Vernacular environments celebrate the everydayness of place. Such environments are often described as invisible or interstitial spaces in the city; those which are not grand or opulent but have rich utility and meaning. Vernacular environments are vital as they are a physical reflection of the community that lives in, and uses, that space. Importantly, historic preservation has expanded from a field focused on patriotic sites and grand architecture to preserving cultural landscapes and sites that embody the intangible heritage of underrepresented communities. This evolution demonstrates the field’s capacity to connect historic preservation with cultural histories at the local level and develop a more diverse collection of historic sites. Vernacular environments have the potential to do just that: tell the story of everyday space and preserve socially complex structures that have meaning to vulnerable communities. Vernacular spaces capture what is common and make it into something authentic that we now long for in the modern built fabric of cities.
Full article published in This Place Magazine