A Study on the Vernacular House in Southeast Asia - In the Aspect of Commonality and Diversity -

Abstract

Vernacular houses in Southeast Asia are basically post and beam structures raised on pillars, with gabled roofs. They were designed and built by the people themselves to meet specific needs, accommodating the values, economies and ways of life of cultures that produce them. Their forms and housing cultures are very various according to the country and the region. But based on the common history and culture, the vernacular houses in Southeast definitely have commonality. The purpose of this study is to analyse the commonality and diversity of the vernacular houses in Southeast Asia in the aspect of two different perspectives. One is the climate perspective, for which the analysis was made on the primary characteristics such as the climate, material, structure of the vernacular houses. The other one is the social-cultural perspective which try to find the religion, belief, life style and social and family relationship which controlled the forms of the housing under the surface. As a result, this study summarise and find the outstanding and unique meaning and definition of the vernacular houses in Southeast Asia.