RESILIENT FUTURES: REASSESSING TRADITIONAL HOUSING MODELS FOR LONGTERM SUSTAINABILITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58225/sw.2025.2-93-108Keywords:
vernacular architecture, climate-adaptive design, local building materials, passive thermal performance, architectural heritage, sustainable rural developmentAbstract
Sustainability has emerged as a central challenge in contemporary architecture and urban planning, driven by climate change, rapid urbanization, and the depletion of natural resources.
However, many of the solutions sought today were already embedded in the construction logic of traditional dwellings, particularly in rural and vernacular contexts. Traditional architecture embodies the key principles of sustainability - the use of local and renewable materials, climate-adaptive spatial planning, passive ventilation, and thermal regulation - long before these concepts were formally theorized. This study re-evaluates traditional Azerbaijani architecture through the lens of sustainability, analyzing dwellings and monumental structures across various regions of the country. Comparative references are drawn from vernacular architectures in Iran to contextualize regional similarities in climate-responsive design. The analysis focuses on material typology, wall thickness, structural systems, and passive environmental strategies, framed within broader socio-cultural and ecological dimensions. The paper argues that traditional architecture should be recognized not merely as cultural heritage but as a resilient and contextually adaptive model for contemporary sustainable design.
Finally, the study proposes an integrative framework for embedding vernacular knowledge into modern architectural education, conservation policy, and sustainable building practices.
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