A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. A Cultural Heritage Approach to Preserve Urban-Architectural Identity
2.2. A Cultural Heritage Approach for Domestic Architecture
2.3. The Courtyard House: Socio-Cultural Factors in Human Activities
2.4. Spatial Form and Culture as a Way of Life
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Scope of the Investigation
3.2. Procedure Adopted to Answer the Research Question
3.2.1. Literature Review
3.2.2. Applied Methodology: Space Syntax
3.2.3. Methods of Data Collection (Oral and Visual Data)
3.2.4. Methods of Data Analysis and Findings
3.3. Overall Methodological Framework/Research Design
4. Results
4.1. Vernacular House-Case Study 1: Noura Bint Saif House|Al Asmakh, Doha|Built around 1930
4.2. Vernacular House-Case Study 2: Faraj Al Ansari House|Msheireb, Doha|Built around 1935
4.3. Vernacular House-Case Study 3: Al Jaber House|Al Asmakh, Doha|Built 1935
4.4. Vernacular House-Case Study 4: Ismail Mandani House|Al Asmakh, Doha|Built around 1940
4.5. Comparative Analysis Based on Relational (Unjustified) Graphs
5. Discussion and Conclusions
- Maintaining the privacy of the housing unit through architectural interventions that are designed based on careful data collection about human behavior and anticipated user activities, along with proper precedent analysis. The design must avoid reactive solutions that result in formative difficulties and inharmonious built form in addition to avoiding loss of architectural solidity and simplicity established by the vernacular models of housing in Qatar.
- Gender segregation is a cultural norm of Qatari society, despite recent global debates advocating for gender equality and rights in other social and urban contexts [70]. It is a social norm long practiced in Qatar in a peaceful, thoughtful manner, leading to clear behavioral and socio-cultural activities that influenced the spatial form of the vernacular architecture in a constructive approach.
- Importing/copying forms from vernacular architecture has to be rethought in the contemporary context. Recently, many contemporary houses have copied certain architectural elements as decorative touches on the housing facade. Yet, there is a lack of design schemes that integrate the courtyard typology into contemporary layouts or allow owners and dwellers to establish coherent utilization of all spaces and spatial areas in an adaptive manner. For instance, the spacious areas assigned for Majlis units are mostly idle and underutilized due to occasional social events. Such spaces could become more adaptive through innovative architectural and interior design solutions.
6. Contribution to Knowledge
7. Limitations and Implications for Practice and Advancement of Research
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. About Space Syntax
Modeling for Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA)
References
- Elsheshtawy, Y. The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development; Routledge: Oxfordshire, UK, 2011. [Google Scholar]
- Nooraddin, H. Architectural Identity in an Era of Change. Dev. Ctry. Stud. 2012, 2, 81–96. [Google Scholar]
- Salama, A. Architectural Identity in the Middle East: Hidden Assumptions and Philosophical Perspectives. In Shores of the Mediterranean: Architecture as a Language of Peace; Mazzoleni, D., Ed.; Intra Moenia: Napoli, Italy, 2005; pp. 77–85. [Google Scholar]
- Petruccioli, A. House and Fabric in the Islamic Mediterranean City. In The City in the Islamic World; Jayyusi, S.K., Ed.; Brill, Hotei Publishing: Boston, MA, USA, 2008; Volume 2, pp. 851–875. [Google Scholar]
- Ragette, F. Traditional Domestic Architecture of the Arab Region; Edition Axel Menges: Stuttgart, Germany, 2006. [Google Scholar]
- Salama, A. A Typological Perspective: The Impact of Cultural Paradigmatic Shifts on the Evolution of Courtyard Houses in Cairo. METU JFA 2006, 23, 41–58. [Google Scholar]
- Zhang, D. Courtyard Housing and Cultural Sustainability: Theory, Practice, and Product; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2016. [Google Scholar]
- AL-Mohannadi, A.; Furlan, R.; Major, M. Socio-Cultural Factors Shaping the Spatial Form of Traditional and Contemporary Housing in Qatar: A Comparative Analysis Based on Space Syntax. In Proceedings of the 12th International Space Syntax Symposium Proceedings, Beijing, China, 8–13 July 2019; pp. 1–19. [Google Scholar]
- Rapoport, A. House Form and Culture; Prentice-Hall, Inc.: Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA, 1969. [Google Scholar]
- Glassie, H. Folk Housing in Middle Virginia: A Structural Analysis of Historic Artifacts; University of Tennessee Press: Knoxville, TN, USA, 1976. [Google Scholar]
- Hillier, B. The Architecture of the Urban Object. Ekistics 1989, 334, 5–20. [Google Scholar]
- Groizard, J.L.; Santana-Gallego, M. The destruction of cultural heritage and international tourism: The case of the Arab countries. J. Cult. Herit. 2018, 33, 285–292. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vecco, M.F. Imperiale Cultural heritage in times of armed conflicts in the Middle East: Much more than material damage? Introduction. J. Cult. Herit. 2018, 33, 262–263. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Khalaf, S. The evolution of the Gulf city type, oil, and globalization. In Globalization and the Gulf; Fox, J., Sabbah, N., Mutawa, M.A., Eds.; Routledge: London, UK, 2006; pp. 244–265. [Google Scholar]
- Law, R.; Underwood, K. Msheireb Heart of Doha: An Alternative Approach to Urbanism in the Gulf Region. Int. J. Islam. Arch. 2012, 1, 131–157. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Petruccioli, A. After Amnesia: Learning from the Islamic Mediterranean Urban Fabric; ICAR: Bari, Italy, 2007; ISBN 88-95006-03-8.
- Adham, K. Rediscovering the Island: Doha’s Urbanity from Pearls to Spectacle. In The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Moderniy and Urban Development; Elsheshtawy, Y., Ed.; Routledge: London, UK, 2008. [Google Scholar]
- Furlan, R.; Faggion, L. The Souq Waqif Heritage Site in Doha: Spatial Form and Livability. Am. J. Environ. Eng. 2015, 5, 146–160. [Google Scholar]
- Nagy, S. Keeping Families Together: Housing policy, social strategies and family in Qatar. MIT Electron. J. Middle East Stud. 2004, 4, 42–58. [Google Scholar]
- ICOMOS. Principles and Guidelines for Managing Tourism at Places of Cultural and Heritage Significance; International Council on Monuments and Sites: Gland, Switzerland, 2002. [Google Scholar]
- Ferretti, V.; Bottero, M. Giulio Mondini Decision making and cultural heritage: An application of the Multi-Attribute Value Theory for the reuse of historical buildings. J. Cult. Herit. 2014, 15, 644–655. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- UNESCO. Culture: Urban Future. Global Report on Culture for Sustainable Urban Development; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: Paris, France, 2016. [Google Scholar]
- Vaz, E.; Kourtit, K.; Nijkamp, P.; Painho, M. Spatial analysis of sustainability of urban habitats, introduction. Habitat Int. 2015, 45, 71–79. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hassan, F.; Trafford, A.; de Youssef, M. Cultural Heritage and Development in the Arab World; Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Alexandria, Egypt, 2008; ISBN 978-977-452-133-1. [Google Scholar]
- QNDF. Qatar National Development Framework 2032; Ministry of Municiplity and Environment: Doha, Qatar, 2016.
- Setyowati, D.L.; Hairumini, S.; Budi, T.; Rais, M. Perception and Local Initiation of Communities in Maintaining the Traditional Acehnese Houses. In Proceedings of the UNNES International Conference on Research Innovation and Commercialization, Ungaran, Indonesia, 10 November 2018. [Google Scholar]
- Almahmoud, S. The Majlis Metamorphosis: Virtues of Local Traditional Environmental Design in a Contemporary Context; Virginia Commonwealth University: Richmond, VA, USA, 2015; Volume MFA. [Google Scholar]
- Dunham, D. The Courtyard House as a Temperature Regulator. Athens Cent. Ekistics 1961, 11, 181–186. [Google Scholar]
- Edwards, B.; Sibly, M.; Land, P. Courtyard Housing: Past, Present and Future; Taylor & Francis: Abingdon, UK, 2006. [Google Scholar]
- Khalili, S. The Courtyard House: Using Cultural References of the Past as an Alternative to Ottawa’s Current Housing Typologies; Carleton University: Ottawa, ON, Canada, 2012. [Google Scholar]
- Alkhalidi, A. Sustainable Application of Interior Spaces in Traditional Houses of the United Arab Emirates. Procedia Soc. Behav. Sci. 2013, 102, 288–299. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- AL-Mohannadi, A.; Furlan, R. Socio-cultural patterns embedded into the built form of Qatari houses: Regenerating architectural identity in Qatar. J. Urban Regen. Renew. 2019, 12, 336–358. [Google Scholar]
- AL-Mohannadi, A. The Spatial Culture of Traditional and Contemporary Housing in Qatar. A Comparative Analysis based on Space Syntax. Master’s Thesis, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, 2019. [Google Scholar]
- Sobh, R.; Belk, R.W. Privacy and Gendered Spaces in Arab Gulf Homes. Home Cult. 2011, 8, 317–340. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Othman, Z.; Aird, R.; Buys, L. Privacy, modesty, hospitality, and the design of Muslim homes: A literature review. Front. Archit. Res. 2015, 4, 12–23. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Bahammam, A.S. Architectural Patterns of Privacy in Saudi Arabian Housing. Master’s Thesis, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, 1987. [Google Scholar]
- Farah, E.A.; Klarqvist, B. Gender Zones in the Arab Muslim House. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Space Syntax Symposium; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA, 7–11 May 2001. [Google Scholar]
- Campo, J.E. The Other Sides of Paradise: Explorations into the Religious Meanings of Domestic Space in Islam; University of South Carolina Press: Columbia, SC, USA, 1991. [Google Scholar]
- Cooper, B.M. Gender, Movement, and History: Social and Spatial Transformations in 20th Century Maradi, Niger. Environ. Plan. D Soc. Space 1995, 15, 195–221. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Nageeb, S.A. New Spaces and Old Frontiers: Women, Social Space, and Islamization in Sudan; Lexington Books: Lanham, MD, USA, 2004. [Google Scholar]
- Rababah, H.M. Rules and Ethics of Hospitality in Islam. J. Cult. Soc. Dev. 2016, 20, 44–56. [Google Scholar]
- Nagy, S. Making room for migrants, making sense of difference: Spatial and ideological expressions of social diversity in urban Qatar. Urban Stud. 2006, 43, 119–137. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Salama, A.M. Lecture 6: Incorporating Lifestyle Theories: An Inquiry Process for Affordable Housing in the Gulf; Qatar University: Doha, Qatar, 2013. [Google Scholar]
- Bekleyen, A.; Dalkil, N. The influence of climate and privacy on indigenous courtyard houses in Diyarbakır, Turkey. Sci. Res. Essays 2011, 6, 908–922. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sayigh, A.; Marafia, H. Chapter 2—Vernacular and contemporary buildings in Qatar. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 1998, 2, 25–37. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Al-Kolaifi, M.J. The Traditional Architecture in Qatar, Doha; The National Council for Culture, Arts & Heritage: Doha, Qatar, 2006.
- Gharib, R. Requalifying the Historic Centre of Doha: From Locality to Globalization. Conserv. Manag. Archaeol. Sites 2014, 16, 105–116. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Soflaei, F.; Shokouhian, M.; Zhu, W. Socio-environmental sustainability in traditional courtyard houses of Iran and China. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 2017, 69, 1147–1169. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Harris, C.M. Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, 4th ed.; McGraw-Hill: New York, NY, USA, 2006. [Google Scholar]
- PEO. Old Houses in Al-Asmakh Area البيوت القديمة في منطقة الأصمخ; Private Engineering Office: Doha, Qatar, 2015.
- Jaidah, I.M.; Bourennane, M. The History of Qatari Architecture from 1800 to 1950, 1st ed.; Skira Editore: Milan, Italy, 2009. [Google Scholar]
- Hicks, E. The gendered household: Making space for women in the study of Islamic archaeology in Qatar (poster). In Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, British Museum; British Museum, London, UK, 3–5 August 2019. [Google Scholar]
- Rapoport, A. The Nature of the Courtyard House: A Conceptual Analysis. Tradit. Dwell. Settl. Rev. 2007, 18, 57–72. [Google Scholar]
- Rapoport, A. Systems of Activities and Systems of Settings. In Domestic Architecture and the Use of Space: An Interdisciplinary Cross-Cultural Study; Cambridge Univeristy Press: Cambridge, UK, 1997; pp. 9–20. [Google Scholar]
- Furlan, R. The Spatial Form of Houses Built by Italian Migrantsin Post World War II Brisbane, Australia. Archit. Res. 2015, 5, 31–51. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Relph, E. Place and Placelessness; Pion: London, UK, 1976. [Google Scholar]
- Seamon, D.; Sowers, J. Place and Placelessness, Edward Relph. In Key Texts in Human Geography; Hubbard, P., Kitchen, R., Vallentine, G., Eds.; Sage: London, UK, 2008; pp. 43–51. [Google Scholar]
- Creswell, J.W. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches; Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2003; Volume 2. [Google Scholar]
- Newman, L. Basics of Social Research, 2nd ed.; Pearson: Boston, MA, USA, 2007. [Google Scholar]
- Zeisel, J. Inquiry by Design: Tools for Environment-Behaviour Research; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1984. [Google Scholar]
- Alitajer, S.; Molavi Nojoumi, G. Privacy at home: Analysis of behavioral patterns in the spatial configuration of traditional and modern houses in the city of Hamedan based on the notion of space syntax. Front. Archit. Res. 2016. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Elsheshtawy, Y. The Emirati Sha‘bī House: On Transformations, Adaptation and Modernist Imaginaries. Arab. Humanit. 2019, 11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Remali, A.M.; Salama, A.M.; Wiedmann, F.; Ibrahim, H.G. A chronological exploration of the evolution of housing typologies in Gulf cities. City Territ. Archit. 2016, 3, 1–15. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Hanson, J. Decoding Homes and Houses; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1998. [Google Scholar]
- Bellal, T. Understanding home cultures through syntactic analysis: The case of Berber housing. Hous. Theory Soc. 2004, 21, 111–127. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dawson, P.C. Space syntax analysis of Central Inuit snow houses. J. Anthropol. Archaeol. 2002, 21, 464–480. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dursun, P. Space Syntax in Architectural Design. In Proceedings of the 6th International Space Syntax Symposium, Istanbul, Turkey, 12–15 June 2007. [Google Scholar]
- Hillier, B.; Hanson, J. The Social Logic of Space; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1984. [Google Scholar]
- Fadli, F.; AlSaeed, M. A holistic overview of Qatar’s (Built) cultural heritage; Towards an integrated sustainable conservation strategy. Sustainability 2019, 11, 2277. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Terlinden, U. City and Gender: International Discourse on Gender, Urbanism and Architecture; Leske + Budrich: Opladen, Germany, 2003; ISBN 978-3-322-97563-8. [Google Scholar]
- Hillier, B. Space Is the Machine: A Configurational Theory of Architecture; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1996. [Google Scholar]
- Major, M. The Syntax of City Space: American Urban Grids; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2018. [Google Scholar]
- Benedikt, M. To Take Hold of Space: Isovists and Isovists Fields. Environ. Plan. B Plan. Des. 1979, 6, 47–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hillier, B.; Hanson, J.; Graham, H. Ideas are in things: An application of the space syntax method to discovering house genotypes. Environ. Plan. B Plan. Des. 1987, 14, 363–385. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Hillier, B.; Penn, A.; Hanson, J.; Grajewski, T.; Xu, J. Natural Movement: Or, Configuration and Attraction in Urban Pedestrian Movement. Environ. Plan. B Plan. Des. 1993, 20, 29–66. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Penn, A.; Hillier, B.; Banister, D.; Xu, J. Configurational Modeling of Urban Movement Networks. Environ. Plan. B Plan. Des. 1998, 25, 59–84. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Turner, A.; Doxa, M.; O’Sullivan, D.; Penn, A. From Isovists to Visibility Graphs: A Methodology for the Analysis of Architectural Space. Environ. Plan. B Plan. Des. 2001, 28, 103–121. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
AL-Mohannadi, A.; Furlan, R.; Major, M.D. A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7295. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187295
AL-Mohannadi A, Furlan R, Major MD. A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture. Sustainability. 2020; 12(18):7295. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187295
Chicago/Turabian StyleAL-Mohannadi, Asmaa, Raffaello Furlan, and Mark David Major. 2020. "A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture" Sustainability 12, no. 18: 7295. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187295
APA StyleAL-Mohannadi, A., Furlan, R., & Major, M. D. (2020). A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture. Sustainability, 12(18), 7295. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187295