QATAR UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING EMERGING FACTORS SHAPING THE IDENTITY OF LOCAL URBAN DISTRICTS, THE CASE OF DOHA. BY RANA SALMAN WADI A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Engineering in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in Urban Planning and Design January 2018 © 2018 Rana Wadi. All Rights Reserved. COMMITTEE PAGE The members of the Committee approve the Thesis of Rana Wadi defended on 12/12/2017. Dr. Salim Ferwati Thesis/Dissertation Supervisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arezou Shafaghat Committee Member Approved: Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Dean, College of Engineering ii ABSTRACT WADI, RANA, SALMAN, Masters : January : 2018, Masters of Science in Urban Planning and Design Title: Emerging Factors Shaping The Identity Of Local Urban Districts, The Case Of Doha. Supervisor of Thesis: Salim, M., Ferwati. Forms, Designs and symbols are components of the built environment that communicate information about the place and its identity to users. Users discern information from their environmental settings, combined with their personal interests and perceptions. The premise of this thesis states that the identity of traditional architecture undergoes two paradoxical processes dynamic transformation and resistance to changes caused by global culture and societal modern needs. Qatar is placing a great attention on the change of urban and architectural identity by the rapid wave of urban development. This thesis attempts to define contemporary architecture in Qatar, through analyzing Qatari vernacular architecture, outside effect of global factors and to what extent Qatari architecture resists the change. To test the proposed premise, this thesis prolongs into human geography using Torsten Hagerstrand’s diffusion theory. The methodology of the thesis is structured to: revision of related literature and field analysis that contains: interviews, field observations of four chosen sites and field survey. Findings, and discussion illustrate tables and diagrams, that are anticipated to show that resistance of the local identity and the acceptance of new architectural styles lead to a new semiotic presentation of Doha region. The thesis ends up with a set of recommendations for the iii application of aspects of Qatari vernacular architecture and urban environment, in order to strengthen the local identity while taking part of the global culture. iv DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to This thesis is dedicated to both my parents. My father, Salman Wadi, who has been a source of inspiration during the challenges of graduate school journey and life. My mother, Farida Wadi, who has been a source of motivation and strength during moments of despair and discouragement. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author would like to acknowledge the provision of Qatar University for creating an environment that encourages research and related studies. This thesis is for the Master in Urban Planning and Design at Qatar University, College of Engineering, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning (DAUP). The author would like to express her gratitude to Msheireb properties for handling relevant data to support this thesis. The author would like also to thank the supervisor, Dr. Salim Ferwati for his efforts. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xi LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xv Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 11 Significance ................................................................................................................... 12 Methodology .................................................................................................................. 15 Theoretical framework .......................................................................................................... 16 Data collection and analysis ................................................................................................... 16 Part 1: .................................................................................................................................... 16 Part 2: .................................................................................................................................... 17 Discussion and conclusion ...................................................................................................... 18 Limitations ............................................................................................................................... 18 Historical background .................................................................................................... 20 Post oil period .......................................................................................................... 21 Morphological components of the Islamic city ............................................................. 23 1.The mosque ............................................................................................................................ 24 vii 2.Suqs and commercial districts ............................................................................................ 24 3.Citadel ................................................................................................................................... 25 4.Residential districts ............................................................................................................. 25 5.Networks ............................................................................................................................... 27 6.Wall ....................................................................................................................................... 27 7.Exterior .................................................................................................................................. 27 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 28 Qatari vernacular architecture: ............................................................................... 31 Military buildings .................................................................................................................... 42 Mosques .................................................................................................................................... 44 Domestic houses ...................................................................................................................... 48 Diffusion theory and transition of ideas ................................................................... 53 Community, values and shared values in a community .............................................. 60 Architecture and identity ............................................................................................. 65 Case study ...................................................................................................................... 70 Arriyadh’s urban pattern ...................................................................................................... 72 The urban fabric of transitional Riyadh ............................................................................... 74 Tradition and modernity ......................................................................................................... 77 Summary .................................................................................................................................. 79 Contemporary architecture of Qatar ........................................................................... 82 Data collection and analysis .......................................................................................... 85 viii Interviews .......................................................................................................................... 87 Field observation ............................................................................................................... 90 Pearl Qatar ............................................................................................................................. 91 Souk Waqif ............................................................................................................................ 95 Msheireb .............................................................................................................................. 101 West Bay ............................................................................................................................. 115 Field survey ............................................................................................................................. 122 Categories of adopters ......................................................................................................... 122 People’s perception of the built environment .....................................................................