Pictures.. Architecture "Qatif Oasis" It blends the spirit of the past with the modernity of the present
Tourists stop by the diversity of ancient traditional architecture in Traditional architecture in the oasis between the coastal and agricultural environment, drawing a living model of integrated sustainable architecture and a physical embodiment of a unique duality, as the economic role historically played a vital center for commercial and maritime exchange and a meeting place for caravans in the Arabian Peninsula, so the ancient local builder, known as "The stadium" In achieving an exceptional balance between exploitation of direct local resources and climate resistance.
With the development of life, it brought construction materials that were not available in the surrounding environment, which made these houses historical evidence that tells the story of a civilization, as the construction in the oasis mixes heritage materials, visual aesthetics, and a building identity formed from local materials such as marine and coral rocks, clay, local plaster and inflorescences, palm trunks, bamboo stems, dandelions, and others.
Moisture absorption Al-Sahel Al-Shadiya
The local heritage researcher, Muhammad Al-Musali, explained that the basic structures and thick walls of these ancient buildings relied on limestone and coral rocks extracted from the bottom of the bay and the shallow areas near the beaches, and were distinguished by their porous nature and lightness, allowing the building to breathe by absorbing the intense coastal humidity during the day and storing it, then evacuating it at night in the form of cold steam to achieve unique natural thermal insulation.
He added that the sticky clay is brought from The dense water springs and nearby clay lands provide the flexible material that binds the stones and withstands tremors and weather changes without cracking. It is covered with local plaster and light, which was used to paint the walls in bright white to reflect the scorching rays of the sun and purify the rooms of insects and parasites.
In addition to employing textiles. "Mats" and"Al-Bariya" To form insulating layers that prevent dust from falling from the ceilings.
Al-Musalli explained that construction in the region since ancient times relied on palm trunks for its timber, in addition to the trunks of a tree grown on Tarut Island called "Dangerous" It acquired this name from its involvement in the manufacture of small boats used to move between the island and its surroundings.
In addition to being one of the construction elements for the buildings on the island and its surrounding towns, in the roofs of houses, shops, and pavilions.
Knowing the time of construction of the building
The architect and interested in the building heritage explained in Qatif Mustafa Al-Nimr: The wood in the ceilings of these houses has a special fingerprint that enables us to know the time of construction of the building. The local palm trunks guide us to an era before the flourishing of the pearl trade, that is, before the middle of the nineteenth century, when they were cut and modified according to need, and this process is called imprisonment, and the craftsman is called imprisonment.
He explained that the use of wood "Basjil" These are slices of a long bamboo stalk"And the jandal "A type of tree" This indicates the era of the flourishing pearl trade, that is, between the middle of the nineteenth century and the twenties of the twentieth century, when these woods and other materials began to be imported from East Africa, East Asia, and India, along with dyes and colors for local architecture. At this stage, the use of palm trunks remained for those who wished.
An integrated architectural and economic system
Al-Nimr explained that after the discovery of oil in the last century, construction developed, and the move away from some local building materials began more, as squares and manufactured wood panels began to be used. And the modern ones in the roofs of houses and buildings, which were later replaced by concrete roofs and modern architecture.
He pointed out that these local and imported materials were combined to ultimately form an integrated architectural and economic system that highlighted the region’s identity in a distinctive way by using luxurious wood, plaster inscriptions, and advanced geometric decorations on the facades of the houses, which clearly reflects the financial ability of the owner of the house and his connection to the regional and global pearl trade networks prevailing at that time.
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