The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region
In the vernacular architectural history of the Arabian Gulf region (the Gulf), the courtyard house is a common domestic typology. Islamic and sociological precepts regulate the design and the function of vernacular courtyard dwellings, resulting in homogeneity and harmony in the entire urban fabric...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Asmaa Saleh AL-Mohannadi Raffaello Furlan |
| author_facet | Asmaa Saleh AL-Mohannadi Raffaello Furlan |
| author_sort | Asmaa Saleh AL-Mohannadi |
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| description | In the vernacular architectural history of the Arabian Gulf region (the Gulf), the courtyard house is a common domestic typology. Islamic and sociological precepts regulate the design and the function of vernacular courtyard dwellings, resulting in homogeneity and harmony in the entire urban fabric of historic settlements. In this research endeavor, the aim is to investigate the degree to which the shaping of the spatial form in a sample of vernacular courtyard houses in the Gulf inscribes socio-cultural factors. It sheds light on visibility graph analysis, human behavior, and the system of activities in the domestic space. As a hypothesis, visibility and connectivity analysis could prove the existence of common spatial patterns among courtyards in the vernacular courtyard houses of the Gulf, attributing it to the similar socio-cultural context, the climatic effect, and the architectural and construction knowledge of the region. This study utilizes a collection of courtyard houses from the Gulf as a pilot study to investigate the emerging patterns in the spatial analysis and room layout, or in the distribution of activities or functions in the domestic space. It, therefore, offers a visual analysis (VGA) of six regional courtyard houses from each Gulf country that were built during the period 1850–1950. This study anticipates an affirmation of a direct inscription of socio-cultural factors in the spatial form of the courtyard house in the Gulf. Conclusively, a sustainable, organic linkage between architecture and society exists where the three criteria of housing spatial form, socio-cultural factors, and system of activities interact. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3aa6db00a2344238a83d23d070bd3383 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2571-9408 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-3aa6db00a2344238a83d23d070bd33832025-08-20T02:45:52ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082025-07-018726810.3390/heritage8070268The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf RegionAsmaa Saleh AL-Mohannadi0Raffaello Furlan1Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, QatarDepartment of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, QatarIn the vernacular architectural history of the Arabian Gulf region (the Gulf), the courtyard house is a common domestic typology. Islamic and sociological precepts regulate the design and the function of vernacular courtyard dwellings, resulting in homogeneity and harmony in the entire urban fabric of historic settlements. In this research endeavor, the aim is to investigate the degree to which the shaping of the spatial form in a sample of vernacular courtyard houses in the Gulf inscribes socio-cultural factors. It sheds light on visibility graph analysis, human behavior, and the system of activities in the domestic space. As a hypothesis, visibility and connectivity analysis could prove the existence of common spatial patterns among courtyards in the vernacular courtyard houses of the Gulf, attributing it to the similar socio-cultural context, the climatic effect, and the architectural and construction knowledge of the region. This study utilizes a collection of courtyard houses from the Gulf as a pilot study to investigate the emerging patterns in the spatial analysis and room layout, or in the distribution of activities or functions in the domestic space. It, therefore, offers a visual analysis (VGA) of six regional courtyard houses from each Gulf country that were built during the period 1850–1950. This study anticipates an affirmation of a direct inscription of socio-cultural factors in the spatial form of the courtyard house in the Gulf. Conclusively, a sustainable, organic linkage between architecture and society exists where the three criteria of housing spatial form, socio-cultural factors, and system of activities interact.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/268courtyard houseArabian Gulf (Gulf)spatial culturesocio-cultural factors |
| spellingShingle | Asmaa Saleh AL-Mohannadi Raffaello Furlan The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region Heritage courtyard house Arabian Gulf (Gulf) spatial culture socio-cultural factors |
| title | The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region |
| title_full | The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region |
| title_fullStr | The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region |
| title_short | The Spatiality of the Vernacular Courtyard House in the Arabian Gulf Region |
| title_sort | spatiality of the vernacular courtyard house in the arabian gulf region |
| topic | courtyard house Arabian Gulf (Gulf) spatial culture socio-cultural factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/268 |
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