RESEARCH OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS OF USSR AS A SOURCE OF KNOW-HOW IN COMPARISON WITH EUROPEAN AND US STUDIES

Due to the rising importance of sustainable development in the modern world, the topic of vernacular architecture as a historic example of sustainable technology is also gaining relevancy in the field of building and construction sciences. Having gone through thousands of years of trial and error, vernacular architecture often suggests ingenious and sufficient ways to adapt to particular environmental conditions with accessible resources involved. The idea of researching traditional building practices to improve modern technology is not new by any means, but has been approached very differently in various parts of the world throughout history. The paper aims to present an overview of the state of scientific research in the field of vernacular and traditional architecture in the Western countries, and in the Soviet Union, since the existence of ‘iron curtain’ has influenced the dissemination of this topic throughout the world in XX century.