Spatial Principles of Traditional Cairene Courtyard Houses in Cairo

Architectural identity reflects the characteristics of a country′s people, environment, and society. Owing to recent globalization, the unique architectural identity of countries has faded so that it has become difficult to identify each country′s unique local and regional identity. In particular, traditional houses in Cairo, which are known as Cairene houses, are considered an iconic style of the city′s architectural history. Cairo has a unique local identity as well as spatial quality mainly found in the region. On the other hand, many of the values and qualities of the houses have been disappearing due to western influences. The objectives of this paper are threefold. First, the Egyptian cultural and environmental influences on Egyptian housing designs are discussed. Second, the spatial composition of traditional Cairene courtyard houses is analyzed. Finally, the underlying principles of spatial compositions are extracted to explain the unique spatial characteristics of the houses. Through the analysis, the distinct spatial quality of traditional Cairene courtyard houses in Cairo will be analyzed, revealing their identity and values.