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[ vernacular architecture ]

• Oliver, P., (2007) - Dwellings: The Vernacular House Worldwide, Phaidon Press Ltd (New Edition)

More than 90 per cent of the world's buildings, including some 800 million homes, constitute architecture of ordinary people. "Dwellings" is about the vast range of types of vernacular houses around the world. It documents the form of traditional buildings that are self-built by their owner-occupiers or built by members of a community, recording the means of construction and decoration of the house across a spectrum of different cultures.

• Oliver, P. (2006) - Built to Meet Needs: Cultural Issues in Vernacular Architecture, Architectural Press

The study of vernacular architecture explores the characteristics of domestic buildings in particular regions or localities, and the many social and cultural factors that have contributed to their evolution. In this book, vernacular architecture specialist Paul Oliver brings together a wealth of information that spans over two decades, and the whole globe. Some previously unpublished papers, as well as those only available in hard to find conference proceedings, are brought together in one volume to form a fascinating reference for students and professional architects, as well as all those involved with planning housing schemes in their home countries and overseas.

• Kahn, L. (2000) - Shelter, Shelter Publications Inc., US

A compendium of organic architecture past and present; a how-to book that includes over 1,250 illustrations; and a Whole Earth Catalog - type sourcebook for living in harmony with the earth.

• Kahn, L. (2004) - Home Work: Handbuilt Shelter, Shelter Publications Inc., US

Building on the enormous success of the original Shelter, Lloyd Kahn continues his odyssey of finding and exploring the most magnificent and unusual hand-built houses in existence. Among the intriguing domiciles described in Home Work are a Japanese-style stilt house accessible only by a cable across a river; a stone house in a South African valley whose roof serves as a baboon trampoline; multi-level treehouses on the South China Sea; and a bottle house in the Nevada desert. Over 1,500 photos illustrate various innovative architectural styles and natural building materials that have gained popularity in the last two decades such as cob, papercrete, bamboo, adobe, strawbale, timber framing, and earthbags.

• Steen, A., Steen, B., Komatsu, E., Komatsu, Y. (2004) - Built by Hand, Gibbs M. Smith Inc. 

The most extensive documentation ever published of traditional ("vernacular") buildings throughout the world. With examples from nearly every continent, the book documents the diverse methods people have used to create shelter from locally available natural materials, and shows the impressively handmade finished products through this truly stunning compilation of photographs. Unlike modern buildings that rely on industrially produced materials and highly specialized electric tools and techniques, the shelters featured here represent a rapidly disappearing genre of handcrafted and beautifully composed structures. They are the work of simple and real people who, as builders and homesteaders, have integrated artistic beauty and practical form into their shelter needs. Shelter the Human Family offers insights into the world of vernacular building, along with potential solutions to many of the problems that plague modern architecture.

• Rudofski, B. (1987) - Architecture without Architects, University of New Mexico Press

Shows underground homes, nomadic and aquatic homes, hill towns, fortified villages, arcades, covered streets, monasteries graineries, and amphitheaters around the world.

• Al Sayyad, N., Vellinga, M., Asquith, L. (2005) - Vernacular Architecture in the 21st Century, Spon Press

The issues surrounding the function and meaning of vernacular architecture in the 21st century are complex and extensive. Taking a distinctively rigorous theoretical approach, this book considers these issues from a number of perspectives, broadening current debate to a wider multidisciplinary audience. These collected essays from the leading experts in the field focus on theory, education and practice in this essential sector of architecture, and help to formulate solutions to the environmental, disaster management and housing challenges facing the global community today.

• Oliver, P., Vellinga, M., Bridge, A. (2007) - Atlas of Vernacular Architecture of the World, Routledge

The first world atlas ever compiled on vernacular architecture, this comprehensive work illustrates the variety and ingenuity of the world's vernacular building traditions from a multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural and comparative approach, using over sixty world and regional maps. Mapping such diverse aspects as materials and resources, technologies, structural systems, symbolism, forms and service systems on a cross-cultural and comparative basis, the "Atlas of Vernacular Architecture of the World" reveals the distribution, diversity and relationships of the world's vernacular building traditions. Indicating geographical patterns, developments, lacunae and anomalies, it gives rise to new insights and understandings, stimulating new hypotheses, questions and research efforts. Augmenting the award-winning "Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World", the "Atlas of Vernacular Architecture of the World" constitutes a unique and unparalleled resource for anyone involved in the growing field of vernacular architecture studies, including architects, geographers, art historians, planners, folklorists, conservationists, builders, and anthropologists as well as being of use to all those working in the fields of heritage conservation, architecture, regeneration, energy efficient building, resources management, development and sustainability.