Lebanese architecture vs Denmark
Architecture
“Architecture begins where engineering ends”. Walter Gropius
As known, architecture is a reflection of a country’s identity, thus, the modest style of
Lebanese and Danish houses proves its beauty. Traditions of every country’s architecture
should be preserved, indeed, it is going to be modernized every decade but the bases are
still the same and this is what makes every country’s architecture as precious as any of
each nation.
In this description, we will be talking on one hand about the Lebanese architecture and
on the other hand about the Danish architecture.
Lebanon is a country known for its beautiful nature and incredible landscapes. When
we talk about Lebanese houses we enter a world of sunshine and light known by
simplicity and elegance. For the people of Lebanon, building their own houses is still the
achievement of their lives. Inspired by the beauty of their land, the Lebanese people
created architecture from its stones and timbers both simple and refined. First of all, the
moderated climate of our country allowed the Lebanese to enjoy the outside at least 6
months per year. Therefore, the architecture of each house is opened to the outside,
embracing an amazing landscape, and the inside: Every house is opened up by a simple
window. Sometimes, the courts’ house is surrounded by arcades1 opened to the side of
the valley for an inspiring landscape to enjoy. Furthermore, in the more modest houses an
elegant “mandaloon”2window, frames the view and bring the bright light and colors to
the heart of the house.
1
2
The simplest Lebanese house consists of one large room called
“al alliya” that enjoys the best views;it is built on top of a room called “Kaboo”usually
used for storing animals, firewood and tools.We also have something called “stayha”that
you actually call a terrace and it’s one of the main places where families gather like every
day (it’s frequently roofed over with a grapevine). For what it comes to the roof, it is built
up of a Layer of crushed stones and it requires regular Maintenanceto prevent fromthe
penetration of rain during cold and strong winter times.
The external walls of the house are built of rough solid stone except for the walls that
have a south westerly exposure;these were built as two separate parallel walls to stop rain
penetrating into the house. The “majaz” is a square area lower than the main floor.
Another way of enlarging the simple house was through the use of the “liwan” unit, a
semi-enclosed space with a large archway connecting two rooms together; the ”liwan”
became a gathering space for the family and friends, extending the house into the
surrounding garden.
However, the most common form of the Lebanese house is the central hall house. This
simple cube with its red tiled roof usually consisting of two floors; the lower floor is
vaulted and is used for storage while the upper floor contained the living area. And
finally the central hall called “Dar”, the heart of the house.
Architecture has changed through all the worldwide technology, and due to the
urbanization the building’s architecture is modernized but still preserves their traditional
aspect. Specially in Beirut (capital of Lebanon) we can see that building are “growing”,
we have more than 4, 5 or even more than 6 floors.
The architects are improving the architecture development through the amazing projects
they are working on now, a part of Beirut is full of new modern buildings but the beauty
of our traditional houses made the government preserve the old houses in the middle of
Beirut.
An old house in Beirut with its arcades, mandaloon etc…
The new buildings in Beirut ( some of the projects .. )
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by
archaeological finds.
Indeed, this architecture changes with time: At the end of the 13th century and until about
1500, the older Romanesque churches were adapted to the Gothic style.
During the late middle Ages, a slow transition began from the traditional wooden houses
in towns.
In the 19th century and due to the globalization and development, the majority of the
population lived in rural areas but today only 15 percent of the populations live in rural.
The houses were whitewashed and had red-tiled roofs. Yellow and red tones dominated,
backed by white chimneys and roof decorations. These traditions are not only found in
old towns but are maintained in the newer residential areas.
Denmark is known as a “fairytale country”, the first image is characterized by traditional
small houses with:
a.
b.
c.
d.
small windows
low ceilings
straw roofs
gardens with flowers and vegetables
.. even the castles are small. The tiled roof and many windows make this small house
look like one of these old rustic houses in the villages at the seaside.
-
The modern ideal is marked by houses with slender lines and large glass windows
or walls, very little outside decoration, and the use of bricks, tile, and
ferroconcrete. The buildings are not very tall it is unusual to see buildings with
more than five floors. The majority of the houses has one floor and usually with a
garden.
-
Town and cities are characterized by a center area with older houses and a
periphery with newer houses, divided into business and residential areas .Village
size is from five to one thousand houses, and many villages have been enlarged by
new residential areas.
And the surprising idea is that even large cities (usually known as the most industrialized
cities) as Odense retain the traditional architecture of houses and streetscapes.
When it comes to private houses, they are commonly divided into areas for cooking
dinner, dinning, and television viewing and preferably have a private room for each
family member. These homes are considered as spaces to relax and be yourself.
Searching for the information, we found out that there are some similarities and some
differences between the architecture of our countries:
On one hand, both of Lebanese and Danish still maintain their traditional techniques.
Traditional houses also called small houses are always in company with a garden full of
vegetables and flowers. As for the houses’ roofs, they’re made of red bricks.
On the other hand, each country believes that its architecture is modest and classic, yet
each of them has its own techniques and style:
The Danish architecture defers in many aspects from the Lebanese one, and all the details
were mentioned above.
From small houses, to big houses, to buildings.
Working on this description made us see how beautiful both of our traditional
architectures are. Even though the rapid globalization, the technology advancement
and the urbanization in these few decades, the traditional bases of the Danish and
Lebanese houses still maintain their modesty and beauty. And although the
differences of their techniques, the Lebanese and Danish architects still share some
bases of their architecture.
Finally, upon all the beauty, the modesty and loveliness of the house, it is never a
home unless you’re with your beloved ones.
Our group is looking forward for your own version of the Danish architecture so
we can learn more about it. Have a nice Easter break.
Group 4
Maria Chaoui
Lea Makary
Tatiana Daccache