Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.

(1)&(2) 2005 JST

A Comparative Analysis of the vernacular Housing

Cluster of Yemen.
Sana'a and Shibam Hadhramawt A Case Study
Hatim M. Al-Sabahi

Abstract
Yemeni architecture varies from one region to another. Each region has its own characteristics with
different urban designs, densities, house forms and building materials. This paper is intended to be a
contribution to the analysis of the physical and social features of the housing cluster of Sana a and
Shibam Hadhramawt. On the physical level, the housing of Sana a and Shibam Hadhramawt are
vertically structured. Building materials, are quite different, housing in Sana a are usually built of stone
in the lower floor, while the higher floors are built with brick. The houses of Shibam Hadhramawt are
built with mud brick. On the social level, in Sana a, a particularly important characteristic of housing
cluster is built around an urban garden, semi-private space shared by more than one family. These
aspects of life in the old city of Sana a are absent in the old city of Shibam Hadhramawt. In this respect,
The urban garden provides a shared semi-private space which also encourages neighborly relations in a
manner not found in Shibam Hadhramawt. The paper will address a similar phenomenon of connecting
passages between houses on the upper floor in the two historical cites. The paper concludes with features
of the vernacular housing of Sana a and Shibam Hadhramawt in terms of aesthetic, and social aspects.
Key Words: Sana a, Shibam Hadhramawt, Urban Design, Vernacular, Housing Cluster,
physical.Features,Social Features, urban Garden.

1. Introduction
Climatic variations and availability of local materials have had distinct effects on
vernacular architecture, which is apparent in its climatic design approaches and in the use of
suitable, locally available materials and construction methods. The Yemeni house is normally
built for one family unit; but old houses may have two or even three closely related families
living in them. The tower house of Sana a or Shibam Hadhramawt has an interior staircase
that allows vertical expansion as more space is needed. This, therefore, allows for family
growth within the house, one of the main social features of the traditional Yemeni family.
The vertical houses in the vernacular style are characteristic of the traditional form of Sanani
architecture, and also of its society. A similar phenomenon of Sana a and Shibam
Hadhramawt is the height. Houses are three to nine floors high, which are often attached to
other structure on both side.

Fig. (1) Maps of Yemen and the Vernacular House of Sana'a and Shibam Hadhramawt.

Associate Professor, Department of architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Sana a University

 Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.(1)&(2) 2005 JST

Shibam Hadhramawt Sana a

Fig. (1) Maps of Yemen and the Vernacular House of Sana'a and Shibam Hadhramawt.

On the physical Level

In terms of urban design
The old city of Sana a was divided up into a number of quarters. A quarter was then sub-
divided into a number of housing clusters (fig. 3). The housing cluster represent the basic
unit of the city morphology, each containing houses and three urban spaces. These are urban
garden, the social square, and the road. These spaces have dictated the general pattern of city
planning. For centuries, the urban design of Sana a conformed to a customized standard. The
result has been to create an architectural language which has its own characteristics and social
structure (Al-Sabahi, 1989, 1994). The outstanding feature of urban design of the old city is
the urban garden which serves two purposes. The first one is social features that, by enclosing
semi-private space within the housing cluster, has secluded these areas from public view. The
second purpose of the urban garden is its source of food for tenants.

Urban Design
Fig. (2) Map and View of the Old City of Sana'a.
Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.(1)&(2) 2005 JST

Fig. (3) Diagrammatic Anlysis of the City of Sana'a.

 Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.(1)&(2) 2005 JST

By contrast, in the old city of Shibam Hadhramawt, there are two urban spaces social
square, and road that have dictated the general pattern of city planning. The formation of the
urban design of the old city of Sana a, is observed in its variations of urban spaces. These
variations make the old city of Sana a more dynamic than the old city of Shibam
Iladhramawt. The morphology of the old city of Shibam Hadhramawt is the interplay of the
shape, scale, and volume of its structures and open spaces, and the materials used to create it.
(Culture H. P.).
The architecture in Hadhramawt reflected the social hierarchy within the city and the
nature of socio-economic relations existing in that period, which affected the characteristics
of the principles of the city design (Damluji, 1986)

Urban design

Fig. (4) Map and View the Old City of Shibam Hadhramawt.
 Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.(1)&(2) 2005 JST

In terms of Housing
The characteristic Sanani house is tall and square. standard features of the tower house is
its height (Serjent & Lewcock, 1983). The vertical houses in the vernacular style are
characteristic of the traditional
form of Sanani architecture,
and also of its society (fig. 5).
A similar phenomenon of
Sana a and Shibam
Hadhramawt is the height.
Houses are three to nine floors
high, which are often attached
to other structures on both side.
Three elements have shaped the
facade of the vernacular house
in Sana a. The first one is the
variation of openings, the
different forms they take, and
the areas they occupy, make the
facades more dynamic. The
second, is the ornamentation on
the facades, which has made the
architectural style rich and
expressive. The third, consists
of the building materials. The
lower part of the facades are
usually built of stone, while in
the higher part brick is more
commonly used. By contrast,
only two elements have shaped
the facade of the vernacular
house in Shibam Hadhramawt
The first one is the variation of
openings. The second, the
building material of the facade
is usually mud brick.
Fig. (5) TheVernacular House of the Old City of Sana a.

In Shibam Hadhramawt, there are connecting passages between houses on the upper floor,
built for defensive purpose, and to allow women to go between houses without having to
descend into the street (Damluji, 1993). These connecting passages also provide additional
shading for the street below. Typically, these houses are three to five storeys high. The top
floor has a terrace to allow people to sleep in the open air in the summer months. A similar
phenomenon exists in a limited number of houses in Sana a. Here, families in adjoining
house have access to other through connecting passages, usually located on the third or fourth
floors (Al-Sabahi, 1996).
The function of these connecting passages, however, is different to what is found in
Shibam. In Sana a, the passages are there to provide quick and efficient access for families at
all times of day. For well-off families the passages allow internal space to be diversified
across two houses, so that store-rooms and service rooms can be separated from living
quarters.
 Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.(1)&(2) 2005 JST

Fig. (6) The Vernacular House of the Old City of Shibam Hadhramawt.

Sourse: C. Melhuish, 'Building on the Orgaic', Building design, May 11, 1990

On the Social Level

The vernacular housing cluster of the city of Sana'a has its own characteristics and social
structure. For example, a social feature places houses around a green urban space. Some
visitors to the old city, while waking around its street, will not notice the existence of the
major urban space even though it represents one fifth of the total area of the old city. The
urban garden provides for its tenants a semi-private space to walk through, relax in, and a
valuable sense of safety. In addition to that, the urban garden, that gives the city tenants
privacy, and opportunities for social contact with neighbours. The Social square provides the
space for Urban garden interaction where people gather on different occasions such as
wedding parties and for children to play in (fig.7). These aspects of life in the old city of
Sana a are absent in the old city of Shibam Hadhramawt. In this respect, the urban garden
provides a shared semi-private space which also encourages neighborly relations in a manner
not found in Shibam Hadhramawt.
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Social Square

Fig. (7) The Urban Space of the Old City of Sana'a.

2. Conclusion

This paper has examined aesthetic and social features of the vernacular housing cluster of
Sana a and Shibam Hadhramawt. From the point of view of style, a standard features of the
tower house in Sana a and Shibam Hadhramawt is the height. Houses are three to nine floors
high, which are often attached to other structure on both sids.
In aesthetic terms, the Sanani house is made from combination of stone and brick. The
variation of the forms and areas of the openings in the vernacular houses of Sana a makes
their facades more dynamic than the housing of Shibam Hadhramawt. Additionally, the
traditional Sanani housing has external ornaments on the facades, which has made the
architectural style rich and more expressive than the housing of Shibam Hadhramawt.
In Social terms, the old city of Sana a has been integrated on the one hand, by its housing
cluster, but on the other hand, its urban gardens have also pulled communities together and
played a major role in the social lives of the residents of the old city, for the informal
gathering of family and neighbours.
Sana a and Shibam Hadhramawt cannot be considered as a museum of historical heritage,
but as a living community. These cities maintain a set of values, and remain a powerful force
of cultural identity for the Yemeni people.
The first priority must be a maintenance of the function of urban gardens which
represent unique features of the ancient city of Sana a.
The second priority must be the preservation of the social squares which are
expressive of the social interactions that take place on a regular basis inside the walled
cities of Sana a and Shibam Hadhramawt.
 Journal of Science & Technology Vol. (10) No.(1)&(2) 2005 JST

3. References

[1]. Al-Sabahi, H. , "Housing Cluster and Dwelling in the City of Sana a, Yemen". MSc.
Thesis, Department of Architecture, Cairo University, 1989.
[2]. Al-Sabahi, H., "The Architectural Transformation of Housing Patterns in the city of
Sana'a" , Yemen Ph D Thesis, Architectural association - School of Architecture,
London, 1994.
[3]. A1-Sabahi, H., "Tradition and Modernity in Sanani Architecture. Published book",
Funded by GTZ, Sana a,Yemen, 1996.
[4]. Serjent, R. B. and Lewcock, R., "Sana'a An Arabian Islamic City". The World of Islam
Festival Trust, London, . 1983.
[5]. Damluji, S., "The Principles qfArchitectural Planning in Hadramut", Yemen. Ph.D.,
Royal College of Art, London, 1986.
[6]. Damluji, S., "The Valley ofMud BrickArchitecture", Reading: Garnet Publishing Culture
Heritage (Protection) Project., Final Report, Volume 3, September 1999, 1993.
[7]. Melhuish, C., "Building on the Organic", Building design, 1990.