What is Vernacular Architecture

Vernacular architecture in India conveys challenges of its climatic and social characteristics. With modernization, and with a greater ease of construction, a reduction in human labor, and the apparent robustness of contemporary construction techniques, architects are increasingly uncertain about vernacular architecture. This chapter emphasizes the features of the vernacular architecture of tropical India through case studies, specifically Kerala in southern India due to its rich culture and climatic challenges. Several modern case studies designed by various pioneering architects like Laurie Baker and Nari Gandhi that integrate the knowledge of the traditional architecture of tropical India through the learning from indigenous pre-modern examples as well as global trends have been studied. This chapter elucidates Baker's and Gandhi's consideration of vernacular architecture within their practice of sustainable building design and finally invites policy makers, planners, and architects to incorporate this knowledge into their policies and work.