Architectures Vernaculaires d'Ariège
Analyze and description 1.Vernacular architectures? 2. Which architecture? 3. Organization of the habitat 4. Characters 5 .Climatic adaptation 6. Transformations and pollution	Vernacular architecture today If you followed me in my walks and viewed a certain number of these pages, you will have the impression that the vernacular architecture of Ariège is abundant and always current. It of it is nothing. A traveller in a hurry who would cross the department, if it does not leave the principal roads to take the little ways, would be can be allured by the landscapes but would not have any idea of the specific characters of its architecture. And even if it is questioned on this subject, what is not more frequent, it will have any bad luck to see along its road so much recent or old models modernized which will bring only confusion and the impression of a banality. Because Ariège changed, especially since the middle of last century, and initially in the cities and villages along the principal transportationways. Also vernacular architecture does not meet or does not remain without abundance-that apart from the beaten paths. And my wish, through these pages and the photographs which they present, is to answer these questions: "Which architecture Ariège did it produce? What remains about it today? Which testimonys reach us through them?" Where? To feel today what was vernacular architecture, you will have to take the small roads, and rather in mountain where the difficulties of communication, the physical context and weak finances of the inhabitants did not lead to too many transformations, to move away from your glance the recent buildings, to traverse the villages, to walk at foot by the path, to imagine these constructions before the modern material addition, to disregard powerline and telephone, of the aerials or the parabolas. In the villages of Biros and Bellongue one meets an architecture of rather many Ariège, authentic and alive. Elsewhere it is rarer and underwent various transformations and pollution of buildings of various inspirations.   Old architecture does not mean dilapidated architecture  No effort was made for the conservation of this small inheritance. Whereas the glances and the assistances go on castles and churches, architectures of rich person, the rural houses, architectures of the poor, often were ignored or regarded as poor architectures. The last witnesses are on the way to disappear with the passing of years whereas it is them which express with force the spirit of the ground which carries them and human which lives them. Transformations Since the end of the XIXe century, but especially after each world war of XXe, Ariège depopulated itself. The most difficult sites were abandoned in first, at one time when it was not question of civilization of the leisures, and not finding a successor, these houses fell in ruins. Traces of old hamlets can be located still but more and more with difficulty. In the agricultural areas , in low Ariège, the transformation of husbandries led to the construction of various hangars, metal generally, which girdle the dwelling and choke it.  But it is especially the legitimate search of more than livable space and current comfort which led to important rehandlings (additions of spaces, new borings on blind the in the past frontages, enlarging of bays...). Occupation of the Northern frontage and borings in the house of the country of Foix  The rural migration and the repurchase of the houses by new populations with different activities transformed into second homes or principal. It was the only solution perhaps there to save these buildings of the ruin. Roofs altered in Castillonnais Roofs altered in Biros Addition of a marchioness in Vicdessos Thatch was replaced by sheet exceptionally by the tile channel Various materials on this house with the abandonment The local materials which are not exploited any more and the techniques of implementation disappear with the craftsmen (or became too expensive). Also the manufactured materials replace them Thus the slate has since old timesbeen replaced by various substitutions: the tile punt with pins in country of Foix, the industrial slate with hooks or the iron corrugated in Couserans where the slopes of roof are stiffer, but also more recently by the vat steel, shingles of asphalte... et other materials with more doubtful aesthetic quality. The culture of the rye which nourished people of the mountain being today non-existent, it thatch goes disparaitre.  About fifteen years separate the photographs the top from those from bottom     Even if these buildings have right summer renovated and principal preserved volumes, the regularity of materials used brings an environment appreciably harder Pollutions If the restorations of old buildings are carried out with more or less happiness, they in general have a certain modesty of intervention. It is not always the same for recent constructions. When they are located zones where architecture is not typified, with the accesses of the cities for example, they do not differ of anything of what one can see in other areas of France. Certain allotments are built in quite exposed sites, minis soulanes, and prolong research of establishments énergétiquement favorable which guided the old ones. The use of these qualities of site could however be better exploited and not to limit themselves at a "unspoilable view". In the contexts where traditional architecture is still very present, the originators try to be inspired some while wanting to appear modern. In the best of the cases, one preserves a certain idea of the form; it misses the spirit there. In the worst.... A terrace on concrete pillars Houses in a village of Bethmale house... .. bar...