Clan Residence
These things are expansive--it's a project, y'know, to build, to maintain, to expand, if you have to clean it out because it's been abandoned for decades and the clan has to move back in, they're a project.
Purpose / Function
Simply put, the clan residence houses all members of a clan, as well as guests (including roving pups), and shelters them from the elements (from such features as being ice sheltered or fully submerged, to advanced climate control technology comparable to that found on ships).
Architecture
A clan residence is a vast circular structure encompassing many other buildings or areas in a settlement, including the museum, food storage facilities, and others. Aboveground, alehouses are traditionally built within the boundaries of the residence, as are open air an'o spaces.
The residence itself has two main parts: quarters for most or all members of the clan (including pups) are further from the entrance; and quarters for any guests, which are close to the entrance and connected to the antechamber. Close to the guest quarters are designated areas for their belongings, in case they are needed.
Tunnels connect the residence to itself, the rest of the settlement, and other nearby settlements, integrating it into a vast web encircling the Ice Flats.
History
While the earliest known Stenza settlement was built approximately in the -26000s, and most likely for attempts at early food preservation, the residence itself did not begin development until settlements as a concept became more common. Originally buiilt as loosely connected encampments probably inspired by migration practice, they gradually developed over the next millennia into their current shape.
Practices for housing guests became codified with the Hospitality Code as practiced by 'Elokh and other Low Pass Stenza clans, and influenced residence design so that provisions and sleeping areas moved close to the entrance for better accessibility.
The tunnel system was greatly expanded, from intra-settlement connectivity to a vast web, during the Battle with the Stone Menace, in order to protect against the harsh winters while still being able to wage the conflict against the creature. The tunnel network is still maintained to this day, and has seen a lot of symbolic and practical use during the early days following the end of the battle.
In specific, the residence building at Strares saw significant remodeling as the settlement blossomed into the center of Stenza government and politics, to mixed reviews from Strares droga themselves. However, most other settlements have remained largely unchanged in layout, although with the advancement of technology comes the advancement of various amenities and other features to keep up with modern standards.
I really like the history of how the residences evolved over the years.
History's always my favorite part :D