Valentin Leander Moser

AR2041

Vernacular architecture is, per definition, very much about the place, with the main identifying feature being the location-specific design solution. Often overlooked, but nonetheless important, is the aspect of time. The vernacular only becomes vernacular through surviving time and becoming a space-specific typology. 

In allegiance with the name of the studio The Resurgence of the Vernacular, the primary motivation during the design process was to act responsible and in consideration of the place and time. 

The project brief outlines the design task as a residence for a couple moving to Udvada. The historian and teacher, both retired, require dedicated spaces for their extensive book collection and for hosting tuition classes. Additionally, they wish to accommodate homestay guests visiting Udvada and provide a living space for a household help along with their partner and child. The studio‘s theme and project brief highlighted the necessity of working with Udvada‘s existing structures. A plot of originally three street houses in the town‘s center offers the opportunity to explore and integrate layers from different periods, interweaving and overlayering them to create something new.