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The Vernacular Library is a curated digital archive dedicated to the OPEN-SOURCE dissemination of global knowledge on climate-adaptive and place-based architecture. As part of the Climigrant’s Sketchbook Initiative, the library provides open access to texts that document vernacular construction techniques, indigenous wisdom, and climate-specific adaptations—resources vital to those facing displacement due to environmental change.
Rooted in the architectural discourse of Critical Regionalism, the Vernacular Library resists homogenized design solutions, instead championing site-responsive building practices that have evolved over generations. By gathering scholarship, manuals, and case studies from across ecosystems, the library serves as both a research tool and a repository of practical strategies. Whether for architects, researchers, displaced individuals, or environmental justice advocates, the Vernacular Library is a space for knowledge exchange—where learning from the past can help shape the futures we must now build.
We are always interested in collecting information. If you would like to expand our ever-growing database, please contact us at derek@climigrantssketchbook.org
ALL DOCUMENTS ARE OPEN-SOURCE OR WERE OPEN-SOURCE AT THE TIME OF COLLECTION. If you believe this information to be in violation of Copyright, please contact administrators for removal.
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The Vernacular Library is a curated digital archive dedicated to the OPEN-SOURCE dissemination of global knowledge on climate-adaptive and place-based architecture. As part of the Climigrant’s Sketchbook Initiative, the library provides open access to texts that document vernacular construction techniques, indigenous wisdom, and climate-specific adaptations—resources vital to those facing displacement due to environmental change.
Rooted in the architectural discourse of Critical Regionalism, the Vernacular Library resists homogenized design solutions, instead championing site-responsive building practices that have evolved over generations. By gathering scholarship, manuals, and case studies from across ecosystems, the library serves as both a research tool and a repository of practical strategies. Whether for architects, researchers, displaced individuals, or environmental justice advocates, the Vernacular Library is a space for knowledge exchange—where learning from the past can help shape the futures we must now build.
We are always interested in collecting information. If you would like to expand our ever-growing database, please contact us at derek@climigrantssketchbook.org
ALL DOCUMENTS ARE OPEN-SOURCE OR WERE OPEN-SOURCE AT THE TIME OF COLLECTION. If you believe this information to be in violation of Copyright, please contact administrators for removal.
DOCUMENT NAME: Architecture for the Poor
AUTHOR: Hassan Fathy
OPEN SOURCE: N/A
DOCUMENT TYPE: Full Book
YEAR: 1973
DESCRIPTION: Architecture for the Poor is a seminal work in sustainable and vernacular architecture, documenting his ambitious project to design and construct the village of New Gourna in Egypt using traditional building techniques. Rooted in his belief that architecture should serve the needs of the poor, Fathy championed mudbrick construction, passive cooling strategies, and local craftsmanship as a response to both economic constraints and climatic conditions. The book details his collaboration with artisans and laborers, his struggles with bureaucratic resistance, and his vision for an architecture that is both cost-effective and culturally embedded. Fathy’s work draws from centuries of Egyptian vernacular building practices, particularly Nubian vaulting and domed structures, which require no costly industrial materials.
GLOBAL REFERENCES: Egypt, Sudan, Middle East & North Africa
VERNACULAR TYPOLOGIES: Mudbrick houses, Nubian vaults and domes, Courtyard houses, Passive cooling techniques
TAGS: #CRITICALREGIONALISM
FULL DOWNLOAD
DOCUMENT NAME: Architecture Without Architects
AUTHOR: Bernard Rudofsky
OPEN SOURCE: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
DOCUMENT TYPE: Full Book
YEAR: 1964
DESCRIPTION: Architecture Without Architects is a quintessential exploration of vernacular architecture across the world, challenging the dominance of modernist and industrialized design. Originally published as a companion to an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the book presents a visual and intellectual survey of anonymous, collective, and indigenous building traditions that have shaped human habitation for millennia. Rudofsky argues that mainstream architectural discourse has largely ignored the ingenuity of non-professional builders, whose structures emerge from necessity, climate, and cultural traditions rather than stylistic trends. Through a rich collection of photographs and analyses, the book highlights the functional beauty of dwellings designed for sustainability, social cohesion, and environmental harmony. This work remains a powerful critique of architectural elitism, advocating for a broader understanding of design that values adaptive, time-tested solutions. His book continues to inspire architects, urbanists, and researchers interested in sustainable and human-centered building practices.
GLOBAL REFERENCES: North Africa & the Middle East: Moroccan ksars, Yemeni tower houses, Egyptian mudbrick villages, Sub-Saharan Africa: Dogon villages in Mali, Zulu homesteads in South Africa. Europe: Trulli houses in Italy, Cycladic island architecture in Greece, cave dwellings in Spain. Asia: Tibetan monasteries, earthen tulou of Fujian, Rajasthan stepwell. The Americas: Taos Pueblo in New Mexico, Peruvian Andean villages, Amazonian communal houses. Oceania: Stilt houses of Papua New Guinea, Polynesian structures
VERNACULAR TYPOLOGIES: Cliff dwellings, Cave houses, Stilt houses, Mudbrick Rammed earth construction, Communal housing forms
TAGS: #CRITICALREGIONALISM
FULL DOWNLOAD
DOCUMENT NAME: The Barefoot Architect: A Handbook for Green Building
AUTHOR: Johan Van Lengen
OPEN SOURCE: N/A
DOCUMENT TYPE: Read Online
YEAR: 2008
DESCRIPTION: The Barefoot Architect is a practical and visually accessible guide that empowers communities, particularly in rural or underdeveloped regions, to build sustainable homes using locally sourced materials and techniques. Written by architect Johan van Lengen, the book focuses on self-sufficiency and low-impact construction, blending traditional wisdom with ecological design principles. It presents a range of building methods that are appropriate for various climates and geographies, offering creative solutions to resource scarcity while promoting community participation in the building process. The book is notable for its clear illustrations and accessible language, making complex ideas about green building and vernacular architecture understandable for laypeople. The author emphasizes the importance of using local materials, such as clay, bamboo, and straw, and offers designs for homes that are affordable, environmentally responsible, and culturally relevant.
GLOBAL REFERENCES: Brazil, India, Africa, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru
VERNACULAR TYPOLOGIES: Cob and superadobe techniques, Mud brick, Rammed earth, Adobe Wattle-and-daub, Bamboo, Straw bale
TAGS:
AVAILABLE ONLINE
DOCUMENT NAME: Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own
AUTHOR: Nader Khalili
OPEN SOURCE: N/A
DOCUMENT TYPE: Full Book
YEAR: 1986
DESCRIPTION: Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture is a hands-on guide by Iranian architect Nader Khalili that explores the use of natural materials, specifically clay and earth, to create sustainable homes. Khalili introduces readers to his innovative construction techniques, such as Superadobe, which employs sandbags, barbed wire, and clay to build self-supporting structures capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions, including earthquakes. The book is designed to empower individuals to build their own homes using low-cost, locally available materials, making it a particularly valuable resource for communities in need of affordable housing solutions. Khalili emphasizes the use of earth-based materials like adobe, rammed earth, and cob, as well as ceramics and burnt clay, to create not just shelter but works of art. His designs blend traditional wisdom with innovative building techniques, providing both functional and aesthetic solutions to modern housing needs.
GLOBAL REFERENCES: Iran, Mexico, United States (California), India, Africa
VERNACULAR TYPOLOGIES: Mudbrick, Adobe, Cob, Superadobe, Rammed earth
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FULL DOWNLOAD
DOCUMENT NAME: Shelter
AUTHOR: Lloyd Kahn
OPEN SOURCE: Microfiche Reference Library
DOCUMENT TYPE: Full Book
YEAR: 1973
DESCRIPTION: Shelter is a comprehensive exploration of human habitation, showcasing a diverse array of building styles and materials from around the world. The book features over 1,000 photographs and serves as both a historical record and a practical guide for alternative and traditional construction methods. Shelter delves into the evolution of these structures, examining the materials and techniques used in their construction. It also offers insights into building materials such as heavy timber, stone, straw bale, adobe, plaster, and bamboo, providing readers with practical knowledge for creating their own shelters.
GLOBAL REFERENCES: Africa: Dogon dwellings, Masai dwellings, Ethiopian dwellings, Kabre dwellings. Middle East: Bedouin tents. Asia: Japanese homes, Yurts (Central Asia), Europe: Iron Age huts, Timber structures. North America: Barns, Log cabins. South America: Adobe houses
VERNACULAR TYPOLOGIES: Caves, Huts, Tents, Yurts, Timber-frame houses, Sheds, Barns, Cob houses, Stone houses, Baled hay (straw bale) houses, Adobe structures, Sod houses, Canvas tents, Bamboo constructions, Thatch-roofed houses, Earth shelters, Housetrucks, Houseboats and junks, Treehouses, Domes, Zomes
TAGS: #CRITICALREGIONALISM
FULL DOWNLOAD
DOCUMENT NAME: Shelter II
AUTHOR: Lloyd Kahn
OPEN SOURCE: Microfiche Reference Library
DOCUMENT TYPE: Manual
YEAR: 1978
DESCRIPTION: Shelter II serves as a practical manual for individuals interested in constructing their own homes, particularly focusing on simple stud-frame houses. This sequel to the original Shelter delves into the principles of house design and offers a condensed 24-page instruction guide covering essential aspects of homebuilding, including foundations, framing, roofing, installation of windows and doors, interior finishing, as well as plumbing and electrical work. The book features detailed, to-scale drawings by Bob Easton of seven different homes, accompanied by floor plans, enabling first-time builders to visualize each structure comprehensively. It also includes a critical analysis of domes, discussing their practicality and durability, and offers a detailed critique of America's space colonization programs of that era. Shelter II emphasizes the value of time-tested building techniques and materials readily available, such as lumber, earth, stone, concrete, brick, and thatch. It advocates for owner-built homes as a means to reduce construction costs and minimize or eliminate long-term mortgage obligations.
GLOBAL REFERENCES: North America: Traditional houses and barns, Urban rehabilitation projects. Various Indigenous Cultures.
VERNACULAR TYPOLOGIES: Stud-frame houses, Adobe structures, Log cabins, Barns, Yurts, Cabins, Houseboats, Domes
TAGS:
FULL DOWNLOAD