are presented regionally, showing how local climatic conditions and vegetation affect the evolution of building styles.
This central part is bookended by a range of essays exploring the economic and anthropological aspects, while the reference section offers information on materials science and engineering, including how buildings have been adapted to contend with natural disasters. With the growing challenge of climate change, there has never been a more important time to understand how to make the best use of local natural resources and create buildings that do not rely on stripping our planet or transporting materials across the globe. This book shows us how.
About the Author
Sandra Piesik is an architect and a researcher specializing in technology development and transfer. She has worked extensively in the Middle East on projects that reconnect traditional knowledge systems with modern applications, and has led successful research, development, and deployment studies on the adaptation of date palm leaf architecture for modern use, which resulted in an award-winning project endorsed by the UNCCD and the book Arish: Palm-Leaf Architecture.
As the founder of several multidisciplinary research groups and consortia, she is actively engaged in addressing global climate change. She was co-creator of the Urban and Rural Resilience Program for desert regions and participated in the COP22 UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech.
Industry Reviews
'Hefty, handsome ... works best as evidence and inspiration, as the laying out the amazingly multifarious forms that human dwellings can take' - Observer
'A landmark publication ... a timely and urgent story of humanity's capacity to create architecture without jeopardizing the equilibrium of the ecosystems upon which human life depends' - Aesthetica
'Amazing ... fabulous photographs, authoritative essays and elaborate diagrams and maps' - Irish Times
'An inspiring study of design, use of natural materials and sense of place' - Self Build magazine
'Traces the changing face of locally influenced architecture across the globe and considers how it can contribute to a sustainable future ... beautifully produced' - World Architecture News
'Carries the flag for vernacular architecture, and considers how local resources can be used sustainably to protect our plant and its fragile ecosystems' - Design Boom
'A big book with a big theme ... With stunning photography and elaborate maps, it's an impressive tome' - BBC Culture
'Handsome ... striking - sometimes improbable - structures executed with consummate skill' - Crafts
'An impressive five-years-in-the-making tome' - Geographical
