REMEMBER WHEN

As this house is demolished, the wind tower, or badgir as it is locally called, is exposed. Wind entered from above and passed through an outlet in the room below. This was the only way to cool the house in summer since fans were not yet used in Kuwait.

The architecture in old Kuwait is characterized by its success in “transforming the local values and way of life into architectural terms,” as stated by a contemporary architect of Kuwait. The Kuwaiti master builder, known locally as ustad, drew no plans on papers; he figured the proportions and made the plan in his mind. His success, however, in using traditional techniques with locally available materials such as mud, gypsum, coral and mangrove poles, is all too evident.

A house or a mosque in old Kuwait was always built around a courtyard where a brackish water well or a freshwater cistern stood. In daytime, there would be plenty of sunshine throughout the house. Invariably, a few stairs led to the roof, a much preferred place for sleeping during hot summer nights. Close to the house stood the diwaniya, or men’s meeting place, with its private entrance and coffee-hearth in the center. It was there that the men of the house would entertain their guests.

In nearby villages, however, houses were less sophisticated and blended beautifully with the surrounding environment. Some were fishermen’s homes; others, such as the romantic kubar, were retreats that belonged to city dwellers. They resided there in the spring when the desert bloomed after the winter rains. (From the book ‘Old Kuwait: Memories in Photographs’)

Photograph courtesy of The Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait and the work of Dr Yacoub AlHijji in the book OldKuwait: Memories in Photographs first published in 1996.