An Exemplary Programme of the Rural Development Society for Masters and Apprentices

Text: András Krizsán

The team in Szokolya. Photo: András Krizsán

It is a method accepted all over Europe to guarentee conditions for the preservation of protected vernacular buildings either in the context of (open-air) museums or in their own environment in line with their original functionality and character and to encourage using them possibly „in situ”. But who is going to and – more importantly – who is able to maintain, renew and pass on the skills and expertise associated with the trades or the traditional home-building technologies that had been used to build these old structures of past beauty? The exemplary programme titled „My Grandfather’s House” managed by the Rural Development Society for masters and apprentices with the ambition to find the right people and communities to reinforce them in their identities. Actually, this programme is a practical training whereby young people selected for it could learn how to renew and revitalize old vernacular buildings, a regional vernacular house functioning as a museum or peasant house during a four-week training in practice in original places whilst getting familiarized with traditional vernacular technologies of master builders and the values of traditional architecture.