VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE:

The case of ALGERIA

ARCE 3245

Dr. Amine Moulay

Department of Architectural Design, Faculty of Engineering

Royal University for Women

27 October 2022
 Short Reminder

WHAT IS A VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE?

Vernacular. Term derived from the Latin “Vernaculus”

meaning: domestic, native, indigenous.

Vernacular Architecture. Refers to that type of

Architecture which is Indigenous to a specific TIME AND

PLACE .
It is most often applied to RESIDENTIAL buildings
 Modernism VS Failure

What is the ORIGIN of the Vernacular Architecture?

1- buildings first evolved out of the dynamic between

NEEDS (shelter, security, worship…etc.) and MEANS
(available building materials, and attendant skills).

2- As human cultures developed and knowledge began to

be formalized through oral traditions and practices,
BUILDING became CRAFT and ARCHITECTURE.

3- Then the most highly formalized and respected versions

of THAT CRAFT is idealized by the 19th Century.
 Let's go back to Algeria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNW83Hv-lps
ALGERIA Geography
ALGERIA Geography
 ALGERIA Geography
So, there are THREE main regions in Algeria from the North to the South:

1- The littoral
2- The highlands
3- The desert (Sahara)
 Types of Algerian VA
NORTH:
The Casbah and Medinas from the Islamic era

Algiers Casbah
 Types of Algerian VA
NORTH:
The Casbah and Medinas from the Islamic era

Constantine Casbah
 Types of Algerian VA
NORTH:
The Casbah and Medinas from the Islamic era

Annaba Casbah
 Types of Algerian VA
NORTH:
The Casbah and Medinas from the Islamic era

Mila Casbah
 Types of Algerian VA
NORTH:
The Casbah and Medinas from the Islamic era

Nedroma Casbah
 Types of Algerian VA
NORTH:
The Casbah and Medinas from the Islamic era

Tlemcen Casbah
 Types of Algerian VA
The highlands:

The Kabyle villages

 Types of Algerian VA
The highlands:

The Kabyle villages

 Types of Algerian VA
The highlands:

The Rural habitation

 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the KSOUR.

Ksour Boussaâda
 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the KSOUR.

Ksour Beni Abbes

 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the KSOUR.

Ksour Beni Abbes

 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the KSOUR.

Ksour Beni Abbes

 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the

KSOUR.

Ksour Timimoun
 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the KSOUR.

Ksour Timimoun
 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called the KSOUR.

Ksour Ghardaia
(Mzab)
 Types of Algerian VA
The desert (Sahara) :

We mainly find in the south what is called

the KSOUR.

Ksour Ghardaia
(Mzab)
 Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6CfzBrS3cs
Vernacular Architecture
 Vernacular Architecture
VA posses a deep respect and perfect communication with the natural environment. The
perfect relation and understanding the users needs.

The result is a complex balance between MATERIALS, SHAPE, and the NATURAL CONTEXT

It is the best model of inspiration for the FUTURE DESIGN.

 Algerian Vernacular Architecture
The desert (Sahara) :

From a historical perspective the BUILDING WISDOM that we can

see in the different Vernacular Architectures is the ACCUMULATION
of the passage of so many civilizations in Algeria:

• Phoenician civilization 1250 BC to 146 BC

• Numidian civilization 202 BC to 40 BC
• Roman civilization 25 BC to 430
• Vandal civilization 430 to 533
• Byzantine civilization 534 to 647
• Islamic civilization 1516 to 1830
Omayad, Fatimid, Almoravid, Almohad, Hafsid, Zianid, and
Ottoman
• The French occupation was a total disruption with the previous
wisdom (1830 to 1962).
 Algerian Vernacular Architecture

HOW COME YOU REJECT CENTURIES OF

ACCUMULATION of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE ?

Then talk about modernism as a divorce with

traditions and accumulated human being knowledge!
 Algerian Vernacular Architecture

MODERN ARCHITECTURE rejected the wisdom of

human being legacy!!
 Algerian Vernacular Architecture

MODERN ARCHITECTURE rejected the wisdom of

human being legacy!!

- Classical era is the era of reason (Plato, Aristotle, Socrates…)

- Renaissance: a reaction against the dogmatism of the religious supremacy
- Neoclassicisim: a reaction against the Baroque and the Rococo styles
- Industrial revolution. Huge change in history in terms of human
settlements in disproportionate number for the first time
- Modernism. We have science and technology. Total disruption with the
past

- Ex: The story of Building Ka’aba in Mecca

 Algerian Vernacular Architecture

To benefit from the accumulated wisdom of the human being legacy, to develop
a deep respect and perfect communication with the natural environment. To
understand the contextual users needs.
 Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
The desert (Sahara) :
Ksour Ghardaia (Mzab)
 Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
The desert (Sahara) :
Ksour Ghardaia (Mzab)

Ghardaia is a region inhabited by the “Mozabites” since centuries 3000 BC

They defied nature with simple yet responsive architecture (architecture without
architect).
When “Le Corbusier” visited the region, he said “ Whenever NATURE said NO, the
Mozabites said YES in terms of defying the harsh climate.

The construction principle is to start with

building a Landmark (Masjid) on the top of
the hill (Kevin Lynch principles discovered
was already known). Then, constructing
houses around this landmark, with narrow
pathways (shade, aeration), that serves all
points in the city. (principle of legibility and
permeability of Lynch).
Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
 Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
The desert (Sahara) :
Ksour Ghardaia (Mzab)
The MZAB is a region in the heart of Algeria, situated 600 Km from
the capital Algiers, in the city of Ghardaia
 Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
The desert (Sahara) :
Ksour Ghardaia (Mzab)
M'Zab Valley
A traditional human habitat,
created in the 10th century by
the Ibadites around their
five ksour (fortified cities), has
been preserved intact in the
M’Zab valley. Simple,
functional and perfectly
adapted to the environment,
the architecture of M’Zab was
designed for community
living, while respecting the
structure of the family. It is a
source of inspiration for
today’s urban planners.
 Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
The desert (Sahara) :
Ksour Ghardaia (Mzab)
At the origin, the M'Zab region was composed of 5 + 2 oasis
Ghardaia, beni-Isgen, El-Ateuf, Melika, bou Noura
Berrian & Guerrara

M'Zab Valley 1 M'Zab Valley 2

The desert (Sahara) :
Ksour Ghardaia (Mzab)
The M’Zab valley in the northern part of the Algerian Sahara is
Ghardaia Vernacular Architecture
recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its urban
ensembles in connection with oasis agriculture. The agricultural
surface area was estimated at 58,508 hectares as of 2018.
 Ghardaia GEOLOGICAL STUDY
The M'Zab region is situated above a rocky area named HAMADA, where the height vary
between 300 to 800 m

The whole Valleys are name CHEBKA that are crossed by the Oued of M’Zab

It’s not a flat area

M'Zab Valley Topography

 Ghardaia CLIMATIC STUDY

The region has a desert climate with cold winters and

hot summers and an average annual precipitation of less
than 100 mm while the annual evapotranspiration
exceeds 2000 mm. Agriculture, and indeed life in this
desert, is not possible without irrigation.
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Urban view of the city
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Urban view of the city
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
The Mo’Zabite architecture obeys to a strict regulations
that no one can derogate

In a Mo”Zabite city, the first building is the Masjid in the

top of the Valley, around which all houses will be alined
in a circular way up to the city’s ramparts (Walls)
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
All houses have approximately the same dimensions, so
as you cannot distinguish between rich and poor families
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
- Roads serving houses are usually 2 to 2.5 meters of width
As to avoid negative effects of sandstorms.
- However, there is a hierachie of roads’ widths as per the
importance of the road.
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
- The small widths of the roads had also the aim to avoid
infiltration of Knight enemies, and to make it difficult.
- The larger road had also the aim to allow some commercial
activities
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
The circular form allow a strict social order:
- The closest is the house to the center the more it is valuable
- The Masjid role is beyond the spiritual aspect. It plays the role
of preserving unity, community service, and social order.
- The existing of a sook close to Masjid
- A labyrinthic aspect of the plan which preserve intimacy
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Building construction MATERIALS

Toub: are clay bricks fabricated insitu, with an outstanding

insolation qualities
Cheap, local material, and do not harm the environment!!!
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Building construction MATERIALS

Timechent: A kind of plaster fabricated locally throught heating

gypsum. Used to link the Toub bricks, and they have excellent
insolation characteristics as well

Palms: it’s with these local trees that they construct Doors, Beams,
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE

Whatever the temperature is outside, all M’Zab

houses have a very ambient and cool
temperature, and without Air Conditioning !
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE

Parapet wall of 1.5 meters, allowing aeration and

maintaining privacy on the houses’ roofs
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE

Notion of privacy, and different forms of parapets

 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE

M’Zab house typology

Houses do not exceed 100 m2,
Has two levels, with a terrace at
the top

The doors’ entrance (ATABA) is

always elevated with 10 to 20
cm, to avoid :

- Sands penetrating inside

houme
- Preventing cool air going
outside home
El ATABA
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE

M’Zab house typology

Strong notion of privacy since
the entrance:
- SKIFA (Entrance)
- Chicane (space of the entrance)
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE

M’Zab house typology

From the main entrance you have a corridor taking to the TIZEFRIT
(salle des fame).
Rooms are surrounding the Ouastadar (central place, Cooking, siting)
And is covered with a CHEBEK, for light, shade, privacy

Ouastdar Chebek
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
In the 1st floor, there are multiple spaces:

Open space with independent

Entrance for Winter and spring
Called “Tirrarghet”

Arcades bringing light and

Aeration to one rooms (Ikomar)

Living room with independent

Entrance for guest/women called
(Laali)

Above the rooms of the 1st floor

We have the terrace. Parapet of
1.5 m. you can even sleep in
During Summer
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
M’Zab house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
M’Zab house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
M’Zab house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
M’Zab house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
M’Zab house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
M’Zab house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Palm house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Palm house
 M’Zab valley ARCHITECTURE
Palm house