Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : INDIGENOUS HOUSING FORMS IN RELATION TO HOUSING PROBLEMS IN ALGERIA

Auteur : FERHAT, CHAFIA

Université de soutenance : University of Leeds

Grade : Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 1989

Résumé
This thesis examines the suitability of Algerian indigenous housing forms for adaptation to new forms of housing and life-style. The study started by setting four hypotheses : The present housing policies adopted in Algeria can fulfill neither the quantitative nor the qualitative aspects of the problem. To demonstrate this hypothesis, an analysis of the causes and aspects of the problem prevailing there, the policies adopted, mainly imported wholesale from alien contexts, and their results and implications was conducted. The negative implications of these policies, according to the second hypothesis, are mainly due to lack of understanding of where the roots of the problem lie, and lack of policy consideration for the local architectural, building and human resource. In an attempt to learn from different approaches to the housing problem in contexts similar to the Algerian context, the use of indigenous housing forms, materials and techniques approach of Fathy, and self-help approach of Turner were examined. To demonstrate the third hypothesis, that Algeria’s architectural heritage possesses rich reserves of housing forms, building materials and techniques that are still valid. This heritage could be used today to reduce the acuteness of the problem, and to help recovering the cultural and social environmental identity of the Algerian society, four case studies were analysed for this purpose : two urban traditional settlements and two rural traditional settlements. Nonetheless, strongly convinced in the user’s fundamental right in participating in the design and building of his home, a social survey was carried out in two traditional settlements to demonstrate our fourth hypothesis and investigate that residents levels of satisfaction towards the traditional housing forms is high, and their attitudes towards participating in the design and building of their homes is satisfactory. The suggestion of strategies and design principles for housing the Algerian families are generated from the principles and design criteria which have emerged from the demonstration of hypotheses one, two, three, and four

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