An Overview of Traditional Architecture in Jordan

KHHIRBET ABU-JABER

KAN ZAMAN TOURIST VILLAGE

KHHIRBET ABU-JABER

• Introduction: • Traditional architecture is an important part of the history and heritage of Jordan, a part that requires serious and responsible understanding of its role in establishing the historic and cultural identity of this part of the world.

• The conservation of traditional architecture in Jordan is a timely issue that is gaining great concern due to the rapid change in the urban and rural fabrics which result in serious threats that could lead to the loss of the significant part of our architectural heritage.

• An important part of the conservation activity that is taking place in Jordan is the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of traditional buildings. 2

1 An Overview of Traditional Architecture in Jordan

Diversity of traditional architecture of Jordan

• The rural traditional architecture of Jordan varies according to the environment, climatic conditions and the availability of building materials.

The desert Jordan valley Mountain areas 4

2 •In the desert and eastern the Bedouin tent (Beit Al Sha’r) used by the local tribes.

•In the Jordan valley (Al-Ghor) where agriculture is the main source of living ,permanent residences mad of sundry mud brick.

•In the mountainous areas there are tens of traditional villages constructed by stone 5

Types of Traditional buildings in Jordan

• The traditional Jordanian buildings have been classified by Jordanian researchers into five main types:

• Fellahi House: • This type of houses were the most commonly used in the mountainous region. • The house consists of a rectangular building built of thick stone walls. Its composition is derived from the structural system based on the use of the 2or3 parallel arched walls built of stone and supporting a timber and can roof.

3 Types of Traditional Buildings in Jordan

• The Yard (Hosh) Type: • This type is considered to be as a later development of the previous one, where the rooms or some of them are grouped around a large open space (hosh), while the rest of this space is defined by the use of high walls built on the property line

Types of Traditional Buildings in Jordan

• The Riwaq Type: • According to (A.Kammash) this type was introduced to the region by the Circassian and Chechens who arrived to the country at the end of 19th century • This type consists of a number of rooms placed side by side. They are connected together through doors opened in the separating walls and by the front arcade which is a big partially shaded space that function as a foreground and a summer living room.

4 Types of Traditional Buildings in Jordan

• The Courtyard TYPE: • The courtyard , as an organizing spatial element around which all rooms and spaces are grouped in an introvert manner is one of the major features in the architecture of the country.

Types of Traditional Buildings in Jordan

• The Central – Hall Type: • This type is being the development of the courtyard type, and became the most widely used plan towards the end of the 19th century .

5 Rehabilitation works in Jordan

• Introduction: • Archaeological resources have received the most attention, benefiting form the presence of a long-established Department of Antiquities of Jordan with roots dating back to 1923. By law, the Department of Antiquities of Jordan (DAJ) is responsible for the safeguarding and protection of the country’s archaeological resources.

• No clear definition exists of historical resources in Jordan today In fact, post 1700 AD historical and cultural resources are not even protected by law. Many historic city cores and village centers in Jordan were victims of insensitive planning schemes and zoning ordinance during the last couple years.

• The task to conserve the cultural heritage of the recent past has been undertaken by the private sector and foreign agencies. Several projects all over Jordan were initiated during the last decade. Most of them were associated with tourism investment and did not adhere to conservation principles and guidelines or relate to community processes of traditional site management and protection . 12

6 Dana Village -Tafeela -15th century Toukan House-Salt-1872 Taybat Zaman –Petra 19th century

Jordan River House -Amman-1930 Bani Hamida House –Amman- 1895 Al-Bilbesi House- Amman-1903 13

Dar Al-Anda- Amman-1929 Bahai school- Jordan valley-19thcentury Rousan House- Umm Qais-19th Cent

Dar Al-Anda- Amman-1929 Arar House-Irbid-20th century Bahai Villa-Jordan valley-19th century

7 Evaluation of Kan Zaman Project

Site Description

Site Location • The site is located 15km to the south of Amman close to the Airport highway. • The site dates back to the 19th century .

8 Site Description

Historical Background: The site is owned by abu jaber family they were used the site as animals barns and agricultural products storages, later the site became a trading center for farmers and merchants. Due to the new needs they expand and construct new permanent structure to serve the visiting merchants and local customers. The new structures were constructed on the hill top covering an approximate area of ten donums(10.000m2 ) along with courtyard, open areas and gardens. The site was kept in use until the middle of 21 century 17

Site Description

Spaces and Functions: The Kan Zaman site, which is only a part of the larger complex constructed on a lofty site over looking the surrounding wheat plains is consists of three main parts :

- The central courtyard - The large stable - The alleyway

9 Site Description

The central courtyard Outdoor space around which all the activities are organized . Its paved in stone, with all the main space opening directly to it. -The eastern side of the courtyard is comprised of several small shops penetrated to the entrance gate. -The western edge is a large open space use as café. -The southern side of the barn there is an alleyway which leads to its backside where a new extension is added containing five shops.

Site Description

The large stable: It’s a rectangular space covered with 22 cross vaults supported by 13 square columns of stone placed on a grid. The area of this space is about 900m2 This part of the complex is converted into the main restaurant .

10 Site Description

The alleyway: Its located to the south of the courtyard, and its flanked by shops on both side.

Rehabilitation and conservation works

Reconstructions works: 1- The main entrance gate from the courtyard side, was partial collapse, it was consolidated by building a new arched wall on the top of the entrance.

A Critical Evaluation: This addition stands in disharmony with the original wall. -The construction method of stone is different from the adjacent one -Using Portland cement mortar instead of a lime mortar which results in a different color and texture - Construction method of the new arch has no reference to the original arches.

11 Rehabilitation and conservation works

Reconstructions works: 2- Some of the cross vaults stone were rebuild and refilled by Portland cement

A Critical Evaluation: -Rebuilding the stone was improper due to the stone size and stone replacements -Adding to that using Portland cement mortar enhance the micro-organism growth into the cement mortar and the stone which result into a negative effect on the internal atmosphere.

Rehabilitation and conservation works

Reconstructions works: 3- Consolidating of the exterior front façade. The stone wall on both sides of the main entrance gate is consolidated by replacing the broken pieces and filling in the gaps by Portland cement.

A Critical Evaluation: Portland cement was used extensively, this resulting in a change of the wall appearance.

12 Rehabilitation and conservation works

Repair &adding walls: - Stone walls mechanically was cleaned . The missing or broken stone pieces were replaced by new un-matching ones. - Many stone walls were added to connect different spaces with each others. A Critical Evaluation: -In image( 1 )the construction method of stone is different from the adjacent one. 1 -In Image (2) using a modern and incompatible materials.

25 2

Rehabilitation and conservation works

Repair of floors: New tiling for all the floors was done using mainly one method, the Random Ashalr stone tiling. A Critical Evaluation: -This tiling pattern was applied almost all over the site without distinguished between the different types of spaces, their functions, or the nature as being Interior floor tiling external or internal.

26 Exterior floor tiling

13 Rehabilitation and conservation works

Repair of roof and ceiling: -The old flat ceilings were removed and reconstructed by reinforced concrete slab -The roof of all of the complex were covered by 10cm Portland cement layer, to protect the roof from rain, in some roof a layer of bitumen's were used. A Critical Evaluation: using incompatible materials and techniques in ceiling leads to detract from the complex values . Using a heavy Portland cement layer in the top of the roof, make the penetrating of the rain water more possible due to the creaks which created in the cement layer because it’s not flexible materials

• Conclusion:

• Under reinvestment of the past Kan Zaman project was conducted, its may be not complies with international standards or charters, but it has provide new opportunity and a prologed life for the traditional site, it did not only save it from neglect and decay, but it also turned it into an economical feasible investment since the project was the first rehabilitation project was done in Jordan