Vernacular Technologies and Vernacular Architecture. A Tendencies’ Review in Scholarly Publication Over the Last Twenty Years

Abstract

This chapter presents a literature review that collects and analyses scien-tific publications on vernacular technologies and architecture. It aims to understand the evolution of academic research over the last 20 years and to demonstrate the general and multidisciplinary interest of the academic world in these topics and the complexities involved in categorising research. As a result, the analysis identi-fies global trends in the field of study and helps map out ideas about possible future directions. The author divided the review of publications into the fields of Vernacular Technology/s and Vernacular Architecture precisely to understand the main differ-ences between the knowledge areas. The topic of Vernacular Technologies involves the analysis of historical environments, buildings and objects as a product or space related to technology or engineering. In contrast, Vernacular Architecture involves investigating this field more humanely. This dual approach is the reason for the anal-ysis precisely because the study of the vernacular comprises a heterogeneous and ambivalent line of contemporary research. The study of trends over the last 20 years helps to appreciate that research on technologies or architectures of the past may have room for high-impact publication if it relates to contemporary environmental issues, to the science of sustainability or to assess engineering problems. However, the contemporary spiral of publications and the emerging consolidation of journal rankings will shape the future of topics.