house in the medina of bou saada

This project is financed by the MEDA programme of the European Union. The opinions expressed in the present document do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union or of its member States. 1/13

CONTENTS OF THE FI LE

Synthesis Analytical group of the typology Forms of the typology Inventory of the country’s typologies

Current state of vitality and preservation Transformation process Capacity for rehabilitation Lexicon

SYNTHESIS

Medina f ounded in the 13th century on the highest point of the hill along the Bou Saadawadi. The palm grove was created below the wadi and to the north of the ksar.It is a grouped housing unit with party walls in which each house is occupied by asingle f amily. The solution of the inner courtyard provides the necessary spatial lay outf or this circumstance and the preserv ation of family privacy. The house corresponds tothe courty ard house type.Today , it has f allen into disrepair due to the departure of the former owners.

ANALYTICAL GROUP OF THE TYPOLOGY

Urban Grouped Fixed Def initive Permanent «Seated» Medium Compact(Environment) (Implantation) (Character) (Origin) (Use) (Cultural) (Economic level) (Morphology)

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY

House with timber structure

House with timber pillars

Courty ard house with arches

Rampart house

House with inner garden

INVENTORY OF THE COUNTRY’S TYPOLOGIES

House in the Medina of Algiers House in Cherchell House in the Ouarsenis

House in Hodna House in the Medina of Bou Saada House in Kabylia

House in Aurès House in the M’Zab valley House in Mila

Typology:

Country:

House in the Medina of Bou SaadaAlgeria


House in the Medina of Bou Saada: hous e wi th timber s truc ture

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY House with timber structure

ImplantationImplantation on the edge of the wadi. Itis a walled town with rampart housesbordering the old road from the Romanperiod. It includes f arm land, the palmgrov e, which separates it f rom the wadi.The dwellings are grouped around thepopulation’s mosque and the maraboutsof its ancestors, forming districts.

Use/asso ciated activit yPermanent dwelling associated withagriculture, stock-keeping and trade.

DatingThe town was created in the 13th centuryby Sid thamer, Sidi slimane Ben Rabeaand Sidi Dhim.

Altitude560 m.

OrientationThe wadi borders the town and the palmgrov e. It runs in a south-west/north-eastdirection; this is the direction of the warmwinds which blow f rom the south-westand the cold winds f rom the north-east.The streets of the medina are windingand lead f rom the main roads to deadends. Through roads run f rom east towest; more private roads generally runfrom south to north, allowing thepreserv ation of a stable climate in theold town.

Ground surface coveredApproximately 30 m2

Surface area of housingApproximately 50 m2

Number of floorsGF + terrace with 1 or 2 rooms.

Number of homesOne.

Number of familiesOne.

Averag e number of members per family2 to 7 people per f amily with family ties.

Functional outlineThis is a house built on a parcel with aminimum surface area of 30 m2 in thef orm of a narrow rectangle. Entrance viaa skifa leads to a stairway whichcommunicates with a first floorcomprising two rooms and a terrace. Onthe ground floor, after the skifa comes acorridor which leads to the bathroom andto the heart of the house, the kitchenspace which is lit by a chebk (opening inthe ceiling). The bedroom is at the farend.

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House in the Medina of Bou Saada: hous e wi th timber s truc ture

W allsBearing walls with a base of bonded stone, 40 to 60 cm thick and 1 to 1.5 m high,and bricks of dried clayey earth strengthened with dried straw (toub). More rarely,the wall is built entirely of stone.

FrameworkSystem of timber beams laid across a short distance between two opposite walls;the beams are supported by a continuous structure in the f orm of timber consolesdriv en into the wall.

RoofTerrace roof with timber board work, a layer of clay ey earth and a coating of limemortar.

RenderingThe entire house is rendered with f at lime mixed with the clay ey earth of the toub.

Openings and projections in the f acad eNot frequent; the house opens up through and is aired by the rooms which giv eonto the courty ard.

Traditional syst ems of air-conditioningFireplaces in the corner of the communal room for cooking and in one other room,in v iew of the harsh winters. Openings in the ceiling in the form of 1 or 2 smallchebks.The v entilation system is insufficient.

Drinking water supply systemsProv ided by the urban network and av ailable f rom a sink situated under thestairway leading to the terrace.Traditionally, the cistern was located beneath the courtyard.

W aste wat er drainage systemsA bathroom is situated beneath the stairway leading to the terrace. Drainage isprov ided by the urban network. These installations were built in the main streetsduring the French colonial period. In the houses in alleys, drainage is via a cesspitbeneath the house; it is easier for the inhabitants to provide the water, and thequantities of waste water to be ev acuated are too large f or this to be a satisf actorysy stem.Traditionally, wells were situated beneath the courty ard.


House in the Medina of Bou Saada: hous e wi th timber p illars

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY H ou se wi th t i mb er p il l ar s

ImplantationImplantation along the wadi, betweentwo mountains running f rom the north-east to the south-west, the djebelKerdada and the djebel Moubakhera. Itis a walled town with rampart housesbordering the old road from the Romanperiod.It includes f arm land, the palm grove,which separates it from the wadi.The dwellings are grouped around thepopulation’s mosque and the maraboutsof its ancestors, forming districts.



Altitude560 m.




Number of floorsGF + terrace.

Number of homesOne.


Averag e number of members per family2 to 6 persons with f amily ties.

Functional outlineThis is a small house of 45 m2. Theentrance opens into a space which leadsvia a door into a reception room behindthe street f acade with, beyond it, theliv ing area, the centre of the house,which is lit by a chebk (opening in theceiling) and contains a f ireplace, astairway and a WC beneath the stairs.The stairs lead up to the terrace and abedroom.The rooms are made bigger by thesy stem of timber pillars and consoleswhich support the f loor slab. Thistechnique is the same as is used f or thehouse in Aurès to the east, though ituses the branches of less imposing,locally available trees.

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House in the Medina of Bou Saada: hous e wi th timber p illars


FrameworkSystem of bearing walls and pillars of tree trunks topped by timber consoles.

RoofTerrace roof supported by timber beams, branches or board work, a layer of clay eyearth and a coating of lime mortar.

RenderingRendering of lime, sand and earth.


Traditional syst ems of air-conditioningFireplace in the corner of the communal room f or cooking. Openings in the ceilingin the form of 1 or 2 small chebks in the communal room.

Drinking water supply systemsThere is running water in a sink in the kitchen and in a WC situated beneath thestairway leading to the terrace.

W aste wat er drainage systemsThere is a bathroom in the courtyard beneath the stairway leading to the terrace,along with a sink.The main streets were fitted with supply and drainage systems during the Frenchcolonial period.In the houses in alleys, drainage is via a cesspit beneath the house; it is easier f orthe inhabitants to prov ide the water, and the quantities of waste water to beev acuated are too large f or this to be a satisf actory system, producing dampness inhouses which are insufficiently aired.


House in the Medina of Bou Saada: c our tyard house with arches

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY Courtyard house with arches

ImplantationImplantation along the wadi, betweentwo mountains running f rom the north-east to the south-west, the djebelKerdada and the djebel Moubakhera. Itis a walled town with rampart housesbordering the old road from the Romanperiod.It includes f arm land, the palm grove,which separates it from the wadi.The dwellings are grouped around thepopulation’s mosque and the maraboutsof its ancestors, forming districts.



Altitude560 m.





Number of homesOne.



Functional outlineThis is a f air-sized house of 80 m2,equipped with an open-air courty ardbordered by porticoes which f orm agallery with two arches on each side.The skifa leads to a WC and thecourty ard. The gallery leads to thebedrooms and the kitchen with itsf ireplace. The house is built entirely oftoub (unbaked earth brick), the pillarsand the arches being made of the samematerial. This house is laid out on theground f loor and its plan does notinclude a stairway leading to the terrace,which is fairly improbable f or a house inthe south.

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House in the Medina of Bou Saada: c our tyard house with arches


FrameworkWall construction system with arches supported by pillars of toub.


RenderingRendering of lime and earth.


Traditional syst ems of air-conditioningFireplaces in the corner of the communal room for cooking and in one other room,in v iew of the harsh winters. Openings in the ceiling in the form of 1 or 2 smallchebks.Courty ard.

Drinking water supply systemsThere is running water in a sink in courty ard beneath the stairway leading to theterrace.

W aste wat er drainage systemsThere is a bathroom in the courtyard beneath the stairway leading to the terrace,along with a sink.The main streets were fitted with supply and drainage systems during the Frenchcolonial period.In the houses in alleys, drainage is via a cesspit beneath the house; it is easier f orthe inhabitants to prov ide the water, and the quantities of waste water to beev acuated are too large f or this to be a satisf actory system, producing dampness inhouses which are insufficiently aired.


House in the Medina of Bou Saada: r ampar t house

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY Rampart house

ImplantationImplantation along the wadi, in a walledtown with rampart houses bordering theold road f rom the Roman period. Itincludes farm land, the palm grov e,which separates it from the wadi.The dwellings are grouped around thepopulation’s mosque and the maraboutsof its ancestors, forming districts.



Altitude560 m.





Number of homesOne.



Functional outlineThe house is accessible from abov e onthe town side. The door opens into alarge skifa which leads into a receptionroom with a f ireplace and into a cov eredcourty ard with a portico of two arches litby two chebk. The central space, thecourty ard, contains the stairway leadingto the f irst f loor, the WC under the stairsand a f ireplace for heating and cookingin a spacious area. A door in thecourty ard opens onto the stairway whichleads to a terrace below, forming theramparts. This leads to the kitchen andthe liv ing room where the woman of thehouse does her weav ing. On the f irstf loor, a bedroom opens up onto theterrace.

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House in the Medina of Bou Saada: r ampar t house

W allsBearing walls of bonded stone, 40 to 60 cm thick, built entirely of stone.

FrameworkWall construction system using arches supported by stone pillars.




Traditional syst ems of air-conditioningFireplaces in the corner of the communal room for cooking and in two other rooms,in v iew of the harsh winters. Openings in the ceiling in the form of 1 or 2 smallchebks f or the communal room, including access to the stairway and the bathroom.

Drinking water supply systemsThere is running water in a sink in the kitchen and in a WC situated beneath thestairway leading to the terrace.

W aste wat er drainage systemsThe main streets were fitted with supply and drainage systems during the Frenchcolonial period.


House in the Medina of Bou Saada: hous e wi th inner gar den

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY House with inner garden

ImplantationImplantation along the wadi, betweentwo mountains running f rom the north-east to the south-west, the djebelKerdada and the djebel Moubakhera. Itis a walled town with rampart housesbordering the old road from the Romanperiod.It includes f arm land, the palm grove,which separates it from the wadi.The dwellings are grouped around thepopulation’s mosque and the maraboutsof its ancestors, forming districts.These houses are the largest; they aresituated on the fringes of the medinanear the palm grove.



Altitude560 m.





Number of homesSev eral.

Number of families2 to 4 f amilies with family ties.


Functional outlineThis is a house on a large plot of landnear the palm grove. A skifa leads into areception room and then opens onto thecourty ard, actually an inner garden, withplants in the centre and a portico oneach of the f our sides forming a gallery,surrounded by the kitchen, shower, WCand the stairway leading to the first floor.Then come the bedrooms. On the f irstf loor there are two bedrooms, a terraceand then a second terrace on a differentlev el including a cov ered room with awindow which ov erlooks the Place dumarabout.

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House in the Medina of Bou Saada: hous e wi th inner gar den


FrameworkWall construction system with arches supported by pillars of toub.




Traditional syst ems of air-conditioningFireplaces in the corner of the main rooms, in v iew of the harsh winters.These houses built around gardens have large dimensions and rooms which mayopen up onto the garden surrounded by arched porticoes for ventilation and light.

Drinking water supply systemsThere is running water in the bathroom, shower, WC and the kitchen laid outaround the courtyard which includes a stairway leading to the terrace.

W aste wat er drainage systemsThere is a bathroom in the courtyard under the stairway leading to the terrace.The main streets were fitted with supply and drainage systems during the Frenchcolonial period.Drainage is easier due to the breadth of the streets.


House in the Medina of Bou Saada

CURRENT S TATE OF VI TALI TY AND PRESERVATION

Today , the dwelling has f allen into disrepair due to the departure of the formerowners. The unf ortunate suppression of craft workshops has impov erished theactiv ity in the centre of the historic f abric. The best preserv ed part is around theoldest religious buildings, which are prestigious neighbours f or the residentpopulation.

TRANSFORMATION PROCESSEffect / Cause

Typological transformation s

— Increase in height.— Opening or enlargement of doors and windows in the facades.— Substitution and impoverishment as columns and ceramics disappear f rom the

patios.

Change in use

Change in use of construction materials and techniques

— In use, living• Unbaked earth bricks for the walls with reinforced concrete bonding.

— Little used, in decline• Stone used to build walls with reinforced concrete bonding.

— No longer used• Bearing posts of palm trunk.

Recent incorporations• Reinf orced concrete bonding in stone walls.• Reinf orced concrete bonding in unbaked earth brick walls.• Reinf orced concrete f ramework with inf illing of cement breeze blocks of the

same format as the unbaked earth bricks.• Reinf orced concrete f ramework with inf illing of silica-lime bricks which are

industrially produced in the region.• Reinf orced concrete f ramework with inf illing of hollow breeze blocks.• Cement girders and reinforced concrete f loor slabs.• Metal girders for the floors.


House in the Medina of Bou Saada

CAPACITY FOR REHABILI TATION

Asp ects of the t ypolog y

Score from 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent)

• Capacity for sale or rental on the property market 8• Capacity for adaptation to present-day f amily and social requirements 5• Capacity for adaptation to present-day comf ort requirements 5

Score from 0 (insignificant) to 10 ( major)

• Technical difficulty of rehabilitation 8• Administrativ e difficulty of rehabilitation 10• Financial difficulty (very high cost) of rehabilitation 8

Obstacles preventing rehab ilitation/causing the user to decide not to reh abilitate

Score from 0 (does not represent an obstacl e) to 10 (represents a major obstacle)

• Administrativ e difficulties 10• Major technical difficulties 8• Irrev ersible deterioration of the structure 10• Listed/protected building 5• High cost of rehabilitation 8• Absence of aid/subsidies 8• Cost of the project and permits 8• Status of building/lease 10• Inf lation of property prices 10• Social decline (delinquency, …) 10• Poor env ironmental conditions (absence of minimum inf rastructures, …) 9• Desire to change the building f or a modern one 5• Lack of sensitisation/appreciation on the part of the users 8• Not considered necessary (by the user) 1

CommentsThe mov ement of the population, the occupation of building by people who are justpassing through and problems arising from the system of inheritance and theov erall run-down state of the constructions add to an already difficult situation ofserious factors which have to be taken into account.

LEXICON

File created: 23/02/01 File last modified: 03/05/01

house in the medina of bou saada

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