The Vernacular language as a Basis for Thermal Comfort in Contemporary Architecture

Abstract: Vernacular architecture takes advantage of environmental and climatic contexts to provide thermal comfort. In response to many microclimate issues, vernacular architecture has found solutions for basic human needs in residential buildings over decades. Vernacular architecture relied on locally available resources considering socio-economic factors, without relying on theories and skills gained from formal architectural education. A renewed interest in vernacular architecture has sparked in recent years because vernacular architecture can achieve thermal comfort with simple techniques. The Egyptian architect, Hassan Fathy, laid the foundations of vernacular language. In this paper, three projects of Fathy in Egypt and Jordan in the post war period were analyzed to identify the vernacular language. These projects show how Fathy achieved the thermal comfort that he wanted to obtain through detailed examination of five vernacular elements that he applied. Referring to the theories of vernacular architecture and their applications, it was found that the elements of vernacular architecture discovered and further developed in contemporary architecture. In short, vernacular language provides higher efficiency of thermal comfort. This was proven by reviewing four contemporary projects in the UAE, France and Egypt. These projects took advantage of the vernacular element that Fathy used in his projects earlier as a basis to achieve thermal comfort Keywords: Vernacular Architecture, Climate, Thermal Comfort, Contemporary architecture, Hassan Fathy