Habitat: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Climate assembles the world's leading experts on vernacular building to map, by climate zone, how communities across history have constructed responsibly with what the land provides — and what contemporary practice must relearn.
About This Book
As the architecture and building industries confront the accelerating pressures of climate change, Habitat makes the case that the most instructive models are not speculative or computational — they are already built and have been for centuries. Edited by Sandra Piesik, the book organises its survey by climate zone: desert, tropical, temperate, arctic. Within each zone, regional case studies trace how vegetation, material availability, and environmental conditions have shaped distinct building cultures over time. Framing essays address the economic and anthropological dimensions of vernacular architecture, while a dedicated reference section covers materials science, engineering, and adaptation strategies for natural disasters. For architects, researchers, and educators working at the intersection of sustainability and building culture, this is a foundational reference.
Key Features
- 496 pages of climate-zone surveys, regional case studies, and technical reference material on materials science and engineering
- Edited by Sandra Piesik
- Published by Thames & Hudson, 2017
What You'll Discover
- How vernacular building traditions are organised by climate zone — from desert to arctic — revealing the direct relationship between environment and architectural form
- Regional variations within each climate zone that demonstrate how local vegetation and material resources have driven distinct construction cultures
- The economic and anthropological forces that sustain or erode vernacular building traditions, explored through a series of contextualising essays
- Technical analysis of how vernacular structures have been adapted to withstand natural disasters, with reference material on materials science and engineering for contemporary application
About the Author
Sandra Piesik is the editor of Habitat, bringing together the world's leading experts on vernacular architecture for this volume. [Details available upon request]
Specifications
- Format: Hardcover
- Pages: 496
- Dimensions: 288 x 224 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9780500343760
- Publisher: Thames & Hudson
- Publication Date: 2017
Perfect For: Architects and designers working in sustainable or low-impact construction, academics and students in architectural history and environmental design, and practitioners seeking grounded precedents for climate-responsive building.