Spatio-artistic thresholds foster human-nature connections for sustainable transitions: cases of vernacular facades in Bhal, India

Introduction Despite growing awareness of the society-nature division as a root cause of current socio-ecological crises, sustainability transition approaches often overlook architectural design’s role in fostering human-nature connections (HNCs). In fact, much of sustainable architecture practices also prioritise designing for technical efficiency and mitigation over designing for ‘relationality’ and nurturing HNCs. This gap highlights the need to redefine architecture as a system shaping and transforming human interactions with the world, and to develop relational design approaches for achieving sustainable urban transitions. Aim This paper introduces vernacular architecture as an exemplar of relational design. It aims to assess the vernacular Indian dwellings for “relationality,” targeting their spatio-artistic entrance facades to identify HNCs fostered by these architectural thresholds. Method To achieve this, the visual ethnography method was utilised by triangulating photographs and sketches with observations for a case study of two wooden vernacular facades in Bhal, India, as representative examples of a typical half-timber Indian dwelling. Four areas of artefact analysis, supported by grounded theory techniques, were employed for the interpretive analysis of the facades to uncover embedded dimensions of HNCs. Result The findings indicate eight thematic levels of HNCs fostered by the intricate interplay of spatial-artistic features in facades, which together create a profound aesthetic experience of nature in the everyday life of inhabitants and also correlate to existing biophilic patterns. These elements serve functional purposes, along with expressing ecological consciousness and imparting cultural meanings to promote multiple internal-external connections with nature. Discussion Additionally, a potential analytical framework to evaluate architectural façade design is proposed along with the guidelines for relational design of these spaces. The results suggest that designing spatio-artistic façades and thresholds in architecture can act as a leverage point to facilitate relational ontological shifts towards nature in the human psyche for sustainability transitions. These insights are essential for socio-ecological urban planning and design to reorient societies with nature.