AKSHAT GOYAL

To understand Folkloristic Studies, we must first understand what is ‘Folk’ and what is ‘Lore’. ‘Folk‘ is defined as any group of people sharing a common linking factor, this could extend from a small family all the way to an entire nation (Dundes, 1969, p.13). ‘Lore‘ is defined as something that can be collected and done together with the folk, which can be classified into three categories such as verbal, material and customary lore (Wilson, 2006, p.85).

Folk architecture, hence refers to structures built with tradition in mind and showcases a cultural transmittion within a community. Most folkloristic study in architecture focuses unsuprisingly on the housing, since they are the centers of communities however, community based buildings are also a major source such as the Jewish Sukka (image) which is a temporary dwelling for the festival of Sukkot.

The method in which folkloristic study takes place is through the identification of patterns which express the adaptation of environment and the cultural priorities of settlement groups. Architecture is one of the main ways due to its visibility and stability to showcase diffiusion and adaptation because it reveals customs, beliefs, life in the dwelling and a cultural system in itself and in relaltion to its surroundings.

The identification of folklore needs to be studied by architects and designers of our urban landscape especially when designing projects for other ‘folk’.