Malawi Vernacular Architecture
Documentation for Preservation
Salima
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Taveta village:
This house and compound was a typical example of the area. The house was constructed of sun dried bricks and was built 9 years ago. The underside of the roof shows how plastic is very realative on the vernacular level.
Mbenje village:
This house was one of the very few circular homes documented. All the poles are placed off of the verandah. A small wall was constructed on the verandah as an area to cook when the elements do not allow to use the outdoor kitchen. Seeds were placed on an area of the wall to drw out the moisture.
Kamuzu Road:
This man was constructing his fence that encloses his compound. He is tying a horizontal reed to smaller vertical reeds.
Phonde village:
This homestead has an interesting decoration style, a black base that went around and over doors. The black mud came from a river bed. The structure with 2 door is the kitchen and the round structure was a home. .
Bundles of thatch are tied together to make a beam for the roof structure.
A circular home.
This is the kitchen, which is two rooms next to each other. One room for storage and one room for the fire.
Seeds are used to draw out moisture that was on a part of wall effevted by a leak.
Outdoor kitchen that has a small wall to block the wind but no roof.
Plastic is used as a layer on a roof to prevent leaks. Part of the reason is that thatch is hard to come by and thus only a thin layer is applied.
Nsangu village:
These two homes have a very unique feature, a vine from the ground has been "grown" onto the roof. The vines have a flower that blooms and is purple in color. There are a few benifits from the vine, it keeps the thatch from being blown off and the flower is a deterent from snakes. .
Moyo village:
This house has a deep porch and is constructed with burnt bricks.
Mawudzi village:
This home was having the verandah plasterd and smoothed out. The lady is using a glass bottle instead of a smooth rock, which is typical. The home is raised on a very tall pedestal, 1 meter tall. The homw also has very small windows due to security concerns. The kitchen is round, uncovered and has numerous openings in it.
Masasa village:
This was a house that allowed pictures to be taken from the interior. The home is constructed of burnt brick and only the front is plastered .
Masako village:
This home was decorated with vivid geometric patterns. A small verandah wrapped around the entire home but the front was deeper and thus had poles supporting the roof structure .
Malaza village:
These two homes that were right next to each other were also built exactaly alike. Both were constructed using rammed earth. Poles supporting the roof were on the outside of the verandah. The painted patterns were also similiar. The only real difference was the color of the plastered wall.
Liuzi village:
Rammed earth construction. Detail of verandah from door sloping down to help water drain off. The kitchen is circular and enclosed. The owner said that 75% of homes in the area were constructed with rammed earth.
Lifuwu village:
This home was constructed using rammed earth and is 12 years old. The only windows are the two on the front of the house. The decoration is a black band around the base and an upward curvature at the corners.
Lazoloa village:
Burnt brick construction with only the front plastered. There are no windows on the front of the house.
Kanyenda village:
This home is constructed with rammed earth. The verandah has a small wall on the end as well as having a pole that is not in the corner of the porch. Sisal is used to tie the roof poles together.
Chikoto village:
Burnt brick construction plastwerd over with adecorative black band at the base. A fence encloses the compound. The windows are bricked over because a wood frame was constructed but glass could not yet be afforeded. The bamboo and wood poles are connected using sisal..
Chinseu village:
This rammed earth home has a verandah that opens up onto a another verandah. A kitchen is a two room type with some intricate decorations on the walls. An addition between the kitchen and main house was constructed and a pole was supported by laying on opening broken into the wall. .
Chigwiti village:
This compound has structures of burnt brick construction. A pile of wood shows how much wood is used for the kilns. There was a geometric pattern painted on the base with triangles. The black color was obtained by burning the pods of a specific tree.
Chavula village:
This compound has structures constructed with burnt brick. Numerous small poles support the roof structure which has a verandah on all four sides. A woman is plastering the floor. The existing structures have decorations on the sides..
Bushiri village:
This compound also has a brick grainery. Also documented was a circular structure that the owner said was for guests. The interior of this room shows that the roof beam is continuos bundle that wraps around till it ends at the top.
Bushiri village:
This homestead has a brick grainery which is raised off the ground with bricks. The floor of the grainery is constructed of reeds which helps air circulate.
A half wall on the verandah is used to light a fire when elements do not allow the kitchen to be used.
The vine coming out of the ground and rising to the roof.
The vine which grows on the roof has flowers that bloom.
Porch has a column and a small wall.
Decoration painted on the front wall of a home.
The roof structure is composed of reeds and rests on the wall.
Small windows on front wall of the home. The windows let in light but provide security.
Circular kichen with no roof and many small openings.
Woman is smoothing out the plaster on the top of a verandah using a glass bottle.
Smoothing out the plaster on the front verandah of a home.
Interior view showing the brick wall extended up to support thr roof structure.
Decoration painted on the base of a home.
This soil was gathered off site and added to the local soil to add color to the plaster.
Decoration painted on the base of a home.
A thatch fence is positioned to allow entrance and provide visual privacy.
These two homes were constructed almost exactally the same except for a different color of plaster.
The wood support pole is located off of the verandah and not built into it.
These two homes were constructed almost exactally the same except for a different color of plaster.
Circular kicthen raised on a small base and completel enclosed besides the door opening.
The bamboo poles are ready to be attached to the rammed earth home.
Decorations painted on the entry walls at the front verandah.
Window with a decorative trim painted around it.
Burnt brick structure that has a painted black base on a small verandah.
Thatch is stored on the homestead and is ready to place on the roof.
Front porch has a small end wall and a wood support pole which is not at the end of the porch.
Window that is constructed of reeds and has a recessed trim around.
Decoration and painted base on the side of a home.
Wall constructed of reeds has wood support being supported by an opening in the existing wall.
Underside of a roof structure with poles supporting thatch.
Window has a wood frame and the window is bricked over. Glass will be put in when it can be afforded.
These pods from a specific tree are burned and crushed which creates a black powder, which is used for plastering.
Door is constructed of wood planks.
Close up of corner of a home which has a decorative base, which the black pigment is from a tree pod.
Burnt brick home with a decorative base.
Door constructed of reeds.
Kitchen floor is being plastered. This is done once a year.
View of verandah on the front of the home.
This structure has paintings around the entire structure.
Side of a kichen, constructed with burnt bricks, with many openings.
The front of the home has a defined path created with plants.
The base of the brick grainery is built out of reeds and is raised off the ground supported by rocks.
Grainery constructed of bricks with a small opening with a door.
The roof poles are tied together with bundles of thatch that spirals to the top.
Download all the pictures from Salima district on my Flickr gallery.
