© Getty Images/Istockphoto against a pristine whitewashed facade. Around it are winding nar-row streets filled with little houses. The sun shines in a scene that belongs to El Borge, but could equally be Árchez, Mijas or Casares. These are locations in the province of Malaga where time has stood still for centuries. Today, this means you can still get a feel for the traditional architecture created by the Arab Alarifs using wisdom inherited from previous cultures. The same architecture being studied and analysed by a number of enthusiasts in the 21st century to breathe new life into white villages, the jewels of this Andalusian landscape. Vernacular architecture is specific to a particular place. It draws on the characteristics of a specific space to create the best possible living conditions. It uses locally sourced materials and adapts to the local climate, geography and economy. In Malaga the result is a bunch of white villages whose houses are built with sturdy walls up to one metre thick to insulate the inhabitants from the fierce Una fachada nívea de Mijas. // A snow-white facade in Mijas.