Lessons from Vernacular Architecture Principles for Sustainable Architecture Base on Ermenek Houses

It is known that examples of civil architecture, which are specific to a region and took place in the history of architecture of that region in the past, known as “vernacular architecture” or “architecture without architecture”, include sustainable design principles guiding current architectural practices. It is possible to say that, these examples of vernacular architecture containing significant lessons about design approach are not adequately evaluated in context of sustainability in current architectural examples. In contemporary architectural practices, “critical regionalism” which is one of some approaches that creates identity, refers to traditional architecture by emphasizing “local belongings, overlaps with conception of sustainable architecture since it adopts local climate, topography and culture. In this study, a case study was carried out in Ermenek district of Karaman province, emphasizing that critical regionalism is an approach that can be taken into account in sustainable contemporary architectural practice. As a result of architectural evaluation, it has been determined that the traditional settlements of Ermenek could be an example of contemporary constructions due to the efficiently use of topography, formation of pragmatic urban fabric, orientation, the usage of green areas and landscape elements and a cultural context.