Introduction

The term Critical Regionalism was introduced in 1981 by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre in their article “The Grid and the Pathway” (1981) and in 1983 Kenneth Frampton authored an article on the same subject (Frampton 1983). ¹ According to the definition of these authors, Critical Regionalism emphasizes the importance of “placeness” by considering contextual elements like scenery, historical references, and light, without falling into imitation and traditionalism. Critical Regionalism gained popularity as a synthesis of universal, “modern” elements and individualistic elements derived from local cultures. The idea to produce buildings that are modern without neglecting contextual elements like scenery and historical references has not only produced interesting architectural creations, but also spawned a whole range of new theoretical reflections. Contrary to the intentions of mere regionalism, Critical Regionalism does not aim to reinstall a strong vernacular “here” but attempts to vernacularize modern elements. Critical Regionalism is also constantly aware of the danger of the political instrumentalization of vernacular architecture in terms of globalization issues or political issues in general.