Sociocultural Context and Vernacular Housing Morphology: A Case Study

Abstract

Various dimensions and forces tend to transform urban housing morphology over time. These impacting elements do not equally contribute to the formation of dwellings. One of the main variables in urban housing is the sociocultural attributes that contribute to the morphological formation of different types of human habitats. The study focuses on the relations between sociocultural dimension and spatial configuration in terms of design process, transformation, and morphological attributes. Grounding a conceptual framework in a case study of vernacular housing in the cities of Ramsar and Tonekabon in Northern parts of Iran, the study explores the housing morphology of a vernacular dwelling. Implementing a qualitative approach, the research methods of the study consist of descriptive-analytical method, case study, and logical reasoning. Firstly, a conceptual framework is generated through desk study and non-participatory observation. Secondly, housing typology, morphological mapping, and face-to-face interview have been conducted within the field study. Finally, the study explores the spatial configuration and morphology of the vernacular urban housing in relation to the conceptual framework. Findings indicate the complexity of relations between multilayered hierarchies of sociocultural factors and urban housing form in terms of physical form and spatial configuration in the case study of vernacular housing.