Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World

The Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World presents, in six volumes, 2 million words, and 3,000 illustrated entries, the definitive resource for the study of the world’s vernacular and traditional building cultures.

This is a fully revised and expanded new edition of Paul Oliver’s classic 1997 work - moving from three volumes to six, updated throughout, and with over 30 percent new material. A major development in the field of vernacular architecture studies, this new edition reflects the considerable growth in research in the field since the first edition, and its expanded scope captures two decades of concerted effort to document and understand the world’s fast-disappearing traditional and vernacular building cultures.

The first two volumes focus on the theories, principals and philosophy that underpin the study of vernacular architecture, capturing the most up-to-date theoretical approaches and exploring general architectural and cultural themes such as symbolism and decoration, materials and technologies, environment and sustainability. The following four volumes then cover in detail the buildings of over 1,000 different cultures across the globe - arranged geographically with each volume representing one of four major global regions. Entries detail social, cultural, and environmental factors alongside the architectural works of each culture.