Architecture of the Arabian Gulf: A Lost Identity

A couple of weeks ago in History of Landscape class, our instructor opened the subject of old Arabian Gulf Architecture of residential places. She pointed out how it is neglected nowadays although it has a lot of benefits for the residents.

I decided to explore the negative effects of that resulted from the loss of this type of architecture on our society and found that there were a lot.

The first negative effect is the loss of string relationship ties and the sense of belonging to a neighborhood. We no longer have those strong ties with our neighbors nowadays. Security and safety is another problem. These and many other social problems have developed due to the change in architecture and lifestyle.

However, the most important negative effect is the loss of architectural identity of the region. We can no longer recognize our identity in the type of buildings we’re living in.

I must say, I am a bit ashamed. The Arabian Gulf Architecture is a very beautiful type of architecture that fits our culture, environment and traditions. It is the most convenient for us. However, we switched that with buildings that are heavily influenced by the west.