English Abstract
Abstract :
Traditional houses are considered as prime examples of environmentally sustainable buildings designed in response to regional climatic conditions. A courtyard is an outdoor space of a traditional house linked to the Arabic and Islamic culture, while also being present in other contexts. In the past, the courtyards had contributed to the environmental, social and economic aspects of buildings tremendously. Unfortunately, however, in line with the modern urban developments, the courtyard concept has begun to disappear gradually from the modern houses.
This study is based on the knowledge that courtyards are great architectural spaces that are socially meaningful, environmentally efficient and could contribute to sustainability: a goal that the modern communities strive to achieve. It thus aims to examine the possibility adapting the courtyard concept from traditional architecture and reviving them in modern residential buildings in hot arid climates, in order to facilitate the achievement of sustainable development goals. It also ascertained if people would accept the courtyard as a modern space in their houses.
This research is exploratory and employed qualitative data collected through case studies, interviews and a questionnaire. It established the climatic responsiveness of the courtyard by means of a documentary survey, examining the previous research conducted by other researchers who have produced both qualitative and quantitative data. The findings of this research show the general acceptance of the courtyard concept and the people's desire to own courtyard houses. However, the general awareness about the environmental, social and cultural values of the courtyards should be raised. This research demonstrates that the courtyard concept can be revived and adapted in modern residential buildings in order to promote sustainable urban developments.
