NATURAL STRUCTURALISM IN THE VERNACULAR

Fatma Kolsal, Assoc. Prof. Berna ÜstünAnadolu University, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Turkey fatmakolsal@anadolu.edu.tr, bustun@anadolu.edu.tr

AbstractVernacular means the configuration of distilled environmental conditions without growing apart from the nature. The amount of therelationship in between the design and its surrounding is a “distance organizing action" that avails to determine the design whether itis vernacular or modern. Unlike modern design, the vernacular design outputs are not a result of an individual brilliant idea; they are,on the contrary, a result of a knowledge and wisdom deeply reserved within the culture. The point that mystifies us and hosts thelessons to be learned is the fact that those complex structures came into being through a collective process, are achieved without anyintervention of a licensed architect. Moreover, the vernacular structures as being derived from the natural references of the place arealready ecological and sustainable. On the other hand, the contemporary architecture takes ecology and sustainability as newdiscovered concepts. In this paper, the intrinsic values embodied by the natural structuralism in the vernacular is going to be discussed starting from thefirst settlements in Anatolia.

Keywords: Vernacular Structures; Material Use; Sustainability; AnatolianSettlements

INTRODUCTION Vernacular architecture, “l'architecture vernaculairé” in French, is the direct andunconscious concretizing of the culture embodied by the society within the specific needsemerged. In other words, it is the formation of the ideal space and environment for thesociety by the people creating that society without an intervention of a specialist.(Sezgin, H., 1984:4). In the broadest sense, to be vernacular means “to belong to aspecific place”.

According to Kemal Aran : “The cultures has a place in the history are famous for theirstructures. Those structures, once having had collective purposes, tell us the historyabout the public life of their culture with their artificial and glorious appearances.”The best way to understand the vernacular architecture of a place is to observe the ruralstructures of the region. Aran states that it is possible to distinguish thecharacteristics of the organizations belonging to culture of private life and takingshelter of the people by means of those structures which are illimitable for the country.(Aran, K., 2000:14).

Similarly, to grasp the natural structuralism of the vernacular will be possible bydiscussing the meaning and content of all epistemological components of it. In thispaper, beginning from the prehistoric Anatolian shelters, “the natural structuralism ofthe vernacular” will be argued.

STATEMENTS ON THE STRUCTURALISM OF THE VERNACULARWhen prehistoric first settlements are observed, it is striking that the structuralsolutions are created against environmental conditions. The primary aim of thosesedentary societies in Anatolia of Mesolithic Age dating back 10-12 thousand years is tolive settled without moving. Therefore, the watery places having plenty of natural foodsand animals to hunt had been preferred to be settled down. Another significant aspect ofthe chosen places is that they are close to the natural sources of glass which is used inmaking of a variety of hand tools and of copper which will be plentifully used in time.This kind of settlements is identified in three different zones in Anatolia. These zonesare Hallan Cemi and Çayönü in Southeast Anatolia, Aşıklı Höyük Settlement in thesouthwest of the Lake District in Central Anatolia and Thrace Region in West Anatolia(Soysal, M., 1996: 3). Among these settlements, similar structural solutions arenoteworthy in Aşıklı Höyük and Çatalhöyük which dates back to 7000-5500 BC. Aşıklı höyükis composed of rectangular cell-like housing units attached to each other. Despite thelack of an obvious settlement order, it is observed that the units are formed by afaintly grouping preoccupation. In Çatalhöyük instead, those adjacent housing units arebigger and more regular which are arranged around courtyards and reached from the flatroofs. The adjacent outer walls of the houses generate a mutual defense system. (Soysal,M., 1996: 7). The structuralism to mention in both settlements is the formation of acollaborative defense wall against the environmental threats by the joining facades ofthe units and the minimalism of the apertures on the facades by keeping the entrance onthe top. This defensive closure renders the life introverted and complex.

Figure 1a: Model of Aşıklı Höyük Settlement (Source: http://www.kulturvarliklari.gov.tr/TR,44057/aksaray-muze-mudurlugu.html)Figure 1b: Model of Aşıklı Höyük House (Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reconstructed_ladder_Asikli_Hoyuk.JPG)

Figure 2. Çatal Höyük (Source: http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/science-catalhoyuk-map-mural-volcanic-eruption-01681.html)During the period called Classical Age, owing to the wave of immigration, large colonialcities were founded especially in the coast of Mediterranean, Black sea and Aegean 3200-2300 years ago. As in Antique Greek city Priene, 100 km far from Efes in Aydın-Söke, thenew settlements were organized according to a particular urban approach. (Soysal, M.,1996: 15). The defense system of the cities was provided by an outer fortification wallsurrounding the settlement. By means of this outer layer, more extraverted and relaxedpattern and life were obtained inside.

Figure 3. City of Priene (Source: http://altegeschichte.phil.uni-erlangen.de/media/Bilddateien_Projekte/priene-hellenistisch.jpg)

Unlike the planned city models of Antiquity, Anatolian city grows up with a rhythmicorder creating a free and organic pattern. This formation is not coincidental.

Figure 4a-b. Düğerek (Muğla) (Aran, K, 2000:103), Safranbolu (Günay, R, 1989:149)

In Anatolian cities, the street pattern is spontaneously occurred in time and in freeforms derived from needs. These kinds of city patterns are also characteristic to all

Muslim cities. Conversely to the geometric patterns of western cities, Anatolian Turkishcities exhibit unplanned and organic structure. (Aru, K.A., 1998:177).

When the composition of the cities and the housing units are examined according to theregions, several differences are determined in Anatolian settlements. These differencesstem from the organic forms generating the pattern. The basic forms of the traditionalAnatolian cities are developed from the needs of the people living there. We beartestimony of the emergence of human and nature as two separate aspects which affect theformation of the city and street patterns as well as the housing patterns. All houseshave a street. Hence, cul-de-sacs occur. (Aru, K.A., 1998:11).

Figure 5. Bursa Cumalıkızık (Source: www.googleearth.com)

Figure 6. City center of Bursa (Source: www.googleearth.com)

The relationship with the “place” is very vibrant in vernacular. The place is a piece ofearth or nature which is felt and distinguished by its deterministic aspects in order tolocate a building or a settlement on the terrestrial globe. Contemporary people talkingabout a nice place generally mention the relation of the place with shopping malls,vehicles of transportation and real estate. For the Anatolian rural people instead, thefact of “place” has rather a large scope. It depends on the altogether sense of allqualities which renders that piece of earth or nature unique, such as climate, water andlanguage of the region. For this reason, each place on earth is dissimilar and unique.(Aran, K., 2000:52)

In his book called “Towards New Horizons in Architecture”, Tadao Ando underlines that thenature and architecture are not two separate aspects. (Koçyiğit, R.G., 2007:64-65).Duringthe modernization process, due to the fact that architecture adopted an approach ofabstracting the space and consequently an approach of uniformity, the diverse qualitiesof the place disappeared. (Koçyiğit, R.G., 2007:106). By transformation of thearchitectural outputs to Meta, concept of “placelessness” comes out. Therefore, therelationship between the design object and its physical surrounding weakens in the modernworld. This attenuation is both topographical and architectural which may create symbolicand stylistic theoretical system forming coherence in between formal codes such asideology, culture and local impact. (Koçyiğit, R.G., 2007:133).

Figure 7a-b-c-d: Mardin, Harran, Şirince, Çamlıhemşin(Source: http://www.filmapia.com/sites/default/files/filmapia/pub/place/3587883179_851c846cf2.jpghttp://www.nerededir.com/resim/harran1.jpghttp://cdnimage.zaman.com.tr/2012/12/03/sirince.jpghttp://www.karadenizchat.org/Tatilhaberleri-6987-Karadenizde-Gezilecek-Yerler-Mekanlar/)

The relationship with the ground is very strong in vernacular. The life generatedhorizontally on the ground diversifies the connection to the place. The decrease in thisconnection with the place and the lives integrated to the multi-storey compositions bringout the ending of the vernacular.

Figure 8a-b-c. İkiztaş (Milas- Muğla), Kozluca (Akçadağ, Malatya), Karaçam (Çaykara-Trabzon) (Aran, K., 2000:78-89-83)

Vernacular means the configuration of distilled environmental conditions without growingapart from the nature. The amount of the relationship in between the design and itssurrounding is a “distance organizing action" that avails to determine the design whetherit is vernacular or modern. The change in the paradigm of the productive relationships

with the nature, industrialization of the productive facilities, manufacturing and pre-productive schemes caused the vernacular understanding to be inhibited.

The potent relationship with place is not only by patterns but also by hierarchy invernacular. This hierarchy can be easily seen in the transition from public to privatespaces. The connection of private space, that is to say home, with the public space isprovided through a yard-threshold or through a courtyard. In this connection, the spaceswhich can be defined as “semi-private” form the spaces of life and production. There is adistinct care in this spatial organization of private, semi-private and public. In modernworld, instead, even if the living spaces are horizontal, this hierarchy vanishes.

Figure 9a-b. The indirect relationship with the public spaces is provided mostly by an inner courtyard. Odunpazarı-Eskişehir, Cumalıkızık-Bursa (Üstün, B. 2013)Vernacular house has a flexible (non-programmed- multi-programmed) structure. It can beextended by unit attachments regarding the changing needs of the user in time. Spatialorganization is dependent on the enormity at the same time. This enormity creates theopportunity for the spaces to be used for different aims. Vernacular respects the user bynot forming specific spaces. Conversely, it is limited in the sense of flexibility sincethere are specific spaces for specific uses in the modern house.

SMALLEST UNIT TWO-UNIT ORDER

THREE-UNIT ORDER FOUR-UNIT ORDER

Figure 10. Non-programmatic - multi-programmed structures in vernacular (Küçükerman, Ö., 1996: from p: 72, re-arranged by B.Üstün)

The vernacular design outputs are not a result of an individual brilliant idea; they are,on the contrary, a result of a knowledge and wisdom deeply reserved within the culture.The point that mystifies us and hosts the lessons to be learned is the fact that thosecomplex structures came into being through a collective process, are achieved without anyintervention of a licensed architect. Moreover, the flexibility of the templatestructures in the minds of builders giving a considerable opportunity for individualinterpretation and the variety renders those templates one-time and local. If a structuresurrounds a person with its architectural aspects, comes alive and shines as a whole andthe existence of an intrinsic power can be perceived, we can say that it has theundefinable quality that Alexander points out. (Aran, K., 2000: 124-125).

It is observed that such kind of structures having that intrinsic power are leaded by anendless variety of templates created by means of repeated and diversified forms. Thegeometry of a structure formed by such templates is affected in a specific manner and thestructure itself and the parts of it become unique. The templates controlling thestructure, even if they are on mind of the builder at a schematic level, perform more orless variable configurations depending on the different places they interact to be builtunder different conditions. The reason of this is that the two distinct places on earth,can never exhibit an imperfect similarity; every small differentiation affecting theconditions can be very crucial for the interaction between the templates and theenvironment. (Aran, 2000, 124).

Consequently, vernacular embraces unity in plurality (variation), plurality (variation)in unity. There is a shared language regarding whole pattern in vernacular settlements.When a thorough examination realized from whole to the piece the amount of the variationis striking. Structural templates are used in the formation of each house. Despite

keeping the unity, every house is different from the other because of the fact that theyare all built at once and in place (unlike modern constructions and withoutstandardization). Every house requires particular solutions with respect to the specialrelation derived from the place, such as the necessities of the topography, the views ithas, and the amount of sun light, etc. If the templates are current, they can be detectedand repeated in other structures as in nature since they have a meaning. If an apertureis meaningful for the courtyard it is opened to it can be repeated in other courtyardstoo. If a door has a meaningful relation with the terrace it is opened to and the otherdoors around, this relation can be seen in other terraces too. If a projection of an eaveis meaningful, the other eaves can be projected as it. If the location of the fireplaceis meaningful, it can be seen in other rooms too. Regarding the examples, on one handthese templates are repetitive. On the other hand, every application of the templates areunique and variable since they interact with the environment and the environmentalconditions are, even if slightly, different in each place. The courtyard with theaperture is controlled against the sunlight. When the door is constructed on a lowerslab, a threshold platform or cascade is created. The projection of the eave negotiateswith the neighbor structure and it gets shorter on that side. (Aran, 2000, 124-125).

Figure 11a-b-c-d-e. Cumalıkızık-Bursa (Üstün, B, 2013)

The amount of the production and consumption are daily and introverted in vernacular. Thefields for production are very close to the dwellings and are self-sufficient. Theincrease in the amount of production and the consumption by industrialization has changedthose introverted life styles and as a result vernacular has ended.

As Aran points out; the vernacular already holds the concepts such as ecology,sustainability and, etc. It has continuity and does not go through fashion cycles. Localmaterials exhibits specific layers, course and fiber structure, density and loadcapacity, heat retention, humid transmission and aging and they differ in theircultivation (Aran, K., 2000: 194). The vernacular product depends on the long

observations of the builders in order to discover the character of the materials and tolearn how to use them according to their nature. The local materials carried from thesurrounding do not show the organization of the contemporary materials which areartificially gathered and transported from somewhere else. The most noticeable problem ofthe industrial materials is the detoriation and the destruction formed by aging. Yet, thetime and climatic conditions which causes aging in the vernacular structure, strengthensit. On one hand, the negative effects of climate and the time rather than beingconstraints for the vernacular structure, are very worthy. The scorching sun provides themud brick to dry and harden, aging ends the twist forces in the timber element, and therain with the expanding hardpan helps the placement of the roof. On the other hand, thecontemporary architecture takes ecology and sustainability as new discovered concepts.Therefore, it is very crucial not to lose those distilled anonymous knowledge for thesake of the cycles of production and consumption. (Aran, K., 2000: 194-195).

Figure 12a-b-c. Mardin, Cumalıkızık,(Üstün B., 2013) Balaban (Bektaş, C., 1996:39)

EPILOUGEThe buildings designed and constructed in accordance with the modernist doctrine and thebuilt environments formed by those buildings criticized by Jenks as:

“….total disregard of regions and traditions and thus the lack of local context and local/cultural identity; searching forthe new and innovation at any cost, being totally broken with the past; as a result of these creating built environments

consist of structures devoid of meaning and without collective memory” (Şenol, P., Akan, A., cited from2011, Jenks,, C., 1977:93; Eyüce, A 2005:13)

UNDERSTANDING THE PRESENT AND FUTURE, IS POSSIBLE WITH THE DIVERSIFICATION OF BUILDINGACTIVITIES.

REFERENCES

Aran, K., 2000, Barınaktan Öte, Anadolu Kır Yapıları, Tepe Mimarlık Kültürü Merkezi

Aru, K.A., 1998, Türk Kenti, Türk Kenti İncelenmesine ve Bugünkü Koşullar İçinde Değelendirilmesine İlişkin YöntemAraştırması, Yapı Endüstri Merkezi Yayınları

Bektaş, C., 1996, Türk Evi, Yapı Kredi Yayınları

Eyüce, A., 2005, Geleneksel Yapılar ve Mekanlar, Birsen Yayınevi,

Günay, R., 1989, Geleneksel Safranbolu Evleri ve Oluşumu, Kültür Bakanlığı Yayınları

Jenks, C., 1977, The Language of Post Modern Architecture, Academy Editions, London

Koçyiğit, R.G., 2007, Mimarlıkta Yersizleşme ve Yerin Yeniden Üretimi, Unpublished Ph.D.dissertation,Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü

Küçükerman, Ö., 1996, Kendi Mekanının Arayışı İçinde Türk Evi, Türkiye Turing ve Otomobil Kurumu

Sezgin, H., 1984, Vernaküler Mimari ve Günümüz Koşullarındaki Durumu, Mimarlık Dergisi, Sayı:3,Mimarlar Odası Yayını, p.44-47

Soysal, M, 1996, Tarihten Günümüze Anadolu’da Konut ve Yerleşmenin Öyküsü (Sergisi), Tarih VakfıYayınları

Şenol, P., Akan, A.E., 2011, Kırsal Yaşam/Kırsal Konut: Bir Yaşam Biçimi Olarak Geleneksel Kırsal KonutÜretiminde Kızılcık Köyü Örneği, SDÜ Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Aralık2011, p. 143-160

www.googleearth.com, Accessed July 2014

http://altegeschichte.phil.uni-erlangen.de/media/Bilddateien_Projekte/priene-hellenistisch.jpg, Accessed July 2014.

http://cdnimage.zaman.com.tr/2012/12/03/sirince.jpg, Accessed July 2014.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reconstructed_ladder_Asikli_Hoyuk.JPG, AccessedJuly 2014.

http://www.filmapia.com/sites/default/files/filmapia/pub/place/3587883179_851c846cf2.jpg,Accessed July 2014.

http://www.karadenizchat.org/Tatilhaberleri-6987-Karadenizde-Gezilecek-Yerler-Mekanlar/,Accessed July 2014.

http://www.kulturvarliklari.gov.tr/TR,44057/aksaray-muze-mudurlugu.html , Accessed July2014.

http://www.nerededir.com/resim/harran1.jpg, Accessed July 2014.

http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/science-catalhoyuk-map-mural-volcanic-eruption-01681.html), Accessed July 2014.