Traditional Architecture: A Natural Disaster Resilient Alternative

Traditional building methods from around the globe have a long history of surviving natural disasters. However, the current trend indicates that these building methods are either neglected or ignored as a house-building alternative, giving way to modern building methods. It was observed through the literature review that the traditional building methods proved adequate to resist the prevailing local natural hazards. This study aims to emphasise the durability and applicability of traditional construction in disaster-prone areas. Also, it highlights what can be learnt from traditional construction that can be implemented to improve modern construction in disaster-prone zones. A literature review of traditional building construction from Kashmir, Pakistan, Nepal, Fiji, Portugal, and South America was done to analyse the traditional construction methods and assess their resistance to the prevalent local hazards. The findings point out that traditional building methods have proven to be resilient to hazards, with some essential features that need to be considered in modern construction. A further primary investigation is required on such construction methods to measure their resilience and to find ways to implement their unique features in modern construction, abiding with local building codes and preserving the uniqueness of the traditional building character.