1. Osama Al Duaig,
Kuwait Contemporary Architecture
Kuwait City like any other Gulf City has buildings were erected which have some
been transformed in very rapid and elements of the modern imported
intensive way, from a basic primitive city architecture, and characterize many new
to more complicated advanced one that buildings, which were erected in the Middle
produced many planning, urban and East at this stage.
environmental problems, which any other Circular and curvature shapes dominated
Gulf cities may encounter. building architectural design in the
beginning of this stage, which was
The existing architectural situation in influenced by Arab architects and
Kuwait is the sum of groups of internal engineers.
factors and external forces, which has Furthermore, the modern building design
interacted with each other to formalize this at this stage started replacing the traditional
situation throughout the time. Each stage where the inner court yard has
has its unique characteristics, which are disappeared and the following element
distinguished from others, starting from one introduced balconies, external opening
Osama I. Al-Duaig: Director of the old Kuwait City with its basic planning and metal, girls have been used at the
Department of Environmental Affairs, structure and primitive simple buildings, end of this stage.
Municipality of Kuwait to the modern Kuwait City with its planned
areas and wide roads and high rise The cement plaster, stucco, natural stone,
buildings. earth tone color paint were widely used
as an external finish of the buildings in
Urban development, which new Kuwait addition to lime stone bricks which were
City has witnessed for the past 40 years, produced locally and clay bricks were
has been divided into five main stages, imported from Iran and Iraq for the cladding
which are classified according to building of the governmental projects.
architectural style influenced by both
internal conditions and external factors of
the period. Second: Post oil middle stage
This stage started in mid 60’2 and ended
in mid 70’s in which Kuwait witnessed
First: the early post oil stage rapid urban development and economic
This stage started in the mid 50’s and growth. The building design and style at
ended in the mid 60’s during which this stage was greatly influenced by the
economic prosperity which is resulted from building architecture in Egypt and Lebanon
the income generated from the export of which is an extension of the modern
crude oil this has influenced all aspects architecture of the west with some local
of like in Kuwait. influence.
The building design was characterized by Straight lines and sculptured walls are the
its low height, which is one of the main main features of the building faced. Natural
features of traditional Kuwait architecture stones, which were imported from Jordan,
and its advanced stages. Moreover, new Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, were used as
070

2. Osama Al Duaig
external cladding for the buildings in Reinforced concrete building cladding,
addition to cement plaster and lime stone synthetic stones and plasters were widely
bricks which was produced locally. used in addition to imported clay bricks,
which were considered one of the features
of the architecture of the region.
Third: Advanced Post oil stage
This stage started in the mid 70’s and
ended in the mid 80’s when Kuwait Fifth: contemporary architecture during
witnessed the second economic prosperity the post-war stage
due to increasing of oil price which has This stage started after the war and
influenced the urbanization process in liberation of Kuwait, which caused massive
Kuwait greatly. destruction to the infrastructure, public
The element of the modern architecture facilities in both government and private
still influenced the building architecture in properties. Kuwait witnessed during this
this stage; however, the strong public stage the huge general reconstruction and
attitude emerged toward the usage of some rehabilitation of built up environment, which
of the limited features of Muslim architecture associated with economic prosperity that
such as arches, arcades, court yard and brought the money contributed for the
Islamic script and masharabia. reconstruction. This stage is considered
one of the most important stages in the
During this stage we have witnessed many history of the architecture in Kuwait. New
high-rise buildings and usage of some other architectural style emerged which is
new cladding materials such as marbles considered a continuation of the post-
and granite which were imported form modern architecture that is widely used in
Europe. In addition to natural stones, which these days emphasizing principles of
were used in the previous stage, ceramic regionalism and is the traditional
and prefabricated architectural element architecture and local identity.
and curtain walls have been introduced in New modern building cladding materials
this stage with which the influence of the such as synthetic plaster, metal plates, and
western architecture and engineering can architectural coatings have been also used.
be felt and seen.
Forth: contemporary architecture before
1990 stage
This stage started in mid 80’s and ended
in August 1990. It has been influenced by
the general public attitude toward evaluation
and assessing the architecture in Kuwait
and people started feeling the diverse
effects of the architectural problems.
Revival is the main feature of this stage
when people started thinking about the
past and the traditional architecture. This
current is coupled with a contemporary
transformation and adoption of some of its
features and elements, such as in window
opening, doors, roof parapet, arches,
arcades and inner courtyard.
071