A Holistic Overview of Qatar’s (Built) Cultural Heritage; Towards an Integrated Sustainable Conservation Strategy

Fadli, Fodil; AlSaeed, Mahmoud

doi:10.3390/su11082277

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Accordingly, to test and validate the influence of (ii) socio-cultural factors as criteria for analysis, namely privacy, gendered spatial segregation, and hospitality, the sample of vernacular courtyard houses were examined in terms of internal configuration and graphically analyzed in terms of visibility graph analysis and connectivity using space syntax as a simulative tool. In the results section of this paper, the authors present visibility graphs of the ground floor levels only while they considered the cumulative spatial analysis In terms of visual data, the authors re-drew the courtyard houses from the reports and surveys of old buildings by the former National Supreme Council for Culture and Arts in Qatar (currently known as the Ministry of Sports and Culture) in addition to other consultant collaborators [50,69]. The drawings focused on the courtyard scale and connection to the various spaces in each house.…”

Section: Methods Of Data Analysis and Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture

2020

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Architecture and urbanism in the Arabian Gulf region, and specifically in the State of Qatar, offer many scenes to observe the loss of urban identity and cultural heritage in the various components of the built environment, including residential architecture. Many people attribute this to rapid development in globalization and the adoption of Western standardization in planning and design practice. Conversely, in the field of architectural sociology, scholars argue that socio-cultural factors such as privacy, gender segregation, and hospitality are the important variables for determining the spatial form of Islamic residential architecture. This research study aims to investigate the degree to which the shaping of the spatial form in a sample of Qatari vernacular courtyard houses embeds socio-cultural factors based on morphological analysis of human behavior and activities in domestic space. The study utilizes space syntax analysis to explore the spatial connectivity of four Qatari vernacular courtyard houses related to domestic functions as a realization of inhabitants’ system of activities and a manifestation of culture as a way of life. The study’s findings shed light on the spatial formation of Qatari vernacular courtyard houses as a realization of socio-cultural imperatives, thus reflecting the essence of societal formation in the domestic architecture of old Qatari settlements. The insights from this research study can help to contribute to a cultural heritage-framework for the preservation of distinctive Qatari Vernacular Residential Architecture based on the analytical criteria of housing spatial form, socio-cultural factors, and the interrelation between both.

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Section: Methods Of Data Analysis and Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture

2020

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“…Since then, the heritage definition has expanded to include all aspects of culture such as language, food, and arts [30]. Preservation authorities worldwide began to consider protecting the intangible components of the urban heritage in their preservation and restoration projects [25,31].…”

Section: Theoretical Background and Contextual Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the same time, Article 3.2 of the Burra Charter protected the symbology and physical characteristics of the urban heritage from change through development activities [36]. Article 30 of the same charter took extra measures by deciding that all conservation phases should be supervised and conducted with the appropriate skills and knowledge [31,36].…”

Section: Theoretical Background and Contextual Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Current Trends in Urban Conservation: Medieval Historic Arab City Centers

Shehata¹

2021

Preprint

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As Arab countries are beginning to recover from the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conservation programs are restarting. Noticeably, traditional conservation efforts have not helped improve the poor living conditions in most historic urban centers of Arab cities due to many reasons such as a lack of funds, urban management policies, and the narrow scope of conservation projects. In 2016, the UN urban agenda recognized tangible and intangible heritage as the basis for sustainable, vibrant, urban economies. These efforts reflect the new shift in conservation activities to tangible and intangible heritage and consider urban heritage a tourist product rather than antiquity. This approach grants urban vitality and sustainability for heritage areas. Thus, this study investigates the existing trends and forthcoming changes in conservation and their implication for the deteriorated historic urban city centers of the Arab world. International urban heritage conservation trends were highlighted, objectives and bases of successful urban conservation trends were reviewed, and an assessment framework was developed. Two case studies of historic centers in two Arab cities, Jeddah, and Aman, were empirically assessed using the developed framework. The findings highlight the most common urban problems of the historic centers in terms of urban management policies and trends. In addition, the impact of urban management policies on historic urban areas' sustainability, vitality, and quality was revealed. The paper ends with recommendations for conservation authorities to define a proposed framework to embed the conservation within the urban development plans for deteriorated historic urban centers. The paper's findings and recommendations can contribute to the required knowledge related to urban heritage conservation for practitioners and decision-makers.

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“…This information facilitates the creation of the survey questionnaire. Alongside this, architectural drawings (including plans, sections, and façade elevations), building material properties, and electricity bills were collected [40].…”

Section: Documentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Perception of Vernacular Architecture in the Arabian Peninsula: The Case of Rawshan

2020

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This research extends Hasan Fathy’s (1986) principle of vernacular architecture by focusing on the Rawshan through an investigation of two criteria: aesthetics and energy efficiency. The paper discusses the views of both the Saudi public and key decision-makers on reviving vernacular architecture in the context of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly developing economy, characterized by relatively high rates of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. This research explores (a) the interaction in domestic buildings of Saudi occupants with their windows, and how these are perceived as an interface with the external environment; (b) awareness and knowledge of the use of shading elements (such as Rawshans) to reduce the use of artificial lighting while maintaining indoor privacy; (c) Saudi awareness of, and familiarity with, the Rawshan as a vernacular element and a secular architectural tradition; and (d) Saudi views on the revival of traditional architectural elements with a focus on the Rawshan. An online survey (n = 812) was conducted across Saudi Arabia complemented by interviews with expert decision-makers (n = 23) to (a) assess criteria such as privacy, aesthetics, daylight, ventilation, and energy consumption in Saudi residences and (b) investigate the level of acceptance of an optimized retrofitted Rawshan design.

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A Holistic Overview of Qatar’s (Built) Cultural Heritage; Towards an Integrated Sustainable Conservation Strategy

Cited by 12 publications

References 26 publications

A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture

A Cultural Heritage Framework for Preserving Qatari Vernacular Domestic Architecture

Current Trends in Urban Conservation: Medieval Historic Arab City Centers

Public Perception of Vernacular Architecture in the Arabian Peninsula: The Case of Rawshan

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