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, in particular, urban microclimates.