Space performance assessment of traditional houses in Akre

Abstract

ABSTRACT The complex natural and geological structure of cities affects buildings’ spatial structure in terms of the forms of spatial configuration adopted in the design. Spatial structure affects buildings’ space performance in several aspects, such as privacy and accessibility, which are the most significant indicators of residential houses’ functional performance. Akre, a treasured, historical city in Iraqi Kurdistan, is characterised by a complex and distinct geological nature, and its residential part contains numerous traditional houses that deserve analysis. This study employed both a qualitative approach – via case study plan preparations and photographic documentation – and a quantitative approach, utilising space syntax tools. The results were analysed with the statistical program SPSS and show three types of spatial configuration in the residential part (linear, central and cluster); each type has a different and effective impact on the achievement of space performance in terms of privacy and accessibility. The study concludes that the linear type represents the most private typology, followed by the cluster and then the central type. The centralised typology is the most connected and accessible to different spaces within the residential unit, followed by the cluster type and the linear type, with a significant difference.