samoan architecture

8/13/2019 SAMOAN ARCHITECTURE

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A SURVEY OF TROPICAL COUNTRIESON LOW-TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION

IN BUILDINGS

SAMOA


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IN BUILDINGS | SAMOA


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Located south of the equator, about halfway between Hawaii and NewZealand in the Polynesian region of the Pacific Ocean.

total land area is 2,934 km

consisting of the two large islands of Upolu and Savai'i which accountfor 99% of the total land area, and eight small islets.

The Samoan islands are volcanic, with coral reefs surrounding most of them

eo raphy


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The climate is equatorial/monsoonal, with an average annualtemperature of 26.5 C (79.7 F), and a rainy season from November to

April.

CLIMATE DATA

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Averag

e high

C (F)

30.4

(86.7)

30.6

(87.1)

30.6

(87.1)

30.7

(87.3)

30.4

(86.7)

30.0

(86)

29.5

(85.1)

29.6

(85.3)

29.9

(85.8)

30.1

(86.2)

30.3

(86.5)

30.5

(86.9)

30.22

(86.39)

Averag

e low C

(F)

23.9

(75)

24.2

(75.6)

24.0

(75.2)

23.8

(74.8)

23.4

(74.1)

23.2

(73.8)

22.6

(72.7)

22.8

(73)

23.1

(73.6)

23.4

(74.1)

23.6

(74.5)

23.8

(74.8)

23.48

(74.27)

Precipit

ation mm

(inches)

489.0

(19.252

)

368.0

(14.488

)

352.1

(13.862

)

211.2(8.315)

192.6(7.583)

120.8(4.756)

120.7(4.752)

113.2(4.457)

153.9(6.059)

224.3(8.831)

261.7

(10.303

)

357.5

(14.075

)

2,965

(116.73

3)

Source: World Meteorological Organization(UN)[47]

climate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Meteorological_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Meteorological_Organization


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IN BUILDINGS | SAMOA Art and arch

The architecture of Samoa is characterized by openness, with the designmirroring the culture and life of the Samoan people who inhabit the Samoa Islands.

Architectural conceptsare incorporated into Samoan proverbs, oratory andmetaphors, as well as linking to other art forms in Samoa, such as boat buildingand tattooing.


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architectureA SURVEY OF TROPICAL COUNTRIESON LOW-TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION


Faleis the Samoan word for all types of houses, from small to large.

In general, traditional Samoan architecture is characterized by an oval orcircular shape, with wooden posts holding up a domed roof.There are no walls. The base of the architecture is a skeleton frame.

Thefaleis lashed and tied together with a plaited sennit rope called afa, handmade

from dried coconut fibre.


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IN BUILDINGS | SAMOA architecture

The form of a fale creates both physical and invisible spatial areas and dictate

areas of social interaction.

The fale tele serves as a meeting house for chief council meetings, familygatherings, funerals or chief title investitures and is always situated at the frontof all other houses in an extended family complex.

many are raised about a meter off the ground on stilts, sometimes with an iron roof


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IN BUILDINGS | SAMOA architecture

The completed, domed framework is covered with thatch (lau leaves). The best

quality of thatch is made with the dry leaves of the sugarcane. If sugarcaneleaf was not available, the palm leaves of the coconut treewas used in thesame manner.

Protection from sun, wind or rain, as well as from prying eyes, wasachieved by suspending from the fau running round the house several of a sort of

drop-down Venetian blind, called pola. Polas afford ample protection from the

elements, and it being possible to let them down in sections; seldom is the whole

house is closed up.


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The natural foundations of a falesite are coral, sand, and lava,with sometimes a few inches of soil in some localities. Drainage is therefore

good. The top layers of the flooring are smooth pebbles and stones.

TYPES OF FALE: fale tele(big house), the most important house| faleo'o(small house), traditionally long in shape, was really an addition tothe main house | the afolau(long house), a longer faleshaped like astretched oval, served as the dwelling house or guest house |

The tunoa(cook house) is a flimsy structure, small in size, and not really to beconsidered as a house.


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Samoan architecture is generally characterized by openness which we see inthe design of their Fale built without any enclosing wall and put together

without the use of any screw, bolt or hinge.

Their fales are built with great quality up to the smallest details.

Few of the things we could learn and use from their architecture is their

creation ingenious creation of polas (drop-down venetian blinds) and theirflooring.


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samoan architecture

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