ABSTRACT
Contemporary Vernacular Design is about creating the infrastructure and landscaping required to achieve a sense of place and identity. This is actually more important than the housing design itself. What is exciting about Contemporary Vernacular Design is that there is no single definition, and it most definitely is not a ‘style’. This distinguishes it from Modernism. Vernacular homes are small, with tiny windows to reduce heat loss. Nowadays we have higher expectations and better-quality windows and insulation to combat heat-loss issues. Contemporary Vernacular Design responds to its climate. This response arises not out of a desire to be ‘sustainable’ but rather a necessity to achieve warmth or ‘coolness’ in the climate in which it sits, reducing the need for fuel. This is a contemporary vernacular response, using the materials of today to create the same, if not improved, thermal efficiency as in the past. The key to Contemporary Vernacular Design is that it learns from the past, informing the new.
