1.Introduction 2.The Arab Region 3.The origins of architecture 4. Traditional materials for construction 5. Traditional structures 6.Shelter in the Arab Region 7.The planning elements 8.Water and waste management 9.Traditional design strategies 10.Exceptions to the rule 11.Case studies 12.Western vs Eastern ways 13.Appendix.

The courtyard house is one of the most enduring architectural forms, transcending regional, historical and cultural boundaries. Its balance of simple appropriate construction, environmental control and social and familial structures continues to engage architects and architectural historians. That the courtyard house is still relevant today is indicated through its ability to accommodate continual transformation without losing any of its formal integrity and cultural roots. This book presents a series of viewpoints on courtyard houses from different periods and in different regions around the world; from the Harem courtyards of the Topkapi Palace and the low-cost housing settlements of Protectorate Casablanca, to contemporary design strategies for courtyard houses in the arid Gulf region. Together, the essays illuminate issues of particular relevance in architectural, art historical, and conservation discourses today.

This book presents an in-depth analysis covering climatic and weather conditions, house and building development history, construction methods and technologies, and environmental conditions. It provides relevant house and building information and highlights recent advances in hot and humid regions, as well as developments in other regions that are relevant to hot and humid climates. The countries in hot and humid regions, which include the tropical countries, the Middle Eastern countries around the Mediterranean, and many countries of Central Asia and Africa, are home to some of the most challenging conditions in the world in terms of house and building design and construction, and in terms of maintaining indoor thermal comfort and air quality in an energy-efficient way. The book’s respective chapters, prepared by expert contributors, cover essential concepts, designs, and construction methodologies for houses and commercial buildings. As such, the book offers a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate students in architecture and engineering, house and building designers, and building sciences researchers. Building contractors, manufacturers and distributors of building equipment and devices, and government policymakers and legislators will also benefit from the information provided in this book.

Islamic architecture has enriched design with a wide variety of structural shapes, including among others, unique arches, a wide variety of vaults and domes which allow for new forms to be developed. The influence that these structural forms have in non-Islamic countries was one of the themes of the 3rd International Conference on Islamic Heritage Architecture and Art, at which the included papers were presented. There is much to learn from past experiences to arrive at solutions which are environmentally sound and sustainable in the long term. As conventional energy resources become scarce, the Islamic design heritage can offer invaluable lessons on how to deal in an efficient manner with cases of hard and extreme environments. Traditional architecture and urban environments in most Islamic countries are now being eroded by overemphasis on a global type of architecture and city planning. As a consequence, many regions are losing their identity. It will become increasingly important for new developments to take light of what the classical Islamic urban designs and architectures have to offer modern society. An equally important aspect covered is the analysis of the materials employed and the types of structural elements, particularly those unique to Islamic architecture. Preserving this heritage requires the development of appropriate conservation techniques in response to the different materials used and the ways structural forms work, including under extreme conditions, such as earthquakes. These papers deal with the design of many types of buildings in Islamic countries, including not only the better known public buildings like mosques, mausolea, citadels and forts, but also houses and gardens, engineering works such as bridges and dams, irrigation systems and many others which have also had a profound impact on society.

This book chronicles the florescence of architecture in the Arabian Gulf after the expulsion of the Portuguese in the early 1600's. It demonstrates how the power vacuum created by the collapse of Portuguese control over the trade routes in the Indian Ocean encouraged a growth in fortified architecture, especially in Oman, that radiated out to the surrounding region and was then slowly replaced by new patterns in domestic and public architecture and town planning throughout the Gulf as the trade lines were secured and the individual countries took the first steps towards the formation of today's modern nation-states.The book documents the buildings and crafts of this era and analyses them within the framework of the political, economic, and social information available through primary sources from the period in a way that is both intelligent and accessible. It considers the settlements as part of a larger-connected network of cities, towns and villages and focuses both on how the buildings provided innovative solutions to the demanding climate and yet incorporated new decorative and functional ideas. Topics are extensively and richly illustrated with colored photographs of the buildings as they are now, black and white and color historic photographs from archival and museum collections, line drawings, and computer-generated reconstructions.The book is therefore attractive to a number of audiences, including those who live in or travel to the Gulf as well as people with an interest in Arab and Islamic design, culture and society, vernacular architecture, and post-colonial approaches to colonial history.

This book investigates the history of Arabian sūqs from their pre-Islamic beginnings to the present. Collecting evidence from archaeological ruins, Islamic towns, modern cities, Arabic poetry, philosophical debates, political conflicts, puppet shows and the insights of modern-day market-goers, the book presents new and unforeseen interpretations of the Arabian sūq’s meaning and its transformation through time and place. The finding that such meaning is tied to ancient trade rituals, where temple and market presented a holistic socio-urban unit, re-questions some instrumental assumptions regarding the value of sūq-ness in Arabia’s everyday practices. Such a finding, which locates the fadaā/tareeq duality as a central theme in Arabia’s socio-urban discourse, emphasizes the importance of lived experiences and poetics as key sources for understanding socio-urban phenomena.