Hillish Architecture
Homes in the hills are built around functionality. One-story huts and hillside dugouts are the norm, with basement storage. The homes of chiefs or valued craftsmen are at times more involved. Precise construction and attention to practical detail results in small, but comfortable, efficient homes built to withstand harsh elements and attack. Decoration utilized to emphasize the more cleverly engineered aspects of the design, such as intricately carved shutters and support beams.
Homes usually consist of a single, central room with a large, round central fireplace that serves as a living area, kitchen, and workshop, though sleeping lofts and recessed bed-spaces give family members much-valued personal space.
Building materials include wood, wattle, and mud, which are used to maximize stability and insulation. Furniture is utilitarian, but not uncomfortable. Beds are often a mass of furs and blankets and are on the floor if not in lofts or niches. Roofs are thatched and pitched, and many homes have roofs that extend to the ground to provide storage, giving houses a distinct triangular appearance.
Flatter-land villages are built in concentric circular layouts. Wells, storerooms, and meeting lodges mark the center of the village. This allows both easy access, and creates a protective shell around resources. Villages built upon steep inclines also feature lookout posts at strategic vantage points.
