Traditional vernacular buildings, architectural heritage and sustainability

Abstract

The article is focused on vernacular dwellings in different parts of Europe: Southern Italy and Lithuania that have their own traditions. The authors note that the attitude towards traditional vernacular architecture has largely changed due to ongoing research in this domain. Nevertheless, despite persistent continuity of traditional architecture, vernacular architecture was affected by the rise and development of modernist ideology that neglected the realm of tradition. The authors discussed some types of vernacular buildings and their relation to local landscape, especially focusing on the traditional vernacular dwelling of Kuršių Nerija (coastal region bordering with Curonian spit and the Baltic Sea). This region was originally an area of fishermen villages and though some of the settlements ceased to exist there are a number of vernacular houses that belong to architectural heritage. The issues of dwellings, authenticity, survival and protection as well as some ambiguous issues of sustainability of traditional dwellings were discussed. The authors concluded by suggesting that multiple assessment perspective should be employed while dealing with vernacular buildings suggesting that buildings of this type can perform functions extending the tourist consumption.