RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY FRESHMAN ARCHITECTURE

STUDENTS

JUNE 5 2022
 Research on Somaliland Architecture(indigenous architecture):
Introduction
We began this research on Sunday morning, June 4, 2022, and completed it on the same day. We
conducted this research as a group of six people, and each person contributed through their
efforts, and we worked well together.
This research was primarily a local study of how Somaliland, particularly Hargeisa, creates
architecture, particularly residential buildings.
However, this research achieves each and every detail of native Somali architecture (hargiesa),
which includes their building plan such as facade openings, color, and decorative elements.
The research also inquired about the informal experience and organization of the Gobanima
market, which is the second-largest market. in Hargeisa. However, this research achieves each
and every detail of native Somali architecture (hargiesa), which includes their building plan such
as facade openings, color, and decorative elements. However, this research achieves each and
every detail of native Somali architecture (hargiesa), which includes their building plan such as
facade openings, color, and decorative elements.
 Color: What color do they usually paint their houses?
Somalis often paint their homes with different colors, Although people differ, white lime is
commonly used to paint the interior walls of Hargeisa buildings.
However, recent houses designed by native architects have a perfect color combination.
When walking through the interiors of Somali, particularly Hargiesa, homes, you may notice that
they organize painting. For example, they paint the walls of the rooms a similar color, such as
lime. And the kitchen is painted in a distinctive style that contrasts with the rest of the house. The
toilets are most left unpainted or plastered over since they are only for function.
Another occasion of their painting being observed during this research is when they support a
specific political party and paint their home with the color of the party's flag on the main facade
of the house and the entrance.

In a similar case, people in Somaliland are generally patriotic, this sometimes  influences the
colors they choose to paint their homes.
When independence day approaches, they begin to paint the exterior of their home with the
Somaliland flag.

Form: How do they normally construct their houses?

Hargeisa dwellings are typically rectangular in design. This is the most common type of
Hargeisa home building.
Furthermore, the primary building materials for Hargeisa structures are bricks and stones.
Interiorly, the rooms are highly regular, usually adjacent to each other, and have a primarily
linear layout. During our study, we discovered that indigenous architects, particularly old ones,
used to construct toilets outside of the home of the approach area, and they also used to leave
simply rectangular bricks without plastering or painting.
They always use or entirely inclined roofs with metal covers for their roofs. For more
information, when the building is two stories tall, the roof is made of concrete.

Openings:
Doors and windows are commonly designed in the manner depicted in the images below, with
roofed windows and standard doors. Similarly, there is another opening at the top of the main
lateral facede, known in Somali as (faama laydh). The purpose or function of this opening is to
provide adequate light and ventilation to the interior of the house. This type of opening was
commonly used by old Somali buildings; you would be hard pressed to find a new house with
this opening, despite the fact that it is a classical Somali design.

normally there is no other opening rather than this three openings.

 Decorative elements of Somali buildings:
The house's facades are decorated with carved stones of various colors; this is the exterior
ornamentation.
The interior of Hargeisa dwellings features are normally decorated with Somali cultural
instruments.
Sculpture art, which is popular in other countries, is not usually practiced by Somalis.
So far, the only sculpture created by Somalis is a statue of prominent Sayid Mohamed Abdulle
Hassan in jigjiga city.
During this research, we discovered that the majority of Hargeisa residents do not prefer to
decorate their homes; they are more concerned with the functionality of the site.
Despite the fact that Hargeisa is getting more architects and youth have great opportunities to
achieve and plan new architecture and new ideas that are both functional and aesthetically
pleasing.
 Gobonimo market in Hargiesa
Gobanimo is the name of Hargiesa’s second largest market. This market's layout is linear, with
very narrow alleys where everyone has their own business.
Everyone in here is preoccupied with their daily lives. Our research revealed that the space
available for people to start businesses is insufficient. People were barely able to pass each other
because the alley was so narrow.