Typology of Lao Vernacular Dwellings and Settlements in Context of Cultural and Physical Environment

Abstract

A typology study is a comparative study of the physical characteristics of the built environment divided into distinct types such as architecture, culture, and environment. Lao vernacular dwellings were initially created based on the Lao people’s behavior in terms of beliefs, traditional culture, lifestyle, and local wisdom with regard to the environment, climate, geography, and materials. The main research method used in this study is a comparative case study of three ethnic dwellings. The multiple data collection tools employed included second source data and primary data to analyze the findings of the unique characteristic typology of Lao vernacular dwellings. The objective of this paper is to compare the cultural and physical contexts, the patterns and origins of settlement, the architecture, the cultures, and the local indigenous knowledge related to the dwellings and settlement of the three main ethnic groups. These three groups are rich in tradition and their documentation is therefore essential for the intellectual history of the society of Lao; this research could therefore aid in enhancing our understanding of the three typologies of Lao vernacular architecture and settlement within the historical and sociocultural contexts of each ethnicity to convey an understanding of Lao vernacular dwellings by analyzing their different types to help identify the differences and similarities among architectural artifacts by recognizing the invisible connections between them, whereby the figurative ornamentation is based on the relationship between man and nature. This study also provides a glimpse of the living culture and characteristic features of Lao vernacular architecture.