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Bait AlKhalid or AlKhalid House in Kuwait City. The image to the upper left is the house overlooking the street and upper right image is the courtyard space (Source: Authors Archives, 2018).
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This study examines the socio-cultural spaces of the two major groups in Kuwait: the Hadhar and Badu. These groups are not an ethnic classification but are rooted in their historic settlements. The Hadhar refer to people who lived in old Kuwait town and were mostly merchants and artisans who made their living from the sea. The Badu on the other han...
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... Fig. 1) Bait AlKhalid is one of a few renovated traditional courtyard houses that still remain in Kuwait. The courtyard was a multipurpose open space where the entire family would gather and socialize. Some courtyards had a tree or shrubs, and most would have a Jelleb. The Liwan, or covered walkway, separated the edge of the courtyard from ...
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... Extended families often gather together in a neighborhood and establish their own private (hella) residential area. The family unit typically consists of one or more families stemming from a common parent residing in the same dwelling or group of connected houses [81,82]. ...
This study explores how the layout of neighborhoods in traditional settlements of Saudi Arabia’s Najdi region influence social interactions and urban planning decisions. The study uses a multidisciplinary approach that includes urban morphology, architectural phenomenology, and sociological study methods to investigate the relationships between spatial organization and decision-making processes on both the macro and micro levels of decision-making. The purpose is to look at how collective action decision-making processes affect the urban fabric and how social norms influence spatial organization at different levels. The study applies case study and spatial analysis approaches to investigate how the traditional settlements’ spatial structure promotes peace among the inhabitants while also sustaining cultural traditions. The qualitative approach investigates how spatial arrangements influence behaviors, developing a better understanding of how residents interact with their surroundings. According to the study’s findings, these spatial layouts sustain customs and assist communities in adapting to environmental changes by retaining cultural activities. The study identifies the significance of balancing development with the retention of important traditional values in the implementation of long-term urban conservation plans. Traditional Najdi towns can serve as urban design examples, emphasizing the need to acknowledge the distinct value of vernacular architecture in modern urban development while also fostering social cohesion.
... Code -KC1T7. 19 Windows (C2): In the 19 th century there were windows which were decorative wooden grills where the length was more than the height as in figure 13A. Code -KC2T1. ...
... In the 20 th century there were plain concrete columns finished with painting with simple capitals and simple bases as in figure 14I Code -KC3T9. 19 ...
... The details in Table 4 show that the search strategy and selection criteria within the time frame of January 2010 to May 2021 resulted in case studies from the following continents. There were 13 articles which dealt with countries in the Asian continent, which were China [24], Indonesia [21] [25] [31] [36], India [27], Malaysia [33], Thailand [22], Kuwait [19], Iran [29], Nepal [38], Jordan [42], Bangladesh [44]. Two articles dealt with Turkey which has some territory on the Asian continent and some on the European continent [23] [40]. ...
Understanding the role of socio-cultural factors in dwellings has become important in the current trends of urbanization and modernization. This can be explored through primary studies and from previous studies done by researchers. When pursuing a primary study also, understanding the studies done by previous researchers becomes a necessity. Hence, this research paper would be beneficial for the researchers to do analysis of the previous studies. A methodology model was developed for the analysis of secondary data involving socio-culture and dwellings. Previous researches were identified and selected based on certain inclusion and exclusion criteria for this paper. The limitations were the time frame chosen for selection of literature from January 2010 to May 2021 and the search websites chosen were Google Scholar and EBSCO websites. The methodology comprised of five stages. The first stage identified and selected the previous researches for the study, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The second stage listed the theories, methods, tools and techniques from the books of pioneers. The third stage comprised of two parts; the first part checked the applicability of the theory stated by the pioneer Amos Rapoport that, the socio-cultural factors were the main factors in the formation of dwellings on to the transformation of different aspects of dwellings. The second part applied the listed theories, methods, tools and techniques from second stage, on the selected previous researches and categorized accordingly. The fourth stage categorized the reasons for the theory of Amos Rapoport being proved true at certain instances or false at certain other instances. The lacunas in the focus of the research topic discussed in the selected secondary data were also identified for further exploration. The fifth stage identified the different avenues available for researchers and also formulated a reference palette of the theories, methods, tools and techniques. This paper would be an additional secondary data for researches in the discipline of architecture, socio-cultural studies and anthropology. It would create an awareness to the architects, designers, urban planners and policy makers on the importance of the role of socio-cultural factors when designing dwellings and framing policies for the future developments.
... Extended families typically congregate in one neighborhood (hella) and construct their own private residential district. The third circle is the clustered family (micro level), which is frequently made up of one or more nuclear families, descendants of a single father and residing in the same house or group of houses linked by a cul-de-sac ( Fig. 4) ( [11,20]). ...
... As a result, there appears to be a strong need for architectural identity, as the survey finds that (89 %) of architectural students feel that heritage & cultural, vernacular architectural sites and buildings are a valuable source of local identity inspiration. 20 Fur-thermore, the data also shows that (92 %) of practitioner architects are unsure or reluctant about employing such architecture or how it may be used as a source of inspiration. 21 Such a result demonstrates how the community thinks about their own local architecture, revealing a lack of understanding and studies that expose the local architecture's hidden norms, principles, and imbedded social meanings. ...
... 22 In similar context, in Egypt, the Authority for Urban Planning or consulting offices put forward development plans for heritage areas under its supervision, fund these plans and projects, assign contractors to carry out these plans, and manage, monitor, follow up, and maintain the sites of these areas and make use of them [53]. Thus, Saudi Arabian architecture should be highly influenced by the country's distinct indigenous architectural tradition, and fund more these distinctive areas to understand their underlying generative concepts and represent in the widespread usage of 20 From October to November 2021, a survey among architectural students at three major Saudi architecture schools (King Saud, Imam Abdulrahman Bn Fasil, and Hail Universities) was done. 21 In November 2021, a number of architectural specialists in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam were interviewed. ...
The purpose of this paper is to explore and examine Saudi Arabian traditional architecture through the lens of broader Islamic principles, which through history have encouraged the establishment of several types of cities and towns, where each type is known by its functionality and by the way inhabitants planned each settlement. Local Saudi architecture exists in a range of styles, and it is well-known in various Saudi regions. Although there are differences in style, the study contends and discusses that similar generative principles influenced the built space of most Saudi regions. This study made use of the ethnographic approach and comparative case studies method to explore, elaborate, and synthesize the generative principles to analyze the architectural similarities across Saudi regions, even though the architecture appears, at first glance, different. The article suggests that contemporary architects should implement some of these ideas in modernization efforts to balance originality while also informing and enhancing local identity.
... The same issue persists in mathematics, in which Kuwaiti male teachers comprise 4% of the staff in male schools, respectively. Their Kuwaiti female counterparts contribute 54% in female schools and some elementary male schools (Al-Haroun & Al-Ajmi, 2018;Male & Alhouti, 2015;Wiseman & Al-Bakr, 2013). ...
... Boys in the public sector face the pressure of a society that prioritizes primitive masculinity and violence practices over civic values (Meinck & Brese, 2019). These attitudes are considered "the norm," which complicates the case by supporting inherited tradition over civic values (Meinck & Brese, 2019;Al-Haroun & Al-Ajmi, 2018). ...
The social capital gap in education in Kuwait's public vs. private schools, including early stages to higher education, is a serious phenomenon that requires intervention. This chapter uses a qualitative approach to explore the rationales behind disadvantaged boys in public schools compared to their peers in private schools. Differences in school visits indicated a need for interventions directed toward students with unqualified teachers and a primitive educational paradigm. The chapter concludes with an alteration to the culture of human resources as well as building capabilities for improved outcomes among boys in public schools in Kuwait. Achieving these goals will require a strong education system enriched with highly qualified human resources teams and an insight to cultural circumstances.
... Kuwait"s "post oil" transformation created disunity between its past and present built environments, and as a result, the "cultural manifestations" (or traditional vernacular elements) have disappeared and lost their relationship with Kuwaiti culture. Although, some research highlighted how a few elements persisted through Kuwait"s modern transformation [60] [61] [62], more research is necessary to understand these phenomena. As a result, this study intended to advance prior research to not replicate the past but learn from it by revisiting the principles behind the traditional vernacular. ...
This paper discusses the process of designing a sustainable house in Kuwait. The design concept uses Kuwait"s traditional vernacular elements as the primary sustainable strategies with priority given to cutting energy costs, using passive solar systems, solar panels and alternative air conditioning. The method used in this study is a variant of the "research through design" approach. This paper describes a viewpoint rarely discussed and addresses the many challenges of sustainable design and its implications for the larger built environment and society in Kuwait. The paper contends that although designing a house to express culture and promote sustainability is possible there are significant barriers within the current construction climate. There is no motivation or incentive for homeowners to design their houses sustainably due to the availability of cheap subsidized energy and water supply. Moreover, sustainable materials and technology are difficult to access in Kuwait due to low demand and high cost. There is a significant gap between ideal sustainable design and the reality of construction. Therefore, the paper asserts that the government needs to play an active role in terms of building eco-regulations, planning, and policy-making to establish sustainability as a mandatory part of design and building practices.
... Dengan demikian, maka dapat dinyatakan bahwa persebaran pola hunian dari masing-masing etnik di kawasan Kampung Melayu dapat teridentifikasi dengan baik. Atas dasar itu, maka fenomena yang ditunjukkan di Kawasan Kampung Melayu Kota Semarang dapat memperkaya konsep/teori toponimi kampung, kohesi sosial (sistem kekerabatan), permukiman multietnik (pola permukiman multietnik), serta empiri permukiman multietnik yang berkaitan dengan konsep ruang masyarakat etnik (Al-Haroun & Al-Ajmi, 2018;Wang, Sigler, Corcoran, & Liu, 2019). Di sisi lainnya, adanya penelitian ini juga memberikan informasi maupun gambaran bagi kasus-kasus permukiman multietnik lainnya khususnya dalam pengembangan penataan pola permukiman multietnik. ...
This research aims to identify the pattern of multiethnic settlements both in Kampung Islam Kepaon Denpasar and in the Kampung Melayu Area of Semarang City. The research method used in this study is qualitative method of case study with the number of research cases consisting of two cases (plural/double), namely Kampung Islam Kepon in Denpasar City and Kampung Melayu Area in Semarang City. This research was conducted by exploring phenomena related to settlement patterns in each research case study. The results showed that the pattern of multiethnic settlements in Kampung Islam Kepaon Denpasar city and Kampung Melayu Area semarang city both form a pattern of settlement colonization / grouping with a shape resembling a rectangle and follow the pattern of roads in the settlement and the direction of the river. The formation of settlement patterns in each case study can be accommodated due to historical factors and also the strength of the kinship system. Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi pola permukiman multietnik baik yang terdapat di Kampung Islam Kepaon Kota Denpasar maupun di Kawasan Kampung Melayu Kota Semarang. Metode penelitian yang digunakan di dalam penelitian ini ialah metode kualitatif studi kasus dengan jumlah kasus penelitian yang terdiri atas dua kasus (jamak/ganda), yaitu Kampung Islam Kepon di Kota Denpasar dan Kawasan Kampung Melayu di Kota Semarang. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan cara mengeksplorasi fenomena yang berkaitan dengan pola permukiman pada masing-masing studi kasus penelitian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pola permukiman multietnik di Kampung Islam Kepaon Kota Denpasar dan Kawasan Kampung Melayu Kota Semarang keduanya membentuk pola permukiman kolonisasi/mengelompok dengan bentuk menyerupai persegi Panjang dan mengikuti pola jalan di dalam permukiman dan arah sungai. Terbentuknya pola permukiman pada masing-masing studi kasus dapat disimpulkan karena adanya faktor sejarah dan juga kuatnya sistem kekerabatan.
... This notion is further reinforced by AlHaroun and AlAjmi's recent paper about the Hadhar and Badu houses in Kuwait, which highlighted how the modern villa's spatial characteristics have been derived from their traditional dwellings. They may be modern from the outside but from the inside they are very much associated with their cultural lifestyles (AlHaroun and AlAjmi, 2018). Likewise, this study's finding suggests that the emergence of the apartment in the Kuwaiti house may be traced to strong family traditions and is in fact another socio-cultural space resilient in the face of enormous transformations towards modernity. ...
A house in Kuwait usually refers to a building within a plot of land that may accommodate one or two families. However, at the turn of the 21 st century this composition gradually shifted to see many people lease one or more apartments in their houses. As a result, many residential neighbourhoods that were originally designed as low-density areas have become overcrowded apartment buildings. This study examines this phenomenon of recent societal trends towards adding 'apartments' in the Kuwaiti house by employing in depth interviews. These discussions become a platform to understand this intriguing socioeconomic construct. The findings reveal that high real-estate prices and Kuwait's current housing crisis have significantly contributed to the reshaping of the Kuwaiti house form and altered some of its functions. People's insecurity for the future has forced them to add apartments in their houses to pay off their loans in the short term and provide accommodation for their children in the long term. In addition, houses have become an investment opportunity for businessmen to turn them into commercial enterprises. This has resulted in many houses in model residential areas being transformed to medium density apartment complexes, which causes enormous strain on public utilities and infrastructure, such as streets, parking, electricity, and water. Consequently, this situation highlights the extent of poor governmental regulations and shows how the nation's larger political climate has directly affected people in relation to their domestic built environments.
The article is an attempt to look at the origins and development of Kuwait City before the oil boom as a socially created space. Its structure reflects social and economic dynamics as well as cultural and environmental sustainability, although it was the mercantile function that was the most important city-forming factor in Kuwait. The specific character and functionality of the city were determined by its location, climate, connections with the Persian Gulf and, at the same time, Bedouin traditions and culture, as exemplified by the house of the merchant family Al-Badr.
Since the beginning of the last century, there has been an increase in the number of Bedouins who prefer a settled way of life. As a result, their daily life is gradually changing, and clan and tribal ties are slowly being broken. Settled Bedouins born into a nomadic family strive to continue to apply the principles of Bedouin ethics and viable old traditions in the new environment, as they are deeply rooted in them from an early age. However, some traditions of their ancestors are gradually changing and being modified due to new socio-cultural and economic conditions. On the other hand, there are traditions that continue to survive, although Bedouins now must cope with rapid technological progress. Bedouin families tend to settle and adapt their lifestyles to the conditions of the 21st century. Bedouins are proud of their origins and even in the conditions of a settled way of life they try to keep their traditions. This study analyzes the way of life and the identity of Arab nomads in the process of social and cultural changes. It focuses on Bedouin communities living in the Syrian Desert. In the last decade, however, it has been the wars in the Middle East that have pushed the Bedouins out of their natural environment, restricting the application of their cultural traditions in everyday life. This study builds on previous findings of repeated field research stays in the Syrian Desert where the first author lived among Bedouin families with whom he currently maintains virtual contact as the war situation interrupted further planned research stays.
