learning from the vernacular at VITRA design museum

Mud huts, timber dwellings, stone houses – architectural structures around the world have evolved to be perfectly adapted to the surrounding environment, climate and available building materials. With the growing awareness of sustainable construction and regional traditions, these building types have been rediscovered as vital sources of inspiration. »Learning from Vernacular« is dedicated to this phenomenon. It shows selected examples of traditional architecture and presents contemporary designs that derive fascinating new building forms from these vernacular typologies. The featured examples of traditional architecture are from places like South Africa, Egypt, China, Malaysia and Cameroon, with construction methods ranging from adobe architecture and spectacular wooden buildings to courtyard houses and tunnel-like structures made of palm grass. The contemporary projects on display make use of local building materials or address the social and architectural challenges of various regions. Examples include the residential projects of the Auburn University’s Rural Studio in Alabama, the collaborations between craftsmen and architects of Indiabased Studio Mumbai, the work of the architect Carin Smuts in South African townships or the bamboo structures by Colombian architect Simón Vélez. Films, photographs and plans illustrate how the respective buildings are constructed and convey the everyday lives of their inhabitants. With its 40 models, the exhibition presents a veritable panorama of world architecture.

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