Traditional architecture in Kuwait and the region was influenced by various cultural, environmental, economic, social, and political factors. The hot desert climate and scarce building materials led to thick-walled houses with small windows and courtyards. Wealthier families lived in large seaside homes while poorer families lived inland in smaller homes. Extended families lived together and homes were designed to separate male and female spaces. As Kuwait grew into a trading center, its architecture flourished until modernization in the 1950s led to demolition of many traditional homes.

1. Lecture 19 Traditional Architecture of Kuwait and the Region 1

2. Traditional Architecture of Kuwait and the Region Introduction

3. Values and Behavior - Tradition - Religion - Social habits Cultural Factors - Climate (sun, wind, rain, temp) - Topography (terrain) - Material Availability (soil types) Environmental Factors - Population concentration - Business (trades, industry, agriculture). - Food and Water Economical Factors - Threats - Wars - Conflicts Political Factors - CITY : organic, walled, sea ports - NEIGHBORHOOD : houses, mosques, markets, etc. - HOUSES : spaces and volumes, design elements, construction techniques, building materials - ROOMS : doors, wind catchers, roof shape and design - FURNITURE : design and decorations. ARCHITECTURE

4. Economical Factors * How much money it was available to the family determines the: 1. size , 2. location , and 3. quality of the dwellings, even though the general design is similar: Rich families (usually ship owners, pearl merchants, etc.) have dwellings with the following characteristics: Size : Large houses with many courtyards, painted in white Location : Sea front Quality : Decorated, bathrooms, furniture, sometimes glass windows, paved flooring, Bagdir. Poorer families have dwellings with the following characteristics: Size : Smaller, one courtyard Location : Inland Quality : Poorer, no decoration, no pavements, one courtyard, few rooms usually multi-purpose rooms.

9. Settlers vs. Nomads (semi-settlers): * Kuwait was mainly dependent on the sea front for its survival, and its nature, culture, and dwelling designs are affected by this fact. * However, there is another side of Kuwait which is shown at the city border: poorer buildings and facing the desert occupied by Nomads who depend on the desert for their survival.

10. * Extended Families: — Each house was occupied by many family members : household, wives, children, servants, grand fathers and/or grandmothers, and always visited by cousins, and aunts .. etc. — Servants may get married and have children and stay in the same house. — Several rooms (10 - 20 rooms) is not unusual. Social Factors

11. * Segregation : — The dwelling design of old Kuwait houses were generally affected by the social habit of complete segregation between male and female: one courtyard for female ( housh al haram ) and one for male ( housh al dywanyyah ). Social Factors

12. * Privacy : — The only openings of the rooms facing housh al haram were doors. There were no windows. There were roushina which used for decoration purposes and a place (a shelf) to put rose water and some ornaments. — Cooking is in housh al haram Social Factors

13. A living room by Ayyoub Husein housh al haram Beit al Bader Social Factors

14. * Love of open air: — Kuwaitis enjoyed the open air: emphasis on the size of the housh especially for female who can not leave her house and this is the only way for her to contact with nature . — It should be noted that they did not feel that they are prisoners inside their houses, and they never felt congestion. It was used for hall reception where women and their friends and children gather. Social Factors

15. * Friendly and Social: — This is evident of the diwanyah which is usually facing the main street and usually doors were open. Later you will see those big and heavy doors, and how friends used to sit on dacha along the entrance way leading to al housh . Diwanyah were usually located next to the entrance. — Coffee and tea was constantly available and are used for relaxation and break times. It was not uncommon that there was a dedicated room for preparing coffee. Social Factors

16. Social Factors

17. Social Factors

18. Social Factors

19. Environmental Factors * Climate: — Hot desert climate : (high temperatures, intense solar radiation, low humidity, large temperature swing, dusty winds). — Thick walls, small windows, courtyards, badgir .

20. Environmental Factors — Roofs were slightly sloped for the not uncommon but surprise heavy and sometimes rains . Sometimes the slope to the outside (street) and sometimes to the inside to be collected in the storage ( al khazzan al abyadh ). To speed the process of getting rid of water, holes are made on the parapet with mirzam made of wood and extends long enough to make sure the water is away for the building. — The roof is also important during the summer (due to nighttime radiation).

21. * Available Material: — Kuwait is a desertic and close to water. (no ranches, no mountains). — The soil is sand overlying hard sand or lime stone. In the islands, calcareous grit-stone is exposed. These stones are not very good building stones, and unless protected with plaster will quickly weather. — Pebbles from volcanic origin which moved by sheet flooding in some plains. They make excellent foundation stones and aggregates. Environmental Factors

22. * Available Material: — Clays are generally sandy, or non-plastic calcareous silts; the argillaceous material are generally sparse. — Thus although the soils have significant cohesion to form walls or blocks, they have a low plasticity index and are liable to liquefy in the presence of water. Environmental Factors

23. Political Factors — The history of Kuwait may start as a small village relying on fishing and catching pearl with the beginning of history recording, and it was used as ports and entrance city to the Arabian Peninsula. — Civilization has settled in Failaka island (3,000 B.C.) occupied by Greek era. Kazma, then became very popular, but now it is disserted. — Kuwait is a smaller name for Kout , i.e., a small fort occupied by Bani Khalid tribe who came around 1670 and used it as a summer camp. In around 1700 some families (Enaiza tribe) immigrated and settled on the southern side of Kuwait bay.

24. Political Factors — In 1783 Sultan of Kuwait has helped his cousin (Al Khaleefa) and succeeded in invading Bahrain island and they became the rulers. Immediately, Kuwait was attacked by Al-Wahabeen and their attacks were failed. — In 1793 English have shifted their center from Basra to Kuwait but again returned it back after the continuos and increasing attacks by Al-Wahabeen in 1795. — First Sour was built in 1795 during Sheikh Abdulla Al-Awwal (2nd ruler) .

25. — During 2nd half of 18th (1850 and on) Kuwait city has flourished especially with the merchants (from India, Baghdad, and Izmir) main focus have shifted from Basra to Kuwait. — In 1801 Sultan Mascat tried to occupy Kuwait but failed. This instability have caused recession in the region including Kuwait. — Second Sour was built in 1814 during Sheikh Jabir bin Abdulla (3rd ruler) . — In 1829, a treaty with Turkey was signed until 1899 when another treaty with England was signed. — Second Sour was renovated in 1845 . Political Factors

26. — The progress and flourishment resumed in 1904 and it became a center of trade and professionals. — In 1914 the number of population reached 35,000 and contained 3,500 houses, 500 stores, and more than 500 boats. — In 1919 Al-Wahabeen tried again, but this time the Shiekh have went to al-jahra and defended the city from which a wall was built with gates. — Third Sour was built in 1920 during Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak (9th ruler) . Political Factors

27. Third sour built in 1920 . Made of coral rocks and mud bricks, its 6.5 KM were intercepted with 31 towers. It has five gates , some of which witnessed constant coming and going of camels and caravans through them.

30. — In the next 20 years, Saudi’s have boycotted Kuwait and this led to a bad recession in the 1930s. — Oil was discovered and used after WWII, Kuwait has flourished since then. — In 1950 is the transformation era from the old Kuwait to the new one. This is the cut off year between modern and old Kuwaiti buildings. — Old buildings were demolished until 1970s an interest in preserving the heritage of the country led to slowing down of the process of destruction. Political Factors

31. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

32. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

33. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

34. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

35. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

36. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

37. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

38. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

39. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

40. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

41. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

42. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

43. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

44. Deteriorated Indigenous Buildings

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