JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHAEOLOGY 2, 277-303 (1983)
A Theory of Architectural Design
RANDALL H. MCGUIRE
Department of Anthropology, State University of New York,
Binghamton, New York 13901
AND
MICHAEL B. SCHIFFER
Department of Anthropology, University...
More
JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHAEOLOGY 2, 277-303 (1983)
A Theory of Architectural Design
RANDALL H. MCGUIRE
Department of Anthropology, State University of New York,
Binghamton, New York 13901
AND
MICHAEL B. SCHIFFER
Department of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
Received January 5, 1983
A rudimentary theory to explain the design of vernacular structures is presented. Conceiving of architectural design as a social process, the theory focuses
on the influence of utilitarian and symbolic functions as well as on the trade-offs
between production and maintenance costs. A particular design is viewed as the
outcome of a process of compromise among conflicting goals, influenced by factors of adaptation and social organization. The theory is used to generate an
explanatory sketch for why the prehistoric Anasazi of the American Southwest
went from being pithouse to pueblo dwellers.
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this paper is to advance a preliminary but general theory
t
Less
