Culture, Participation & Dissemination of Knowledge

The project was dedicated to resuscitating important cultural landmarks through investing in the traditional building techniques and systems. The project, led by Daw'an Architecture Foundation (an NGO based in Hadramut) with the support of the local authorities (Office of the Governor of Hadramut), encompassed in-situ capacity building. Youth from the community participated in training schemes on the building sites, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of the architectural skills and resources in their region. The reconstruction engaged local master builders and craftspeople, with their knowledge and expertise, in responding to the inherent challenge involved in sensitively restoring the war-torn urban fabric and its aesthetic impact.

Innovation & Ecological Footprint

The materials are entirely locally sourced, and contribute to the environmentally viable and ecologically sound building systems in Hadramut. In damaged buildings, structural reinforcement was achieved through an intervention process with incisions to insert wooden wall ties, and circular stone pillars to support existing walls. Most of the stone used in the construction was collected on site from the debris of the edifice minimising waste. An innovative deployment of the materials was the research and development of a water-resistant plaster called Saruj (crushed fired clay mixed with lime and sand). Reintroducing this resilient product to the building processes of the four sites ensured the long-term sustainability of the edifices, and interaction with the natural environment.

Impact & Social inclusion

The impact lies in the quality of reconstruction of public monuments that were deliberately destroyed in broad daylight as witnessed by the whole community. This is highlighted by a contemporary approach to the building discipline that is sustainable and economically viable, while introducing innovative use of local materials.

The project resulted in the restoring the integrity and social beliefs of the community that celebrates the spaces and places of revered Sufi sages and practice their faith and rituals in peace, while reaffirming the significance of the inherited aesthetic forms, which have a lasting impact on the quality of their environment. The local authorities and community are directly responsible for the maintenance and operation of the completed buildings.