Fuwairit Archaeological Fieldwork Preparation
Architecture of Historic Qatar
Comprehension Questions
1. What have been the three main influences on the architecture in Qatar?
Topography, culture and weather.
2. Describe the general look of the traditional Qatari home. Be sure to describe the layout of
the home, both internally and externally.
Most of the rooms in the house were linked to each other. The only room that was not
interlinked to the other rooms was the majilis (men’s meeting room). Also all the rooms
except the majilis were used for the same purpose every time. In each Qatari house there
was a little garden, or little space where the family would relax some days. All the rooms in
the house were facing this little space, while the majilis was always facing the street so that
the privacy of the family would be kept. The rooms were often used during the mornings
and afternoons when the walls would isolate the heat outside the house. At night the
courtyard was cooler so the rooms used less often. The walls are very thick, providing
protection of the heat during the summer and during the winter the thickness of the walls
would isolate the heat inside the house. Often, the thickness of the walls allowed the
families to build windshields.
3. What is the name of the courtyard? How was is used differently in the summer than the
winter?
The courtyard is also known as horsh. It is not used as a garden, even if the family relaxes
there. The courtyard is also the heart of the house and is the main linking part among the
Rooms of the house. The courtyard was used most during the summer, when the veranda that
came over it offered shade and a working space in the early morning and evening. In the
winter, the courtyard stayed on it’s own because a sunny warm place would rather make a
better place to work.
4. What aspect of the building construction helped to keep the house cool during the summer
months?
The walls were very thick and offered protection during the summer and isolated the warmth of
the house during the winters. Locally made gypsum replaced clay to make a smooth cover
both on the inside and outside of the house covering any little holes from the brick that was
used for the construction of the walls
5. What was used as the main construction material of these houses?
Local stone and mud bricks more rarely were the most used of the
6. How was timber (wood) used within the construction of the home?
7. Describe the use and design of windows.
8. How was ventilation of the house achieved?
9. Describe the construction of roofs and floors.
10. Compare the construction of these historic homes to the construction of modern homes in
Qatar. How are they similar? How are they different? (Consider the building materials and
architectural styles)