REGIONALISM

Regionalism in architecture is a specific philosophy and type of construction.

 Essentially, the point of regionalism is to build structures that are able to respond to the needs
of a specific group of people in a specific culture and region.
 Regionalism takes into account things like a culture's political structure and family dynamics.
 Climate, topography, and even local geology also have a big impact on how buildings can be
built to be as responsive as possible to the needs of a location.
 One example of how regional architecture often responds to specific needs is the style's use of
evaporative cooling. This technique involves using flowing water to cool down air, providing a
more comfortable environment in hot climates

While regionalism tends to arise naturally around the world simply by virtue of being a rational
approach to architecture, critical rationalism is a more refined architectural philosophy.

Over the past couple of centuries, there has been a growing trend in architecture to create a kind of
global modern style that is applied everywhere.

Critical regionalism in architecture attempts to push back against this architectural universalism,
deliberately returning to regionalist practices and carefully examining the cultural and climate needs of a
location and people in order to design the best possible structures for a people's needs.

What is Vernacular Architecture?

Vernacular architecture is another term that comes up often when discussing regionalism in
architecture. Essentially, vernacular architecture is the style of building preferred in a location and used
by local tradesmen absent the work of formally trained architects. It is sometimes referred to as
''architecture without architects.'' Vernacular architecture tends to align well with regionalist and critical
regionalist principles, as it makes use of local materials and is generally informed by cultural needs. It is
also usually relatively sustainably made, unlike universalist modern architecture styles. Critical
regionalist architects often study vernacular architecture in the area where they want to build to
understand how it works and why tradesmen typically make the choices they do.

Critical regionalism emerged as an architectural concept during the early 1980s. For leading theorists
such as Kenneth Frampton, critical regionalism was an "architecture of resistance" seeking "to mediate
the impact of universal civilization" and "to reflect and serve the limited constituencies" in which it was
grounded. This paper examines critical regionalist rhetoric, particularly its emphasis on resistance, as a
theoretical construct that inadvertently marginalized and conflated the diverse architectural tendencies
it championed. The reception of Mexican architect Luis Barragán as a critical regionalist is highlighted to
analyze some of critical regionalism's most problematic assumptions, implications, and effects.