ADAPTATION OF VERNACULAR WISDOM IN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE IN THE HOT-DRY CLIMATE IN THE CONTEXT OF INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT

Introduction: Globally there has been a paradigm shift in construction practices towards energy intensive building materials and design practices due to urbanization. Vernacular buildings and traditional knowledge are getting extinct although it has potential for adapting to changes and transforming for the changing needs of urban lifestyle. Some of the architects have tried to capture the principles of vernacular architecture and applied their own understanding in their contemporary designs with the contextual manifestation of the traditional principles for changing times. This type of architecture is known to be neo-vernacular architecture. The purpose of research is to see whether vernacular architecture is influencing the contemporary architects in designing sustainable buildings? How this traditional wisdom is getting transformed into a new dimension in a way to cater to the requirements and life style changes of modern times. Further, to know how far this traditional knowledge is successful in meeting the 21st century requirements of the people. Methods: Traditional architecture of selected buildings in the hot-dry climatic region in India were studied and compared with modern buildings designed using vernacular principles with respect to spatial configuration, form, building materials and passive solar strategies etc. Results: The research shown that architects of the modern era have modified the principles of vernacular architecture for it to be used in the modern context for better comfort and to suit to the modern life style of the people giving a new dimension to Vernacular Architecture.