Abstract

This research explores the relationship between Marc-Antoine Laugier’s Primitive Hut Principles and vernacular Thai houses in Banbua Village, Phayao Province, Northern Thailand, highlighting the community’s diverse cultural identity as “evolutionary man.” The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining architectural analysis of five selected houses with ethnographic fieldwork to understand sociocultural and environmental contexts. Key findings reveal that Banbua dwellings align with Laugier’s principles–Necessity, Natural Rule, Human Instinct, and Human Need–while exhibiting “evolutionary man” traits: 1) Need for safe dwelling,2) Respect for nature, 3) Multi-tasking spatial usage, and 4) Adaptability to changes. These result in climate-responsive, sustainable designs rooted in local culture. Spatial organization and traditional lifestyles strongly preserve Thai cultural identity. This research proposes design guidelines for contemporary Thai architecture, informed by Laugier’s Primitive Hut Principles: 1) Column as Structural Honesty, 2) Entablature as Functional Integration, 3) Pediment as Climatic Adaptation, 4) Stories as Building Scale Up, and 5) Openings as Climates and Cultural Interface, integrating modern technology. It advocates hybrid architectural education: theory, practice, and community-based learning. Ultimately, the evolution from Laugier’s primitive man to Banbua’s “evolutionary man” guides contemporary design to integrate traditional wisdom with modern needs, fostering culturally sensitive practices in the transnational context.