Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo
The analysis of the vulnerability of vernacular buildings to climatic hazards is nowadays a subject of significant importance due to the consequences of climate change. This study assesses the vulnerability of vernacular buildings to three climatic hazards (heavy rains, strong winds and high heat) i...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Modeste Yaovi Awoussi Eugene Kodzo Anani Domtse Komlan Déla Gake Paolo Vincenzo Genovese Yao Dziwonou |
| author_facet | Modeste Yaovi Awoussi Eugene Kodzo Anani Domtse Komlan Déla Gake Paolo Vincenzo Genovese Yao Dziwonou |
| author_sort | Modeste Yaovi Awoussi |
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| description | The analysis of the vulnerability of vernacular buildings to climatic hazards is nowadays a subject of significant importance due to the consequences of climate change. This study assesses the vulnerability of vernacular buildings to three climatic hazards (heavy rains, strong winds and high heat) in the Kara region to identify the vulnerable parts of these constructions that require reinforcement. It is based on PTVA (Papathoma Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment), a multi-hazard analysis methodology, which uses vulnerability indicators. It focuses on the Kabiyè and Nawdeba peoples, who are the major ethnic groups in the region. Focus groups with the population, interviews with professionals and a series of surveys of 125 households in the visited territories enabled us to identify, firstly, the types of vernacular constructions in the region, the climatic hazards that occur there and the indicators that affect the vulnerability of the constructions. Secondly, we calculated the vulnerability index for each type of construction to the three climatic hazards. The vulnerability index of Kabiyè vernacular architecture (KVA) to heavy rain, high heat and strong wind is 0.379, 0.403 and 0.356, respectively. The Nawdéba vernacular architecture (NVA) vulnerability score is 0.359 for heavy rain, 0.375 for high heat, and 0.316 for strong wind. The index of vulnerability to heavy rain, high heat and strong wind for contemporary architecture (CA), as we term the current state of evolution of these two forms of architecture, is 0.499, 0.522 and 0.456, respectively. This study reveals that contemporary architecture (CA) in the Kara region, regardless of the type of hazard considered, is the most vulnerable construction model in the region. It also highlights the indicators that accentuate the vulnerability of vernacular constructions. Regardless of the type of construction, special attention must be paid to features such as roof style (roof slope, shape and material) and building style (form and state of maintenance of the building) to increase the resilience of buildings to climatic hazards. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2b2b81669adf466aa3e446c6e3035bef |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj-art-2b2b81669adf466aa3e446c6e3035bef2025-08-20T03:49:55ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-06-011513224910.3390/buildings15132249Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern TogoModeste Yaovi Awoussi0Eugene Kodzo Anani Domtse1Komlan Déla Gake2Paolo Vincenzo Genovese3Yao Dziwonou4Regional Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Cities in Africa (CERViDA-DOUNEDON), University of Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoSchool of Architecture, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, ChinaAfrican School of Architecture and Urban Planning (EAMAU), Lomé BP 2067, TogoCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road n. 866, Xi Hu District, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaFaculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Department of Geography, University of Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoThe analysis of the vulnerability of vernacular buildings to climatic hazards is nowadays a subject of significant importance due to the consequences of climate change. This study assesses the vulnerability of vernacular buildings to three climatic hazards (heavy rains, strong winds and high heat) in the Kara region to identify the vulnerable parts of these constructions that require reinforcement. It is based on PTVA (Papathoma Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment), a multi-hazard analysis methodology, which uses vulnerability indicators. It focuses on the Kabiyè and Nawdeba peoples, who are the major ethnic groups in the region. Focus groups with the population, interviews with professionals and a series of surveys of 125 households in the visited territories enabled us to identify, firstly, the types of vernacular constructions in the region, the climatic hazards that occur there and the indicators that affect the vulnerability of the constructions. Secondly, we calculated the vulnerability index for each type of construction to the three climatic hazards. The vulnerability index of Kabiyè vernacular architecture (KVA) to heavy rain, high heat and strong wind is 0.379, 0.403 and 0.356, respectively. The Nawdéba vernacular architecture (NVA) vulnerability score is 0.359 for heavy rain, 0.375 for high heat, and 0.316 for strong wind. The index of vulnerability to heavy rain, high heat and strong wind for contemporary architecture (CA), as we term the current state of evolution of these two forms of architecture, is 0.499, 0.522 and 0.456, respectively. This study reveals that contemporary architecture (CA) in the Kara region, regardless of the type of hazard considered, is the most vulnerable construction model in the region. It also highlights the indicators that accentuate the vulnerability of vernacular constructions. Regardless of the type of construction, special attention must be paid to features such as roof style (roof slope, shape and material) and building style (form and state of maintenance of the building) to increase the resilience of buildings to climatic hazards.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2249vernacular architecturephysical vulnerabilityclimatic phenomenavulnerability indexresilient architecture |
| spellingShingle | Modeste Yaovi Awoussi Eugene Kodzo Anani Domtse Komlan Déla Gake Paolo Vincenzo Genovese Yao Dziwonou Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo Buildings vernacular architecture physical vulnerability climatic phenomena vulnerability index resilient architecture |
| title | Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo |
| title_full | Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo |
| title_short | Assessment of the Physical Vulnerability of Vernacular Architecture to Meteorological Hazards Using an Indicator-Based Approach: The Case of the Kara Region in Northern Togo |
| title_sort | assessment of the physical vulnerability of vernacular architecture to meteorological hazards using an indicator based approach the case of the kara region in northern togo |
| topic | vernacular architecture physical vulnerability climatic phenomena vulnerability index resilient architecture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2249 |
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