Village houses were almost always built on land unsuitable for agriculture. Walls and rock cut installations of houses should utilise the existing topographical features of the bedrock.
Village houses should take prevailing weather patterns and sunlight into account. House openings such as doors and windows should be oriented to the south and east to maximise light and avoid driving rains from the Northwest.
Each house plan should reflect the needs and evolution of its family. The essential components for one family include a main room (traklin), 1-2 attached service rooms and a private courtyard. This courtyard would be screened with a masonry wall and contain a water cistern, adjacent storage space (including a cave) and an oven. Additional housing units related to the extended family can be attached to the private courtyard.
Houses should be constructed and maintained using only local building materials and techniques employed in the First Century. In cases where direct material evidence is missing (such as roofs), concepts from ancient texts should be applied in consultation with traditional builders experienced in local building traditions – using materials which were available in the First Century.
Finished houses should be carefully monitored for structural changes.
House Construction General Principles – Mark Goodman
