Spatial-Functional Analysis of Kurdish Courtyard Houses in Erbil City

Ahmad Sanusi Hassan,Faris Ali Mustafa

doi:10.3844/ajeassp.2010.560.568

Abstract

Problem statement: This study was to analyze the concept of spatial-function in courtyard house layout and its influence to the cultural and social activities. Themes such as integration, segregation, accessibility and zoning of the building space layout are required to be deliberated, in order to achieve further understanding about the Kurdish social and cultural benchmarks (norms) that might have affected by the spatial configuration of the house layouts. Approach: The study was based on the analysis from selected samples of courtyard house layouts in Erbil city, through adopting the theory of space syntax and its techniques (gamma analysis method). The purpose was to interpret and identify the mutual relationship between space and social life through both scales of spatial-functional analysis. Functionally, illustration and classification of the key zones and sectors of the house; spatially, measuring the main syntactic characteristics of spatial systems (house layouts)and translating it to numerical data in order to identify their effect that forming spatial patterns. Results: The functional approach for the design of residential spaces had a clear impact on the method of formation and organization of residential spaces (functional sectors) through the indicators of physical and intellectual change that affected the nature of spontaneous social interaction in the traditional Kurdish courtyard houses in the city of Erbil. Conclusion: Social variables and factors stemming from the customs and traditions of the community have a direct impact on the residential function through the way of forming and configuration of its interior spaces, which had supported by discovering Genotypic spatial-functional patterns of house layouts (study sample).

Highlights

Concepts of spatial configuration had been reflected in architectural theory and applications, because it provides a number of evidence about spatial patterns for different societies
The methodology of space syntax based on the actuality through the concept of spatial configuration as a relationship between the architectural interior spaces, with an emphasis on the interrelationship between socio-spatial systems; those social relations are involved in this interaction, but it may be inherent in the spatial systems itself
The architectural literatures had adopted the issue of the functional approaches through different views of knowledge about the recruitment of spaces to understand how people use their residential environments through the classification of the daily activities of residents within certain areas and zones reflecting the functional approaches for different architectural trends

Summary

Introduction

Concepts of spatial configuration had been reflected in architectural theory and applications, because it provides a number of evidence about spatial patterns for different societies. The methodology of space syntax based on the actuality through the concept of spatial configuration as a relationship between the architectural interior spaces, with an emphasis on the interrelationship between socio-spatial systems; those social relations are involved in this interaction, but it may be inherent in the spatial systems itself. The results of this methodology give the function and activity a spatial dimension by numerical values of specific social interpretations (Steadman, 1983; Hanson, 2003). The architectural literatures had adopted the issue of the functional approaches through different views of knowledge about the recruitment of spaces to understand how people use their residential environments through the classification of the daily activities of residents within certain areas and zones (spatial sectors) reflecting the functional approaches for different architectural trends

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion