Habitat: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing ClimateEdited by Sandra Piesik (Thames and Hudson, compact edition 2023)Vernacular architecture is generally understood as referring to domestic, native and Indigenous structures. So it is perhaps of little surprise that in our contemporary scapedominated by forms of monolithic scale and proportionmethods of producing vernacular architecture have often been overlooked and marginalized. Yet, as a strand of construction indebted to a rich history of making, the vernaculars sphere of influence can be seen as an important response to the growing climate crisis. Habitat: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Climate, assembled by architect-author Sandra Piesik, offers an insightful overview of age-old methods of production, and supports and celebrates present-day efforts that follow in their wake.Unconcerned with its own behemoth scale (the framing as a compact edition referencing a shrinking from an earlier version with larger type), Piesiks text navigates the breadth of global vernacular construction, convening an encyclopaedic collection of references with considered commentary. Ordered around climatic typologiestropical,dry, temperate, continental, and polarthe book provides concise introductions by regional experts, inviting consideration of a world foreign to many who operate within the narrow scope of contemporary architecture. Crucial to the book is the vast array of photos that support the edited essays; although these have a somewhat domineering presence, they are effective in facilitating an understanding of how the texts should be read. Through the displayed architectures, the kaleidoscopic nature of the vernacular shines: the volume surveys a truly global footprint, from the global South to Iceland and the Arctic, and from rural environments to Brazils favelas.The book documents hundreds of vernacular buildings from around the world, including the traditional round huts (or rondavels) of the Zulu people in in Lalani Valley, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Photo Oliver Gerhard/Age FotostockThe integrated essays penned by experts span a legion of fields. A text by Anna Yu Mainicheva, Homesteads of Northern and Central Russia, appears in the continental section alongside a contribution from Aldona Jonaitis examining the Indigenous Dwellings of Americas Subarctic and Northwest Coast. Beyond challenging political barriers, this careful placement of content plays a significant role in articulating the volumes ambition, demonstrating relevance across a global scale. Similarly, words by the likes of Ronald van Oers point to the dynamism within the vernacular; his case study surveys the plethora of influences on chattel houses and the timber architecture of the Caribbean. Texts by Canadian scholars Tammy Gaber and Miriam Ho are also included, looking respectively at vernacular architecture in Turkey and Kazakhstan.Towards the books end, an appendixperhaps better understood as a sixth chapteroffers a modern account of the vernacular by presenting contemporary references. Francis Krs Gando Primary School Complex represents arguably the most lauded example. However, less celebratedyet equally impressiveworks include Hollmn Reuter Sandman Architects Rufisque Womens Centre, and Architypes Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia. Canadian architect Brian MacKay-Lyons Muir Craig Cottage is also included in the mix. These aid in providing a rich register of the vernacular, and, yet again, evidence its global multiplicity. Despite a somewhat muted presence against the dazzling imagery, the short texts that accompany these examples facilitate an ease of understanding, supporting the volumes lessons to be learned approach. Like the short essays in the main section, the pockets of texts throughout the book work hard and add depth.In sum, Habitat: Vernacular Architecture for a Changing Climate is a well-constructed compendium. The volume provides a highly considered overview of the vernacular, while retaining a format which is both approachable and inviting. While perhaps imagined to be read across its breadth, the weight of the tome makes it even more valuable as a reference document. For those committed to a different kind of architecture and a non-extractive approach, this book is a useful starting point, ably demonstrating that a new way of thinking can be found in the old.As appeared in the November 2024 issue of Canadian Architect magazineThe post Book Review: HabitatVernacular Architecture for a Changing Climate appeared first on Canadian Architect.