Local (folk) Architecture is a real  living environment created by indigenous people for themselves. We may also  define Local Architecture as an architecture formed in the process of an anonym design, becoming traditional under general impacts of local architecture.

Local Architecture is one of the important data and information which constituting as a source for understanding and explaining standard of judgment, viewpoints, common usage, customs and faith systems, family and relationship ties, neighbourhood relationships of the said community.

Buildings of official and monumental quality are assessed as exclusive of local architecture. However, such buildings existing in our Country as bath, fountain, coffee house, etc. are also included in the local architecture.

To examine local architecture is to examine primarily natural and social environment and then construction materials and techniques of local architecture.

• Economic structure,
• Type of life,
• Standards of judgment
• Relations in Family and Relative,
• Effectiveness of Common usage, customs, local rules, traditions and faith on architectural elements

are matters  to be investigated within local agriculture.

Local Architecture does not lead to a monumental purpose; in other words, they are not built for the purpose of leaving a track. Typical construction material specific to the region is used in the local architecture. Therefore the same type buildings can be seen at places which have the same regional conditions and the same geological structure.

Buildings making up the local architecture are built by their indigenous owners or local masters.

Generally local architecture has an anonym structure. Therefore local architecture may be called as “Anonym Architecture”.

• A folklorist is required to examine a house within the framework of:
• Natural environment where built,
• Functions,
• Equipment, tool, construction material used therein,
• Construction technique,
• Common practice and belief formed around the house.

Unless economic and social structure are not changed the Local Architecture remains unchanged for many years. Products of the local architecture which have not been created under a project have shown specific features in 7 Regions of Anatolia.

The Ministry of Culture, Directorate General of Research and Development of Local Cultures has been proceeding yet their studies  on this field.

Products of local architecture have been documented by slides, construction technique has been archived through examining in terms of function and determining its degree of customariness by negotiations with local Masters.

Along with the changing cultural and social structure a rapid alteration has been observed in our products of local architecture.

To cause to live local architecture is not to protect it by stopping but to reinterpret and evaluate the matter by loading new functions to it without contradicting to its main structural intentions and causes.

New buildings should be created in the manner as to meet requirements of the changing cultural structure, along with response to traditional life stile dated back.

Local people who have not any information about beauty and specification of products of the local architecture have been rapidly destructing these buildings and have been building in their places  such buildings which are extremely unhealthy for themselves. People should be informed on this matter.

Human being is a whole together with the environment. Our Country has been entered into a rapid urbanisation process together with technological developments and changing cultural structure. In study oriented for acceptance of buildings to be built in this process; it is required that:

• Architects, scientists and researchers should acquire science of folklore formation at adequate level,
• Such a work should be carried out under the coordination of folklorists starting from the planning phase until completion,
• In correct and true interpretation of changing cultural structure, folklorists and sociologists should make evaluations jointly and offer suggestions to architects, researchers and scientists. 

Nature is integral part of human being. Human being, as in the antiquity, has built a dwelling house for himself for seeking shelter and being able to proceed his life today, who will create same also in future. That dwelling house is the most important data for constitution of source in describing the cultural structure.

1st Picture: Sakarya
2nd Picture: An example for "Ardanuç Çakatura" building technique