Naima Benkari

This article argues that community resilience is deeply embedded in living and material cultural heritage, customary governance, and local social practices, rather than generated solely through formal external interventions. In response to natural, social, or economic disruptions, communities mobilize heritage-based livelihoods, reciprocal exchanges, and custodianship to meet immediate needs and organize recovery. Drawing on a qualitative comparative analysis of global case studies and institutional analogues, the article advances four linked claims: (1) heritage practices constitute embedded resilience by safeguarding memory and social cohesion; (2) heritage-based livelihoods and plural economies support survival through identity, trust, and reciprocity; (3) recovery yields durable social outcomes when heritage is treated as social infrastructure rather than merely a physical asset requiring technical conservation; and (4) these practices operate in legally plural settings where formal recovery policy often overlooks customary authority and living traditions. The article concludes that cultural heritage must be reframed as community-driven social infrastructure for resilience, requiring crisis-recovery governance to recognize community participation, living heritage, and legal pluralism.

The urban fabric of French colonial cities in northern Algeria was shaped by broader objectives of spatial control and modernisation, transforming pre-existing urban forms and leaving a lasting morphological legacy. This study addresses an important research gap by analysing the colonial fabric of the city centre of Mostaganem. This urban context has not previously been subject to systematic morphological analysis. Using Conzen’s morphological approach and Panerai’s theoretical framework, supported by quantitative indicators (including block dimensions, land-use ratios, connectivity, and permeability), the study reconstructs the formation and development of the colonial urban structure. The research demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating morphological and quantitative methods and reveals how French planning models were adapted to local conditions to produce a hybridised urban form. It concentrates on the second (1880–1930) and third (1930–1962) phases of Mostaganem’s colonial evolution, intentionally excluding the initial phase (1834–1880). The findings show that during the so-called “Golden Age” (1920s–1930s), half of the blocks were mixed-use and characterised by Haussmann-style arcaded galleries; 66% consisted of single land plots (monoplots), reflecting processes of land consolidation; and block shapes became significantly more regular. This period also saw the emergence of a consolidated civic and commercial core through major public building programmes. In the final colonial phase, the urban fabric incorporated modernist principles – such as simplified geometry and reinforced concrete construction, while still preserving elements from earlier stages. Beyond its historical contributions, the study offers valuable insights for heritage assessment and contemporary urban planning strategies.

This research explores the ways of integrating traditional Omani vernacular architectural elements into contemporary façade designs. It examines how these patterns are reinterpreted to create a consistent architectural language that imbibes local heritage patterns while meeting modern needs. The study investigates the structural, cultural, and formal characteristics of Omani façades through a qualitative analysis of the façades’ components in residential buildings. To identify common patterns and design rules in contemporary Omani architecture, a comparative approach was employed to analyze 24 residential buildings in Mirbat and Mutrah. The results show that vernacular elements are continuously reinterpreted in modern design, revealing that these patterns not only maintain cultural identity but also enhance the practicality of contemporary architecture. Finally, the investigation proposes a guideline for incorporating heritage elements within current design agendas, catalyzing further dialogue on architectural identity in the Islamic world.

The Islamic heritage constitutes a very precious treasure in Algeria, especially the places of worship (mosques), which reflect the symbol of this heritage. They are considered important landmarks in cities through architectural elements such as the dome and the minaret. Minarets are used by the muezzin to invite people to pray; they were previously built near the mosque or inside it, next to the prayer room. Later, they appeared as angular towers of mausoleums. This research is part of an analytical study of the minarets in Algeria during the medieval period (Bani Hamad, Moravid, Zayyanid, Marinid, and Ottoman) which were selected and then classified according to their various typologies (dimensions, forms, designs, etc.), and evolution over time. The main objectives of this work are to search for the forms that determine the typology of the minarets of each period. It also examines the correlation between dimensions and geometric parameters employed in the design conception of these minarets. The research followed a monographic method that relies on field observation and documentation, while including a thorough reading of history. The results show that the constant form of the vertical section of the minaret, with the same dimensions between the top and bottom, represents two-thirds of the main tower of the minarets. We also conclude that the square shape of the horizontal section of the minaret represents two-thirds of the main tower of the minarets, which expresses the most earthquake-resistant form. These dimensions play a pivotal role in enhancing the minaret's visual allure and architectural equilibrium, in addition to their earthquake resistance virtues.

This study aims to assess the satisfaction of students in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Civil and Architecture Engineering Department (CAED) with online learn This study aims to assess the satisfaction of students in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Civil and Architecture Engineering Department (CAED) with online learn

Purpose: Through a project of cooperation between the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) and Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), a team including faculty members, technicians and students from the SQU department of civil and architectural engineering (CAE), was involved in the project of documentation, survey and the development of management plans of four (4) Omani Vernacular settlements (Harat). Such an experience was meant to initiate students from different levels in undergraduate programs of civil and architectural engineering to the fieldwork and professional practice in the field of built heritage studies. The present research aims to explore the effect of such an experience on the learning process and skills acquired by the involved students.Design/methodology/approach: The research was undertaken with students of CAE undergraduate programs at SQU. The documentation method has been implemented in 4 different settlements with the same students. A questionnaire has been administered to the participating students after their graduation to collect their feedback regarding the benefits of this experience on their education and skills development. The data was complemented by active observation and semi-directive interviews with some students randomly selected among the respondents to the questionnaire.Findings: The outcome of each documentation campaign as well as the results of the questionnaires administered revealed that this experience has raised students' awareness about the importance of studying the built heritage and safeguarding it. The research has shown that important soft skills, such as team-working, leadership and communication, have been consolidated. It has also revealed that this experience was an opportunity for students to discover the variety of options within the profession of architecture and its intellectual and ethical responsibilities. Such aspects are hardly grasped when taught within a “classical” teaching/learning setting.Research limitations/implications: The main limitations of this research were the hard working conditions during the summer in Oman and the direct interaction of the students with the buildings. Even cautious, such interaction represents a risk for an already fragile heritage.Practical implications: The paper includes a detailed description of the architectural documentation tools and methods used in the case studies. These tools and methods can easily be applicable, with slight adaptations, in other architectural documentation projects involving undergraduate students. The documentation methodology and the generated corpus of 3D digital models can be used in other documentation projects and further studies such as architectural typologies, bioclimatic properties, natural ventilation patterns, daylight performance, etc.Originality/value: This paper reports on the outcomes of the first experience of its kind in Oman and the Gulf region, where undergraduate students (predominantly females) were involved in an interdisciplinary project for the documentation of important vernacular settlements and their buildings. The added value of this research is that its methodology can be a reference for professors of Architecture and related specialties aiming to integrate research and field work with education.

Despite its richness, the research corpus published about Islamic architecture presents some discontinuities in the knowledge of the architecture in the lands ruled by Muslims. Similarly, the dynamics of influence that might have operated between the "monumental" architecture in these lands and their popular architectures are insufficiently addressed. Moreover, the material culture related to the Islamic civilization is almost exclusively studied as a product that has stopped evolving. The architecture produced during Al-Ya'ariba (Al- Ya'rubi) Imamate (1624-1749) is an instance of these understudied topics in the history of Islamic architecture. This research argues that Al-Ya'rubi Imamate is not only an important chapter in the history of Oman, the Arabian Peninsula, Indian Ocean, and Eastern Africa, but also the architecture of this period has created the identity of Omani architecture as we know it today. Nonetheless, there is no architectural production in this era both in the major references and scientific publications of Islamic architecture in the 17th and 18th centuries. Through field research, comparative analysis, and literature review of the history of Omani architecture, especially in the 17th -18th centuries, this research examines the military architecture in Oman during Al-Ya'ariba Imamate including its reference, and its influence on other architectures. It is a contribution to the scientific endeavour to address this specific architectural typology from the perspective of its mechanism of (trans) formation and its continuity of forms until the contemporary architecture of Oman.

Once abandoned for more than three decades, vernacular settlements in Oman are now being progressively reinvested in to foster the country’s heritage tourism sector. The present research focuses on the emerging phenomenon of community-led initiatives for vernacular heritage rehabilitation and adaptive reuse in Oman. Through an examination of three case studies, its aim is to describe this process and its modes of action and discuss its effects on vernacular settlement transformations. A mixed research methodology was designed to include (A) analyses of relevant primary and secondary data, (B) documented onsite observations, (C) interviews with local community representatives and key players in the operations of rehabilitation, and (D) extractions and analyses of quantitative data from a hotel booking website.The research sheds light on unsuspected interrelations within and between the projects being implemented in these settlements and their operating modes. It reveals the focal role of a local community in a kind of ‘bottom-up’ management of its built heritage, coupled with a ‘horizontal cooperation’ between the three initiatives studied in this research. Moreover, it shows that a heavily centralised and top-down policy for the field of heritage conservation and management is among the main obstacles that hinder such initiatives. Furthermore, community-led operations of vernacular heritage rehabilitation are being undertaken under insufficient regulations in terms of land use, building restoration and adaptive reuse. In this context, the paper discusses some of the serious threats and concerns faced by such initiatives and proposes actionable solutions to mitigate these hindrances.

The use of various mineral admixtures, natural or artificial pozzolan as well as any alternative construction material that could partially or fully replace the conventional Portland cement concrete/mortar with quite similar or even improved performances is receiving nowadays more attention and highly encouraging practice. Back to nature and to ancient and traditional materials that are locally available is not a new vision but it is a strategy largely accepted and adopted to lower the environmental impact of construction sector. Using some locally available materials such as natural pozzolana may require an additional activation process such a calcination at relatively high temperature or a chemical activation by some known activators. Sarooj (SRJ) is a popular name given to a locally produced traditional or artificial pozzolana that has been extensively used as traditional construction material in several countries such Oman and some neighbouring countries like Iran. In modern days however; the usage of Sarooj material is limited to the plastering work and restoration of ancient castles and forts. Sarooj has large variety of chemical composition depending on the location from where it has been extracted and thus, the reactivity and the resulted mechanical performances vary to a large extent. This paper investigates the chemical and physical properties of a sample of Sarooj traditionally prepared and extracted from Wadi AL-Mawal region. The chemical analysis and XRD results indicate a great reactivity potential of this material if properly treated and designed. The traditional heat treatment applied seems to be not the appropriate way to reach the full activation of this clayey material. Although traditionally designed, the results of thermal conductivity showed a net decrease compared to normal Portland cement mortar. Combining the use of a locally produced material with an enhanced engineering properties could further promote sustainability in construction industry.