IACSIT International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 6, No.

4, August 2014

Re-Thinking Traditional Arab Architecture:

A Traditional Approach to Contemporary Living
Aiman Ajaj and Fausto Pugnaloni


Abstract—The aim of this study is analysis the architectural II. COMPACT URBAN FORM
vocabulary which governed the design concept of the traditional
Arab architecture and highlighted its distinctive characteristics . The severe prevailing climate, in most regions in the Arab
A good method as an approach towards a contemporary design world, necessitates planning fabric and house forms well
concept. The object research is to analyse traditional settlement adapted to the ambient environment. City planning was the
patterns and building types, and giving many useful indications. first step for thinking. Minimal sun-exposure in summer and
especially for solutions aiming at natural climate control. which therefore compactness and shade are the main principals for
could serve as a useful foundation upon which to develop new building in hot-arid zones. Hence, compact planning for
solutions more in keeping with the local economics, environment, groups of buildings is required in order to give shade to each
and society than those that have replaced the traditional ones. other (Fig. 1).
Many traditional techniques could be improved, using new
materials and knowledge, rather than totally abandoned. It
would be of great benefit also if societies with similar conditions
could share their traditional solutions to specific problems.
Following appraisal, some solutions may be rejected as
inappropriate .

Index Terms—Arab traditional hot arid climate architecture

contemporary.

I. INTRODUCTION
Buildings in developing countries are often designed
Fig. 1. Traditional urban fabric Aleppo , Syria .
without taking sufficient account of the climate. Factors such
as the urban surroundings or site characteristics, orientation And to provide a shaded network of narrow streets (Fig.2a)
and architectural design of the building, choice of building and small spaces in between as patio-like areas. Arcades,
materials, etc. are not given enough importance. colonnades, cantilevered buildings or building components,
Consequently buildings often have a poor indoor climate, membranes and small enclosed courtyards are traditional
which affects comfort, health and efficiency. responses to the climate; even larger public open spaces
As living standards rise people want to install heating should be enclosed, inward looking and shaded for most of
and/or cooling equipment to improve thermal comfort. For the day [2].
buildings not adapted to the climate, the amount of energy to
run the equipment, and its cost, will be excessively high, and it
will have a negative impact on the environment .
The field of traditional architecture offers an abundance of
concepts that can be of use today in solving the critical
housing situation now facing millions in the Third World, the
principles of thermal control through the proper use of
structure and materials are well illustrated in traditional
buildings which meet the demands of the climate.
The traditional techniques employed are rarely costly in
terms of materials or energy and are thus not only largely
within the economic grasp of such people but are often (a) (b)
directly within the realm of their understanding. Thus it is Fig. 2. (a) Narrow streets in old city of Aleppo.
(b) Contemporary reinterpretation of Narrow streets.
these societies that should logically, as well as morally,
benefit first from this knowledge.
Urban fabric of the traditional Arab city is compact (Fig. 2)
and the buildings are integrated into one complex structure in
Manuscript received September 27, 2013; revised December 23, 2013. which it is hard to distinguish the individual houses, in order
The authors are with the Department of Construction Civil Engineering to avoid the sharp sunlight during summer and protection
and Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Polytechnic University of Marche,
via Brecce Bianche1, 60131Ancona, Italy (e-mail: [email protected],
against extreme temperatures and sand storms, to minimize
[email protected]).

DOI: 10.7763/IJET.2014.V6.714 286

 IACSIT International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4, August 2014

the thermal load on the buildings envelopes, especially further convection currents are set up by late afternoon. Most
houses . of the cool air trapped within the rooms spills out by sunset.
Urban fabric in traditional cities was organic; thus most of During the late afternoon the street, courtyard, and building
the plots were irregular. To obtain the internal courtyard that are further protected by shadows of adjacent structures. As the
was the central design for traditional houses, the regular sun sets in the hot arid zones, the air temperature falls rapidly
geometric courtyard was the first to be planned. Then as the courtyard begins to radiate rapidly to the clear night sky.
passageways and rooms were to be arranged around the Cool air begins to descend into the courtyard, completing the
courtyard. The irregular parts and undesirable angles were cycle.
modified by changing the walls depth that may be used as
shafts, service areas, niches, cabinets, or fixed furniture .

III. ORIENTATION
In selecting a suitable building orientation for a hot climate,
where most of the Arab countries exist, the objective aim is to
minimize the internal daytime temperature and to produce Fig. 3. Wall-to-wall built courtyard.
shaded exterior living space. Building and their continuous
outdoor living spaces are oriented in a defensive posture
against the wind-borne dust. To plan any site, the position of V. BUILDING ENVELOPE AND MATERIALS
the sun must be determined for all hours of the day at all
The building envelope of a traditional house forms an
seasons as well as the direction of the prevailing winds,
effective barrier against the worst extremes of the external
especially during the hot season.
climate. It provides a filtering which modifies the climate
For the direct rays of the sun, it is sufficient to know the
sufficiently for the internal conditions to be more acceptable.
angles of declination and altitude for the summer and winter
The main function of the house envelope is to resist the
solstices and the autumnal and vernal equinoxes. In addition,
transference of heat, reflecting sun rays as much as possible,
there will be reflection from adjacent buildings and wind
minimize the heat and solar gain to create cool conditions
shadowing by clusters of buildings, which contribute to
inside and counteract excessive solar gain .
specific microclimate for each building location.
Building envelope in traditional architecture was
Exposures 25°E of S secure balanced orientation, but all
constructed of indigenous building materials that were
exposures are good from S to 35°E. For bilateral buildings
appropriate of to ambient environment whether in physical
with cross ventilation, 12°S of W axis is preferred [1].
properties to climatic conditions or the construction
techniques employed by the society that produced this
architecture.
IV. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
Traditional building materials, such as brick, stone, palm
Traditional house design philosophy is based on attaining trunks, and wood are usually natural, so they are generally low
two strategies: privacy and protection. These two strategies in embodied energy and toxicity. Often, traditional building
influenced the house layout, spatial relations, and materials are local and better suited to climatic conditions;
architectural details. A central interior courtyard onto which thus, they create comfortable internal environment passively
all the rooms opened was restricted to family use. Courtyard and naturally. They are low embodied energy, recyclable,
provided an adequate climatic and social solution; it provided reusable, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable.
shading and privacy in an open space. Most of daily facilities Undoubtedly, this is, in a way, in compliance with the Islamic
were located at the courtyard. principles of encouraging the use of indigenous materials .
Environmentally, courtyard was a thermal regulator, thus Moreover, they were good thermal insulators when used as
exposure to the sun is to be avoided and courtyards are to be thick walls with minimum external openings. The almost solid
kept small and overshadowed by high walls, wide eaves and elevations provided privacy for family especially for ground
foliage. In hot areas, where most of the Arab countries locate, floor spaces. External treatments were simple reflecting
courtyard functions in three phases. During the first phase, the humility and social equity.
cool night air descends into the courtyard and fills the
surrounding rooms. Building structure even furniture are
cooled at night and remain so until late afternoon. In addition, VI. BUILDING COMPONENTS
the courtyard loses heat rapidly by radiation to the clear night
To control of heat transfer through thermal storage and
sky.
time lag by proper construction.
During the second phase, at midday, sun strikes the
courtyard floor directly. Some of the cool air begins to rise A. Openings
and leaks out of the surrounding rooms. This induces Openings and windows are necessary for natural lighting
convection currents that may afford further comfort. The and ventilation, but heat gain in summer should be minimal.
courtyard now begins to act as chimney during this time when During the daytime, the absence of openings would be
the outside temperatures are highest . During the third phase, desirable, especially on the west side; or the openings should
the courtyard floor and the inside of the house get warmer and be as small as possible and be shielded from direct radiation

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and located high on the walls to protect from ground increased air temperature, radiant heat and glare. Adequate
radiation . shading reduces these effects drastically.
The further north or south from the equator, the bigger the
B. Walls
difference of sun angles between winter and summer solstice.
During the hot season, walls of daytime living areas should Together with shorter and longer days this yearly insulation
be made of heat-storing materials; walls of rooms for cycle is responsible for the seasons. Luckily, winter sun
nighttime use should have a light heat capacity. East and west penetrates more deeply south-oriented rooms at a time when
walls should preferably be shaded. High reflective qualities warmth is needed. From April till October however, shading
are desirable for both thermal and solar radiation. against direct sun is desired in most parts of the Arab Region
C. Roofs [4].
Different forms of roofs are possible or can be traditionally Most important among these are the use of protrusions and
cornices whether on outer facades or on the inner courtyard.
applied, the latter mainly determined by local materials and
Traditional house employ the roof garden as a way of
technical means. In hot-arid regions the vault, the dome and
reducing direct exposure to the sun, and use of the cloister
the flat roof are the traditional roof shapes.
(covered walkway) which protects the outer walls from direct
sunlight.
The size and shape of the building determine the amount of
VII. NATURAL VENTILATION shade. The area of shade increases with the degree of
Ventilation is essential and must be regulated to achieve the complexity of the building. Traditional houses have large
highest efficiency in keeping hot (and dusty) air out during the areas of shade especially if there are parts of the building that
daytime, and cooling the thermal mass at night by air rise more than one story. When the roof is not of one level the
movement ;if possible together with outside vegetation [2], amount of shade will be greater than if it is of one level. The
[3]. most remarkable shading devices is The Mashrabiya (Fig.
Natural ventilation was one of the passive cooling 5a) ,which has five functions. Different patterns have been
strategies that traditional architecture employed to create developed to satisfy a variety of conditions that require
comfortable indoor climate through evaporative cooling. emphasis on one or more these functions.
Traditional houses are oriented with respect to prevailing
wind.
Blank facades are oriented to shield the outdoor living
spaces from the hot winds while allowing adequate winter
sunlight to penetrate the living zones. Wind movement and
humidity also are important and should be considered
simultaneously with the direct and indirect effects of the sun.
Wind towers, Malqafs, Barjeels, or badgers (Fig. 4a) are the
main natural ventilation features, along with courtyard and air
(a) (b)
pullers, formulate a complementary natural ventilation system Fig. 5. (a) Traditional Mashrabiya .
for the house. (b) Contemporary reinterpretation of Mashrabiya .

These functions involve: controlling the passage of light,

controlling the air flow, reducing the temperature of the air
current, increasing the humidity of the air current, and
ensuring privacy. Each Mashrabiya design is selected to fulfill
several or all of these functions. In the design, it is the sizes of
the interstices (spaces between adjacent balusters) and the
diameter of the balusters that are adjusted [5].
The Mashrabiya also inspired the design of the modern
building’s shading devices. Like the Mashrabiya, the design
(a) (b) of the shades was both to filter the sun as well as create
Fig. 4. (a) Traditional Malqaf. beautiful light and shade patterns (Fig. 5b) .
(b) Contemporary reinterpretation of Malqaf.

The Architects were inspired by the design of wind towers

that encourage airflow in pedestrian walkways. The wind IX. PASSIVE COOLING
towers used are the solar wind tower, also known as the solar In the Arab house, the fountain plays a role equivalent to
chimneys (Fig. 4b). the fireplace in the temperate zones, although one is used for
cooling and the other for heating. Thus, the fountain is an
architectural feature occupying a privileged place in the house
VIII. SHADING plan.
A major part of the heat a building gains is through solar A. The Fountain
radiation. This radiation is experienced in the form of
Originally in the Arab house the fountain was placed in the

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middle of the courtyard with the Iwan or living spaces opened dealing with passive energy in traditional architecture, are
onto it. It always had a symbolic form, square in shape, with appropriate and typical examples of green design.
the inner basin in the form of an octagon or a hexadecagon . The rich architectural heritage of the region should be
Thus the real sky is brought down into intimate contact with carefully analyzed and understood in its own historic and
the Iwan by the reflection in the symbolic sky of the water physical context. Its human, cultural, and environmental
basin. values should be considered, adapted, and applied where
After further development of the Arab house, the concept relevant and appropriate in the context of contemporary
of the courtyard with several Iwan was transformed into the conditions and technologies. It must be understood, however,
qã'a concept, composed of a Dur-qã'a, which is a covered that this is not a call for the adoption of traditional solutions to
courtyard, with the Iwan leading from it. In this arrangement, solve more complex and contemporary problems of different
the fountain occupies a place in the center, displaying its nature. Rather it is about the use of such concepts and devices
water and mixing it with air to increase humidity [3] . in similar situations where the reintroduction and
reinforcement of traditional values can contribute to the
B. The S alsabil
general environmental and cultural sustainability in a
In places where there was not enough pressure to permit the particular locality. It is also about the critical questioning of
water to spout out of the fountainhead, architects frequently the appropriateness of those current modern practices in
replaced the fountain with the Salsabil. The Salsabil is a planning, urbanism, and architecture that have contributed to
marble plate, decorated with wavy patterns suggestive of the deterioration of the quality of living environment in the
water and wind, which is placed against the wall inside a niche Arab region and its general alienation …
on the opposite side of the Iwãn or sitting space. It is placed at
an angle, to permit the water to trickle over the surface, thus REFERENCES
facilitating evaporation and increasing the humidity of the
[1] V. Olgyay, Design with Climate, Bioclimatic Approach to
surrounding air. The water then flows into a marble channel Architecture Regionalism, Princeton, New Jersey, 1962, pp.167.
until it reaches the fountain in the middle of the Dur-qã'a. [2] J. James, “Climate responsive building,” Design for Hot Arid Zones,
The Salsabil can be interpreted as a transposition of the SKAT, pp. 159, 1993.
[3] H. Fathy, Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture, The
fountainhead placed outside the fountain, which shows mental University of Chicago Press Chicago and London, pp.121-122, 1968.
flexibility and freedom of inventiveness in design. It allows [4] F. Ragette, Traditional Domestic Architecture of the Arab Region,
the architect to use his creativity and sensitivity in expressing Edition Axel Menges, pp. 86, 2003.
[5] H. Fathy, Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture, The United
his feelings through architecture [3]. Nations University by the University of Chicago Press, pp. 94, 1986.

Aiman Ajaj was born in Aleppo, Syria. He Graduated

in Architecture Department, Private University of
X. CONCLUSION
Science and Art, Aleppo (2009). He is a PhD student
If architecture is considered as a part of nature, then the at Department of Construction Civil Engineering and
building must achieve the harmony with the ecological Architecture, Polytechnic University of Marche in
Ancona, Italy. His research work focus on architecture
environment. As a result, this research provides a data for strategies in hot climate. He also collaborates to the
traditional architecture application for contemporary house. teaching activity of “Architecture composition III” at
The following strategies should be considered : Faculty of Engineering at Polytechnic University of
Marche.
1) Provide maximum shading of direct and reflected sun
radiation in the hot season.
2) Balance the extremes of summer and winter by movable
Fausto Pugnaloni was born in Italy. He is an architect,
parts. full professor of architectural design since 1994 at the
3) Provide ventilation by regulated air movement and small Polytechnic University of Marche. He was Ex-Dean of
openings. the Department of Architecture Survey, Drawing, Urban
4) Avoid large exposed exterior surfaces. Planning and History at the Faculty of Engineering,
Ex-Dean of School of architecture and building
5) Use reflective outer surfaces. engineering at the Faculty of Engineering at the
6) Balance the extremes of day and night temperatures by Polytechnic University of Marche and deputy rector for
adequate thermal storage mass. International Relations of Polytechnic University of
7) Reduce internal heat production and conduction gain in Marche in Ancona , Italy. He is full professor at the Beijing University of Civil
Engineering and Architecture. He organized two workshops E-arcom,
hot seasons. Technologies to communicate architecture. He organized conventions about
8) Promote evaporation and heat loss by radiation. conservation and exploitation of historical cities and sustainable urban
9) Increase air circulation in humid maritime regions. planning. With UNIADRION (Telematic University of the Adriatic Ionian
Basin) he works and studies about architecture and economy of the Adriatic
And the environmental lessons to be learned from coast.
traditional architecture can be of significant value and
relevance. Devices such as wind towers, the use of courtyards,
The Mashrabiya, narrow streets and the various means of

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