Socio-cultural factors shaping the spatial form of traditional and contemporary housing in Qatar: A comparative analysis based on space syntax

Abstract

Socio-cultural factors in the spatial form of Qatari houses seem affected by the forces of globalization during rapid urbanization of its capital, Doha, over the previous three decades whereby the construction of housing tends to reflect the requirements of a global market instead of local architectural identity. Comparative investigation of spatial form in traditional and contemporary Qatari houses might provide some useful insights into the embedded socio-cultural patterns influencing the development of housing in Qatar over the past few decades. The paper uses space syntax analysis supported by other simulation and visualization techniques to examine these socio-cultural patterns in a small sample of traditional and contemporary Qatari houses. Despite changes over time and era, the study reveals that specific factors such as 1) privacy, 2) gender segregation, and 3) hospitality still tend to determine the spatial form of both vernacular and modern models of Qatari housing. We conclude these findings can help to positively contribute towards the development of a distinctive architectural identity based on social sustainability and tradition for urban regeneration of the built environment in fulfilling the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.