Chapter 10

Vernacular Tower Architecture of Sana’a

Theory and Method for Deriving Sustainable Design Guidelines

Khaled A. Al-Sallal,    Department of Architectural Engineering, UAE University, UAE

Abstract

This chapter presents a theoretical and operative method that helps to extract abstract sustainable design concepts (e.g., geometrical proportion or functional relations) from traditional architectural environments. The vernacular architecture of Sana’a, Yemen is utilized to demonstrate the method. This amazing architecture follows certain conventions which have been developed throughout the life of the city and well known and practiced by its inhabitants. The followed conventions created a very unique sustainable environment that satisfied the ...

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