Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini by Xinyun Li

Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini by Xinyun Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Tuzo ya Chuma ya A' Design Award in Usanifu wa Bidhaa Endelevu, Miradi na Muundo wa Kijani Competition Category.

ChumaBidhaa Endelevu· 2026

Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini

by Xinyun Li

Tuzo ya Chuma ya A' Design Award Winner in Bidhaa Endelevu Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini

Nyumba ya Kiasili nchini Bangladesh imeundwa kwa kutumia vifaa vya ndani, kama vile matope, mianzi, majani makavu, na matofali yaliyotengenezwa kutokana na udongo wa eneo hilo. Ikijibu hali ya hewa ya joto na misimu mirefu ya masika, ina paa lenye mteremko mkali, ukumbi ulioinuliwa, na mzunguko wa hewa unaovuka kwa ajili ya kupoza kwa njia ya asili. Nafasi za wazi kwenye kuta zinazoelekea upepo na zinazopata kivuli hutoa joto, huku matundu ya matofali maradufu yakizuia joto kupenya. Vyungu vya udongo vilivyowekwa kwenye ukuta wa nyumba ya chai hupoza hewa. Kwa kutumia chupa za lita zenye mwanga kwa ndani, nyumba hiyo inajumuisha vyumba vya kulala, jiko, choo, mabanda ya ng'ombe, na nyumba ya chai yenye nafasi ya rejareja inayosaidia riziki yao huku ikihakikisha faragha.

The Recognition

About the Tuzo ya Chuma ya A' Design Award

Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini ni mshindi wa Tuzo ya Chuma ya A' Design Award, utambuzi wenye heshima unaotolewa kwa miundo mizuri inayokidhi mahitaji ya kitaalamu na ya kiviwanda yanayotarajiwa kutoka kwa kazi zilizobuniwa vizuri. Washindi wa Chuma huonyesha ustadi mkubwa, utaalamu wa hali ya juu, uelewa wa kitaalamu na uwezo wa kibunifu wa waumbaji wao. Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini inatarajiwa kuwa kazi inayothaminiwa sana, kupendwa na kuenziwa, ambayo ni ya vitendo na bunifu. Muundo huu ulioshinda Tuzo ya Chuma ya A' Design Award unajumuisha mbinu bora za tasnia na una sifa za kiufundi zenye uwezo zilizounganishwa na ujuzi na kipaji. Vernacular Home Nyumba ya Kijijini inaheshimiwa kwa uangalifu wake na imebuniwa kutoa maboresho ya ubora wa maisha yanayosaidia kuufanya ulimwengu kuwa mahali bora zaidi.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Vernacular Home in Modonpur, Bangladesh, is a sustainable house built with local materials like mud, straw, bamboo, bricks, and tin sheets. Designed for a family of four, it supports living, working, and livelihood. It responds to the hot, rainy climate with a raised veranda, steep roof, and cross-ventilation strategies in the facade design. Clay pots on the wall cool the tea house, while 'liter bottles of light' brighten interiors, showing a low-cost, low-impact design philosophy.
Dimensions & Packaging: tin sheet: 2' width * 8' length
Brick: 9 5/8" length* 4 5/8" height * 3" depth
Pottery: large opening is 5" R, and the small side opening is 1.5" R
The mud wall is 10" thick
Bamboo: 1.5" R
Tags: sustainability, vernacular home, rural, house, traditional building, local materials, climate
Production Technology: Bangladesh's locally made bricks and tin sheets.
Natural straw, mud, pottery, and bamboo.
The brick and the tin sheets are standard sizes and are manufactured in the local factories.
Traditional handmade mud and the way of polishing.
The potteries on the mud walls are smaller than the local typical size, which were made in the neighboring village.
The way of tying the straw is their vernacular type.
Design Challenge: Use the vernacular materials and design the buildings to face the local climate to make the microclimate more comfortable. Control the building budget and labor cost under 2500 USD.
Research: Two weeks were spent in the village to become familiar with local materials and to study traditional mud construction techniques as well as straw-tying methods. During this period, I also researched the climate of Para Dash and analyzed the vernacular architectural language, considering how new strategies could be integrated into the design to improve the microclimate. The needs and expectations of the local residents were carefully documented and incorporated into the final design.
Inspiration: This project explores the social responsibility of architects. Despite rapid technological advancements, many regions around the world remain underdeveloped. People in these areas are more directly exposed to natural conditions, yet they also have the right to live a better life. As architects, we should not only make better use of locally available materials but also respond to the most immediate needs of these communities by designing housing that is practical and suitable for widespread use.
Project Duration: It is designed in Modonpur, Bangladesh, a very natural village called Dash Para. The design phase lasted 4 months. It is a concept design.
Operation Flow: Given the hot climate in Bangladesh and long monsoon season, the design addresses thermal comfort and climate responsiveness through spatial layout, façade design, and roof form. A raised veranda protects against flooding, and steeply pitched roofs ensure efficient rainwater runoff. Rooms are arranged for optimal cross-ventilation, with varying window heights on windward and leeward sides to expel heat. On the tea house façade, locally made clay pots from a neighboring village are inserted into the mud wall to help cool the air by compressing airflow, enhancing microclimate comfort.
Image Credits: Image #1: Xinyun Li
Image #2: Xinyun Li
Image #3: Xinyun Li
Image #4: Xinyun Li
Image #5: Xinyun Li