A compact edition of this landmark publication, which celebrates humanity’s ability to create buildings that for millennia have responded ingeniously to cultural and environmental conditions.

There has never been a more important time to understand how to make the best use of local natural resources and create buildings that do not rely on stripping our planet or transporting materials across the globe. First published in 2017, this major book gathers together the world’s leading experts on vernacular architecture to examine how local buildings have stood the test of time and offer lessons for the future.

The core of the book is arranged by climate zone, from desert to tropical, temperate to arctic. Within each section, buildings are presented regionally, showing how climatic conditions and vegetation affect the evolution of building styles. This central part is bookended by a range of essays exploring the economic and anthropological aspects, while the reference section offers information on materials science and engineering, including how buildings have been adapted to contend with natural disasters.

The traditions of vernacular architecture have much to teach us. Given our ecosystem’s increasing frailty, the architecture and building trade’s new role in a post-digital era, and the desperate need to record fading cultural traditions, the relevance of this book is greater than ever.