2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building
Designs
Hybrid Heritage in Hospitality Interiors as an
Evident of Cultural Sustainability
2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building Designs | 978-1-7281-9130-0/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/IEEECONF51154.2020.9319973
Nehal Almurbati
Department of Architecture and Interior Design
University of Bahrain
Isa Town, Bahrain
nalmurbati@uob.edu.bh
Abstract - Recently, a growing interest is traced among
scholars to consider heritage and cultural values as an
aspect of sustainable development and even as a fourth
pillar of Sustainability. The importance of a country
accumulated heritage is equivalent to its future economic
growth and therefore needs to be sustained using different
tools and aspects.
The hospitality industry and especially hotels can best be
designed to preserve a countries’ heritage and showcase it
to visitors and tourists. In this study, we investigate the
interior design effect on ‘cultural sustainability’ within
‘heritage boutique hotels’. This is achieved by analyzing
the diverse sustainable design theories, interior principles
and elements as well as meanings that can be applied in
hotels to convey and sustain heritage, national pride and
identities. The analysis relies on qualitative methods, a
case study of a recent boutique hotel project in Bahrain
titles ‘Nuzul Alsalam’. The results indicate an existence of
a ‘hybrid interior’ within redefined vernacular
architecture that can achieve cultural sustainability. The
design analysis of this hotels proves that materiality and
heritage can be combined for a successful branding image
of cultural sustainability. The generated design guidelines
and concepts can be further used by other designers and
projects to achieve heritage sustainability within green
cities. This contributes effectively to a country future
image and envision its spaces and user experiences with
hidden hints to its past and precious civilization
achievements. Such new design culture is a necessary
foundation for the transition to a truly sustainable society
in the Middle East.
Keywords: Heritage sustainability, Cultural sustainability, hotel,
Interior Design, Sustainable tourism
I. INTRODUCTION : CULTURLE SUSTAINABLITY AND
SUSTAINABLE HERITAGE
Since the introduction of the concept of Sustainable
Development in 1987 it had grown in research and policy. The
sustainable development is mostly considered to consist of
economic, ecological and social ‘pillar’ or dimension.
Nevertheless, the social dimension has gained less focus in
research [1]. Culture has been considered as an aspect of social
sustainability in particular during the UNESCO Decade of
Culture and Development (1988-1997). ‘Our Creative
Diversity’ report published in 1995 documented the
interrelationship between culture and sustainable
development. Since then, sustaining intangible heritage and
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cultural values and expressions has been greatly explored and
developed in other policies and initiatives. In their review of
50 full papers and 34 abstracts so [1] the term ‘Cultural
sustainability’ was coined with ‘Cultural Heritage’ among
other contexts. Cultural heritage is assumed to combine
tangible and intangible heritage [2]. Tangible heritage
considered sustaining historical buildings, crafts and
monuments while intangible heritage considered more
immaterial culture like language, knowledge and traditions.
The notion of sustaining both material and immaterial heritage
of a nation can be considered as preserving an identity legacy
that needs to be handed to future generations and be
appreciated by a country’s nationals and visitors. The
challenge faced here is ‘how to balance traditional and modern
forms of material and immaterial culture within heritage
urbanisms?’ [3] and ‘Will a form of hybrid heritage needs to
be proposed to achieve such balance?’
II. CULTURE SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
A. Sustianble Tourisim and Heritage hotels
In several studies cultural heritage impacted the social and
economic value of creative industries such as the tourism
industry [2]. Tourism is considered among the growing
industries that can highly effect a country’s economic and
environmental development visions [3].
The social effects of heritage projects can also enhance
social cohesion, community empowerment and capacity
building, enhancing civil pride, tolerance and confidence.
Some heritage projects can stimulate a dialogue between
different cultural groups and even between several age groups
of a similar culture. The previous can be considered as a
prerequisite to a territory economic growth and prosperity.
Thus, it was essential to invest in heritage and tourism
projects like hotels to reach the previously mentioned benefits.
Hotel industries nowadays tend to consider sustainability and
green practices in their operations.
One of the new trends in sustainable hotels are heritage
boutique hotels. They are renovated built structures of a
certain age which may have interesting histories and preserve
a country culture [4]. They are renovated as unique hotels or
boutique hotels yet upgrade in their experience to be of an
international tourism standard. The spatial interior experience
of staying in a historically valued room are recorded to be
appealing to many tourists as well as corporates like the
Intercontinental Hotel Group which is one of the largest hotel
chains in the world owning several heritage hotels around the
states and in other continents. Nevertheless, there is a gap in
research that indicate how these heritage hotels are designed
to evolve as stylish yet culturally sustainable hotels.
 2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building
Designs
B. Trends of sustainability theories in design
In the last two decades the interior design and architecture
profession witnessed a tremendous change in their form and
details. Adaptation of new design trends and design
technologies as well as creative form generation has been
balanced with critical utilization of sustainable visions and
strategies in building codes and smarter construction material.
Moreover, due to the recent socio-cultural economic
transformation witnessed in the Arab region and the
intellectual and cultural openness to western thoughts resulted
sustainable design to be highly welcomed in the region [5].
Evidence of three emerging sustainability trends are traced in
new urban dwellings and building in the Arab world. These
trends are the modern technology trend, the Neo-traditional
trend and the contemporary interpretation trend.
The modern technology trend implements the application
of highly advanced western construction technology in
applying sustainability principles. Negatively, some copying
of unsuitable western technology happened as well resulting
structural and interior modification that may not always be
culturally adjustable or in competence with westerner’s
lifestyle. For example, the extensive use of glass technology
and large openings without paying attention to the thermal
comfort and privacy issues related to this architecture and
interior solution [5]. An example of this trend in a hotel
environment is seen in Hotel Q in Berlin and the Cloud 7 Hotel
in Istanbul.
The NEO- Traditional sustainability trend has two
approaches both based on the architecture legacy as a main
form and function reference [5]. First is based on the absolute
adoption of traditional model of construction without any
modification. The second relies on contextualizing and
studying the traditional architectural phenomena and
reflecting the learned technique as seen in the work of
Architect Hassan Fathy. Designers following this trend
address the cultural crises of the design’s loss of identity. In
terms of sustainability followers of this trend highly relies on
passive design processes and forms to reduce energy
consumption in forming their buildings and use technical
professions in selecting their materials as well as relying on
passive ventilation devises. Wind towers, mashrabiya and
domes are examples of design elements used in this trend. A
uniqe experiences of this trend can be traced in The Oberoi
Udaivilas in Udaipur in India.
The third trend which is the contemporary interpretation
trend is merely an attempt to merge the expression of
traditional approaches in a contemporary manner using
appropriate modern technology. Followers of this trend
perfectly understands the values of the Arab culture and their
traditional architecture and recruit it using advanced
technology to create an appropriate regional identity [5]. An
example of this are evidents in many Middle Eastern cities like
Jumaira Zabeel Saray in Dubai or Aswar Hotel in Saudi
Arabia.
These sustainability trends have influenced housing and
hospitality projects in the Arab world, especially site that are
considered as world heritage sites like Dubai in United Arab
Emirates and Muharraq in Bahrain.
III. DESIGN ELEMENTS OF HERITAGE HOTELS
The increasing growth of heritage hotels business led to
the commodification of these type of hotels within the built
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historic environment and its history as a form of historic
products. The design elements and environmental characters
within these hotels type and especially boutique hotels were
discussed by several researchers [6].
The relatively small size of the heritage hotels property
and its limited rooms are based on their original building
structure and function. Guest numbers are expected to be less
than an ordinary boutique hotel with more interaction between
guests and stuff in comparison to a typical hotel. Such hotels
differ in their design trends from heritage to modern or
contemporary but for sure they are distinguished with a unique
interior design experience.
Branding heritage hotels highly depend on several design
element s and strategic location, also tangible and intangible
values should be carefully addressed in the hotel interior
ambiance as visualized in fig.1.
Heritage hotel as a marektable
product
Internal factors and design elements
External
factors
Intangible
1. Location
Tangible Values 2. Branding
Values
and Image
- Building
architecture style - Interior
- Interior Theme
- History and
Culture
- Size and capacity expereince
and collection of
furniture
- Price
of rooms
- Rare expereince
Figure 1 Heritage hotel commodification [6] with
modification
IV. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research relies on two different stages one of which is
discussed in this paper and the second is to be conducted next
year and include regional and international comparison of
design methods adopted in heritage boutique hotels. In the
field of Architecture and Interior Design Case Study analysis
is widely used [8]. This method relies on visual analysis and
design observation strategy and empirical inquiry of
investigating a phenomenon or a unique sitting that stands as
an example. This research adopted a qualitative approach by
conducting a case study analysis on one of the most recent
heritage boutique hotels in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The case was assessed in terms of its design elements listed in
figure 1 and compared to heritage hotels role in sustaining
culture. Secondary data were also obtained from articles
reviews and interviews with the hotel interior designer Mr.
Ammar Basheir as well. The selected case study is a
representative sample of an Arab city heritage boutique hotel.
The case is a recent project labeled ‘Nuzul Alsalam’ hotel that
opened in October 2019.
The project was chosen due to its high value being the first
heritage boutique hotel in Muharraq, Bahrain. The restoration
and renovation of an old traditional domestic house ‘ Fathallah
 2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building
Designs
House’ is aimed to be a desired destination for the Pearling
Path, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This recent project is
one of many other heritage revival projects that are initiated
and managed by Shaik Ibrahim Center for Culture research
and studies that revived historical sites around Bahrain in a
unique and distinguished way as explained here. Many of
these projects are considered an essential tool in building
national image and identity [7].
V. ‘ NUZUL ALSALAM’ BOUTIQUE HOTEL CASE STUDY
1) Historical backgraound and context
The house was a typical courtyard architecture house
preowned by Mr. Fathallah Mohammed Fathallah Almurbati.
Built in 1945-1946 as seen in Fig. 2. The owner and his
family of 11 boys and 2 girls occupied the house for more
than 60 years before it was added as a world heritage site in
2012. Restored and reopened in 2019 in a collaboration
between the UAE and the Sheikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed
Alkhalifa Center for Culture and Research in Bahrain.
The owner’s family was considered a mid-class family
gaining its wealth from the owner employment at Bapco. The
house is considered distinguished in Muharraq with its
relatively large central courtyards surrounded by medium
size rooms and a stunning architectural outdoor feature.
The location overviews a secondary road leading to
Muharraq commercial areas and services and of close
proximity to schools and a sport club that has been recently
changed to large shopping malls and hypermarkets.
Figure 2. An old view of Fathallah House. Source:
Abdulla Alkhan Archive
2) Visual Analysis and observation
-The Architecture façade
Figure 3. Nuzul Alsalam Façade 2020. Source: Shaik
Ibrahim Center
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The newly renovated façade maintains the traditional
vernacular architecture features of traditional Bahraini
Architecture like the courtyard, small windows and the
astonishing window lovers or ‘karkari’ yet repainted in light
green to contrast the white wall paint. The simple and elegant
finish is aligned with the designer concept explained next, as
seen in fig.3. Hotels host 4 bedrooms upstairs and 2
downstairs as well as a dining hall surrounding the central
courtyard.
-The interior design concept and its reflection
The interior designer of the hotel is Mr. Ammar Basheir
who tries to connect to Bahrain rich history through reviving
the epic of Gilgamesh story as an inspiration into all the
interior design elements details in this boutique hotel. The
hotel six rooms narrate the story through contemporary and
modern wall hanging and decorative floors designed by
Bahraini craftsmen.
The hotel rooms are labeled in a unique way inspired by
the tale. Four Rooms labeled as ‘Noor’ meaning light (Figure
4), ‘Ro’ya’ meaning vision, ‘Bahar’ meaning sea, ‘Amal’
meaning hope. Two suites are labeled ‘Zahrat Alkulood’
meaning the flower of eternity and ‘Shams’ meaning sun.
Figure 4. Noor (Light) room Source: Shaik Ibrahim Center
The rooms are centralized around a skylit courtyard garden
filled with lemon and orange trees symbolizing the generosity
of sheik Zayed as seen in figure 5. Modern pieces of furniture,
rich customized embroideries and a parametric staircase made
by 700 pieces of oak are found as focal points in the different
rooms and common areas. The contrast between the different
furniture pieces selection is harmonized with bright colors in
the background without harsh modifications to the interior
structure.
Figure 5. The boutique hotel courtyard dining Source:
Shaik Ibrahim Center
 2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building
Designs
Two main gathering spaces are adjacent to each other, the
courtyard and the Majlis. The main courtyard of the house
acting as an informal lush green dining area of about 30 seaters
is covered with a modern skylight system to control humidity
and high temperature from damaging the interior experience.
The formal Majlis (figure 6) is lavishly designed with a
combination of eye catching colours )Maron, green, mint
green and beige). Statement furniture like velvet fringes
armchairs and sheer curtains are clustered against a 10-seater
dining table overlooked by an oversize modern light fixture.
The eclectic style contrasts the vernacular interior yet blend
with it.
Figure 6. Main dining hall and Majlis. Source: Shaik
Ibrahim Center
Dead corners were smartly converted to astonishing
spaces as seen in the addition of a secret garden to the main
suite ‘Shams’. The room concept derives itself from the literal
meaning of Sun rays with a Tesconi yellow interior of warm
colors opening to the secret garden. Within the garden
climbing trees on pots are collected against a wall filled with
handmade wooden pieces reminding the visitor of the
Bahraini finishing and pearling boats industry and craft.
Figure 7. Secret garden. Source: Shaik Ibrahim Center
-Design details analysis
In this case study the analysis of color scheme, style,
furniture and art pieces as well as interior finishes were of
focus (figure 8). The house design and restoration strike a
balance between preserving and modernization. The design
details were particularly shaped to fit the narrative story of this
boutique heritage hotel. Not only craft and finished and
accessories were of interest here but also the use of digital
computation and advanced manufacturing techniques as seen
in the parametric master staircase. Made of more than 600
wooden raisers that repeats to mimic the structure of sailing
boats. An indirect link to Bahrain trade heritage in a ‘hybrid’
way. The design and manufacturing of such stair form might
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not have been possible without modern modeling program and
CNC manufacturing to cut the wood to such extreme
precessions.
Textile Embroidery Tapestries
Stair details Artwork Floor Finish
Figure 8. Design details. Source: Shaik Ibrahim Center
The color scheme was vibrant and changing to fit every
space theme yet blend with the mint green architecture feature
and fixtures of original glass pattern. The sophisticated
eclectic furniture style matches the elitism nature of the space
targeted users and provide comfort and luxury. The hotel
hosted a unique collection of art pieces from a local artist like
Bu Saad calligraphy paintings. Also, handmade embroidery
pieces and bespoke pillows and bedcovers were designed by a
Bahraini designer Hala Kikasow and custom-made tapestry
from Bokja designs with embroidery design based on the epic
of Gilgamesh. The interior rooms finish was dominated by the
customized terrazzo tile flooring, with patterned tiles in the
courtyard regular paints. The architecture windows kept their
original patterned glass and the courtyard fence also remained
with its traditional pattern painted in white.
VI. DISCUSSION
This boutique heritage hotels followed a neo-traditional
sustainability trend in its interior using design elements that
best fit the elites [5,7]. Linkage to the past was found in four
forms, repainted traditional architecture structure , patterns
and crafts as a heritage product. Moreover, the
implementation of names of a historical epic of Gilgamesh,
conservation of crafts and iconography of Gilgamesh reflected
in the fine details of accessories selection and interiors
finished details. Nevertheless, the use of parametric staircase
might be considered as an extremely modern intervention that
is contrasting dramatically to the calming nature of the
traditional background interior.
The designer was relatively successful in maintaining a
balanced approach in upgrading the vernacular architecture
features of this typical Bahraini courtyard house. The covered
courtyard with skylight is a modern smart solution to control
the air conditioning system and indoor hotel quality during
summer season as well as benefit from the natural light to
 2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building
Designs
activate the dining areas underneath it. The maintenance of
Karkari or window louvers and its effective use as an iconic
structure of the house is a positive design decision. The louver
attachment to the hotel room provided a visual connection to
the surrounding urban area yet maintained the privacy level
needed by the room. However, the contrast found between the
traditional structure and the very modern interior details
analysed in the previous figures forms what can be termed as
a ‘hybrid interior’ experience. This experience is trending in
Muharraq now after several other renovated projects owned
and managed by Shaik Ebrahim Center for Studies and
Research.
This hybrid interior experience has been favored by many
visitors as recorded in social medial and interviews records
found on secondary recourses. The use of this hotel to brand
Muharraq as a heritage city is evident and can be considered
successful similar to the other hotels found in UNESCO world
heritage sites [6].
The research and analysis of gathered data indicates that
the hybrid interior type formulated is successfully trending
and is considered a tool in ‘redefining the historical
vernacular’ and a branding product to infuse national pride
and construct national identity [7].
The studied boutique hotel design can be considered as a
redefined image of hospitality spaces that promotes culture
sustainability by rekindling the interest in historical traditions
and re infuse them to modern lifestyles. Local visitors and
tourists are the main targeted audience of whom this image
would serve. The hybrid design embraced here is enabling rich
culturalism resulting from redefining one of Bahrain
vernacular architecture between ‘elitism’ and ‘grand
traditions’ theories [7].
This research shed lights on the successful hybrid hotel
case as an example of a cultural sustainable approach in
hospitality interiors. It contributes by the Hybrid hotels
general guidelines seen in chart 1. The guidelines can be
further used by designers in their exploration of culture
sustainability within hybrid interiors.
The guidelines expand the process from its
conceptualization phases and urban context to details of
finishes and implementations of crafts. Each guideline can be
tailored to match the unique character of hotels context and
culture that can assist designers in their ideas, modeling and
selection of materials, colours and even accessories.
The second stage of this research aims to analyze more
cases and examples from regional and international projects
against the hybrid hotel guidelines. The guidelines can further
be tested on conceptual boutique hotel by interior design
students to assess their effectiveness and potentials which the
researcher has considered as future assessment methods for
the guidelines.
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Research the urban context and analyses the
present sensory experience as well as the narrative
of space
Renovate a vernacular building respecting it main
architecture features
Rework the courtyards with smart solutions and
skylight to enhance the passive cooling with active
cooling systems
Choose an interior style that complement the
historic background
A conceptual approach can be derived from
historical myths, traditions, crafts of local pioneers
Contrasting colour scheme and fabrics should
follow a conceptual approach that relate the
modern interior created to hints from the past
A design balance has to be achieved not to
overwhelm the visitors with visual masses but
balance materiality with simple experiences of
heritage nature
Exploration of crafts manipulation within interior
design details can add value via accessories
additions or parametric design approaches
Chart 1 Hybrid hotels guidelines
VII. CONCLUSION
The interior design of Heritage hotels plays a major role in
constructing national identity and ensuring cultural
sustainability. The paper in its first research phase discussed
a detailed case study about a successful example of a
‘sustainable boutique hotel’ and how it can combine modern
interiors and hidden meaning as well as passive design
elements which is termed here as ‘hybrid interiors’. The
generated guidelines can be further used on other traditional
buildings or vernacular architecture features to gain more
cultural sustainability. Achieving cultural sustainability
within the hospitality sector can be highly beneficial to
countries. Commercial investments in the tourism sector can
further spread heritage hotels but certain guidelines need to
be followed to ensure their correspondence to local culture
and traditional design using recent sustainable design trends.
VIII. AKNOWLEDGMENT
The researcher highly values the support of Shaik Ebrahim
Alkhalifa Center for Studies and Research.
.
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 2020 Second International Sustainability and Resilience Conference: Technology and Innovation in Building
Designs

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