Architectural Ethnography

Architectural ethnography is an on-site research method that inquires into the forms, technologies and materials for home-building and also engages with the socio-cultural context of architecture. During long-term fieldwork, architectural ethnography includes surveys of buildings, mapping of sites, participant observation, and interviews with the diverse actors involved in building and inhabiting housing as a part of material culture. The immersion of the architect-ethnographer into everyday local life enables one to comprehend and sense architectural cultures, political ecologies and the socio-technical knowledge characterising the built environment. Expanding beyond the numerous studies of vernacular housing in rural regions, this seminar highlights the relevance of architectural ethnography for investigating urban areas.