• The term is not to be confused with so-called

• "traditional" architecture.

• Vernacular architecture may, through time, be adopted and refined into culturally accepted solutions, but only through repetition may it become "traditional." Traditional architecture can also include temples and palaces, for example, which would not be included usually in the rubric of "vernacular."

• In Japan, for example, not all pre-modern architecture is "vernacular," which would usually refer only to rural buildings and structures. In the US, vernacular architecture might refer to a so-called craftsman bungalow, fashionable in the nineteenth century, even though the bungalow .

Danish vernacular house. Indian vernacular house Egipt vernacular house Mexican vernacular home

Vernacular Architecture

in the worldIndian vernacular architecture

“Using local ecological

building materials that

responds to the climate”…

Vernacular

Architecture of the

North of

Mexico

Vernacular Architecture of

Nuevo León MEXICO

Nuevo León has an extreme climate, and there is very little rainfall

throughout the year.

The territory covers 64,924 square kilometers (25,067.3 sq mi), and can

be divided into three regions: a hot, dry region in the north, a temperate

region in the mountains, and a semi-arid region in the south.

The Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range affects in an important way

the lay of the land forming the Galeana and Doctor Arroyo plateaus, the

Iguana, Picachos, Papagayos, and Santa Clara mountain ranges, and

the Pilón, Ascensión, and Río Blanco valleys.

As for hydrography, the San Juan River supplies the El Cuchillo dam,

which provides water for Monterrey and the metropolitan area. There

are also the Cerro Prieto, La Boca, Vaquerías, Nogalitos, and

Agualeguas dams.

Monterrey lies at the foothill

of the

Sierra Madre Oriental

mountain range

¿Why is considered Vernacular Architecture?..

In contrast to planned architecture by architects, the building knowledge

in vernacular architecture is often transported by local traditions and is

thus more - but not only - based on knowledge achieved by trial and

error and often handed down through the generations rather than

calculated on knowledge of geometry and physics.

This of course does not exclude architects from using vernacular

architecture in their designs or being firmly based in their regional

vernacular architecture. windows

ceilings

The walls

Were made of

Mud and adobe

blocks.

For centuries men has built their homes out of adobe blocks.

Straws, clay and water, combined with human creativity made it possible

to our ancestors to face mother nature´s wrath.

Today's needs are more demanding for they require both beauty and

confort in an ecological balance. In this century, strange as it may sound,

building homes with adobe is still the soundest alternative.

Structural Adobe it’s also made of cement, clay

and additives.

For thermal insulation It offers up to 30%

savings in electricity consumption

in comparison with traditional cement blocks.

High compressive strength

Depending on what natural resources could be found locally, buildings would

Typically be constructed of brick, stone or wood, with slate or wooden

roofing.

Natural stone would frequently be employed to moderate the temperature

inside the house by storing heat with termal mass.

Team Work.. You are goingto visit one of NL municipalities….

“A wonderful experience in the Northeastern of Nuevo León Mexico”

The team-photo

… all group members

please!...

Municipalities of Nuevo León

The Mexican state of Nuevo León is divided into 52

municipalities, which take their names from their municipal

seats.

The most populous one is Monterrey, which also serves as the

capital of the state. Outside the Monterrey Metropolitan Area

(which consists of Apodaca, Escobedo, Guadalupe, San Nicolá

de los Garza, San Pedro Garza García and Santa Catarina) the

municipalities tend to be scarcely populated. Aside from

Cadereyta Jiménez, Juárez, Linares and Montemorelos, no other

municipality surpasses 50,000 inhabitants.

The largest municipality by area is Galeana. One of the smallest

ones, Hualahuises, is an enclave of Linares.

•Apodaca

•Escobedo

•García

•Guadalupe

•Juárez

•Monterrey

•Salinas

•Victoria

•San Nicolás

•de los Garza

•San Pedro

Garza García

Santa

Catarina

Santiago

The Monterrey metropolitan area refers to the conurbation around the city

of Monterrey,

officially called Area Metropolitana de la Ciudad de Monterrey or AMM.

The Monterrey metropolitan area is composed of the municipalities/cities

of:

NORTHEASTERN

VERNACULAR

ARCHITECTURE IN MEXICO

Team Group Homework.

1.- Abstract. The purpose of the research. “The Learning ideas”…

• 2.- Introduction.2.1 History of the site.

2.2 Geogaphy and climate.

2.3 Maps. Location of the municipalitie in NL.

2.4 Orography and Hydrography

2.5. Landmarks.

2.4 History and cultural sites.

2.5 Trails and roads. Crossing deserts

and forests.. Etc-

Team visit of a

municipalitie

in N.L

The main plaza…

.

views…

3.- Urban areas,

3.1 Surroundings and the main

central plaza (town square).

3.2 Photographs of

Tha major buildings, churches,

and views.

From the main street.. The central kiosk ot the

main plaza.The church..

Urban space: “The Plaza”, the main streets,

orientation. Photos of the plaza and urban sourroundings.

Interior Courtyard

Thermal Mass in Vernacular Architecture

in Northeastern Mexico

4.- A site example of VA.

4.1. Architectural plan.

4.2. Description of each of the

Interior spaces.

4.3. Construction systems:

4.3.1 Roofs. Ledge of roofs.

4.3.2 Ceilings.4.3.3 Floors.

Other: Interior courtyard

4.3.4 Windows.

Window protections etc.. Ledge

of windows.

4.3.5 Doors

4.3.6 Walls

Other: Cistern: “aljibe”…

Other: Rain drainage systems.

Other: Wind towers, chimney…small

top windows.

5. Advantages of building with Vernacular Architecture

6. Buidling thermical behaviour in winter and summer times.

7. Conclusions. Point of view of each one of the members of the team.

8.- Gallery of Photographs.

Note: It’s absolutely necessary a photograph ofall members together,

Otherwise, it’s not considerate a responsable team work project.

9.- Video of the main plaza or site buidling. 2 or 3 min.

10.- Bibliography. Web sites and books.

The reaserch project will be deliver with:

a) CD Powerpoint presentation CD with the video.

b) Word Doccument. 25 pages with double space

paragraphs.Good luck!..