Academic literature on the topic 'Vernacular architecture – Libya – Ghāt'

Modern buildings are associated with a lot of shortcomings, such as consumption of an excessive amount of non-renewable energy and resources, environmental pollution and depletion of natural landscapes, etc. Vernacular buildings can be argued to help in reducing environmental problems for local society. Libya, as a developing Arab country, has also faced several urbanization problems in recent years. However, the country has a remarkable span of vernacular architecture patterns. Vernacular architecture that the country owns may be a solution to combat such challenges. There are three types of traditional vernacular dwellings in three regions of the country as underground housing (the mountain region), compact dwelling (the desert), and the courtyard house (coastal region). Thus the aim of this study is to make a comparison between underground and modern housing in Gharyan, Libya, with regards to thermal performance and humidity. Thermal performance in both underground and above ground houses was measured with an instrument called a hygrometer. The result from the thermal measurement that was done in one month of the winter season (21/01/2019-18/02/2019) demonstrates that the underground house has an indoor mean temperature and humidity of 16.12°C and % 62.07 RH while the other house type has an indoor temperature and humidity of 12.70°C and % 70.13 RH. The underground house seems to have a relatively reasonable and stable indoor temperature compared to the modern house indoor. In addition, the underground house seems to be relatively less humid compared to the modern house for indoor environment in particular.

This dissertation presents a study of the urban form of the Old Town of Ghat, the historical sultanate of the Azjer Tuareg. An analysis of the public and private spaces of this collective artifact is presented in order to comprehend and document the relationship between this Saharan town's architecture and Ghatian society. This study illustrates how Ghat's vernacular architecture represents a range of culturally distinct meanings and values and how this architecture reflects Ghatian life. In order to analyze the built environment of Ghat and the pattern of use of public and private spaces, this dissertation investigates Azjer Tuareg culture and documents the various existing nomadic and semi-nomadic Azjer Tuareg housing typologies in Libya. It investigates not only the contribution of the socio-cultural practices of this culture to the way spaces were configured, organized, and used, but also the Ghatian peoples' daily and seasonal life routines as well as their various social and economic activities.
This dissertation explores Ghat's spaces at three levels of its urban environment: the home (domestic), the neighbourhood (communal), and the town (public). It focuses on the relationship between the social aspects of Ghatian culture and the formation and use of the town's spaces. It also investigates the affect of trans-Saharan trade and the colonization and ruling history of Old Ghat on its formation and/or growth and the creation of public and private spatial domains in an attempt to understand the embedded meanings of Ghat's built environment. This study also investigates the role of climate in the formation of Old Ghat and the ingenious architecture and structure of its dwellings. This architecture reflects local construction techniques and limited local resources, consequently imparting distinct meaning to the built form of Ghat.

This research offers a systematic analysis of the physical features of residential Vernacular Architecture (VA) of Nafusa Mountain Region (NMR) in Libya, linking them to the governance system of heritage conservation in Libya and to the Responsible Institutions (RIs). Libya has experienced different historic stages, such as the Amazigh, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Muslims, and Italian colonization. It is distinguished by a historic continuity, which has enriched its historic and architectural features. This study investigates and documents the main physical unique features of residential VA in NMR and related factors that influence Conservation Processes (CPs) within the current governance system delivered by the RIs. By clarifying the elements that make residential VA unique and by understanding current issues undermining its effective conservation, this study offers valuable and original insights for informing future conservation policies and for putting in place measures aimed at restoring, preserving, and maintaining this unique architectural and historical heritage. This research also produces new knowledge about VA of the NMR in Libya, a topic on which no studies have been available so far. By filling the gap in current knowledge, this study raises awareness about the value of the VA in the NMR and contributes to support the conservation of such a unique heritage. The research methodology for this study uses both qualitative and quantitative approaches (Mixed Methods). The researcher has selected and justified three examples of Vernacular Dwellings (VDs) in NMR and collected the data through observation, analysis of dwellings maps, photos, interviews and a questionnaire. Visual survey has been conducted by visiting relevant sites and systematically collecting visual evidence, such as photographic and technical survey including structures and technological spatial details. Spatial analysis methods have been adopted to uncover the rationale of the VA development and construction. Semi-structured interviews with relevant parties have been administered at senior, middle, and junior management level of the RIs and complemented with the review of archival documents and relevant government reports. Findings from the research outline the main challenges to VA in NMR that include a lack of appreciation and understanding of heritage among owners, scarcity of local materials and traditional building skills, lack of government support as well as insufficient documentation. All the findings were triangulated prior to the development of the initial recommendations and further decision-makers and expert validation was obtained to establish the final recommendations. Conclusions and recommendations on how to preserve residential VA in NMR context will assist policy makers in Libya, when setting strategic national plans for VA conservation, and will provide a useful point of reference for academics and researchers.

Since the last century a growing movement of individuals and organizations that seek the redefinition of how buildings are designed, built and operated to be more responsible to the environment. The critical contribution of the residential building in this matter emphasizes the need to study the houses thermal performance and its impact on environment, considering the human thermal comfort requirements. The reduction of the energy demand for heating and cooling is the key factor in the low energy houses and minimizing environmental damage caused by the emissions of carbon dioxide. In this thesis the traditional vernacular houses in Libya have been used as a vehicle of the research. The houses have been selected from three cities, Tripoli, Ghadames and Gheryan; analyzed and appraised to the climate and culture requirement in addition to context, house form and building materials. The study endeavors to examine the Traditional Vernacular Architecture in Libya, which is conceptually understood as a shelter that fulfilled people’s needs according to their socio-cultural criteria as well responding positively to the climatic factors. Therefore, studying the socio-cultural forces that form the vernacular houses outlines the guidelines for a low energy building that encounters people’s contemporary need. The research has been assessed by means of computer monitoring, field survey and computer energy simulation. Monitoring the thermal performance of the traditional vernacular houses provides lessons that act as catalyst and model for future low energy house. Sets of passive heating and cooling strategy have been underlined from each of the three vernacular houses in three climatic regions in Libya. The field survey of thermal comfort has been conducted to examine the thermal comfort in Libya’s traditional houses. The outcome of the survey is two main findings, first it sets the value of thermal insulation of the Libyan traditional clothing, and secondly, the survey assigns the thermal comfort temperature in three climatic zones in Libya. The energy simulations results of the three models induced that the vernacular traditional houses can augment the future low energy housing in Libya. A low energy house models have been proposed by the author and tested with positive results in the three cities, using the available local building material and the traditional environment solutions can establish an indoor comfort environment that is acceptable. The findings of the study fill part of the gap in the thermal comfort standards for Libya, and prove the possibility to lower the energy use in the future house compared to the contemporary house in the three climatic region of Libya, with nearly 80% in winter and 60% in summer. The study also provides guidelines for use in building standards in Libya. It also concludes that number of research avenues should be carried out for a comprehensive answer to the issue of thermal comfort and building design strategies for a low energy house in Libya.