Traditional vernacular houses of the arid lands: an analysis of the applicability of a traditional vernacular dwelling for contemporary needs--the Navaho model

Abstract

During the last 10 years, at least, numerous authors have emphasized the adequacy of primitive and traditional vernacular structures as solutions to the habitational needs of people around the world, particularly in developing nations: Regarding the arid and semiarid lands, several authors agree that primitive and vernacular dwellings and settlements—present and past—represent successful human adaptations to life in arid environments. These authors argue that these primitive and vernacular responses to the arid conditions embody a wealth of design principles which should be retrieved and applied today.