Papers by Remah Y . Gharib
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, Sep 18, 2017
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of built heritage preservation from a... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of built heritage preservation from an Islamic perspective. This study will dig out the jurisprudential principles to challenge contemporary destruction of built heritage in the Muslim contexts. Design/methodology/approach The research challenges the radicals’ opinion by revealing their evidence to destroy the various built heritage. In fact, it confronts these acts and assists the international community to understand the basic values of Islam toward the environment and built heritage specifically. This exploratory research will follow this lead and seek the objective, first, by investigating the concept of succession and the urbanization of Earth by mankind. Reassuringly, the research introduces few verses from the Holy Qur’an to support the various arguments presented and provide a qualitative understanding of the interpretations. Moreover, few speeches of the Prophet (PBUH) are added to ease synthesizing the understanding of specific principles related to the Islamic law (Shari’ah). This study provides an in-depth understanding toward the legitimacy of the act of preservation under the umbrella of the intents and objectives of the Islamic law. Findings This study confirms that preservation of the built heritage is legitimate from the Islamic law perspective; this is due to the fact that Islam mandates mankind to utilize wisely the resources available to shape a proper physical and economic environment. The preservation of the built heritage returns with benefit to the major society and assures that resources are recycled to serve humanity for longer generations. Research limitations/implications This research promotes the concepts of good/benefit and avoiding harm to support the crux of built heritage preservation from an Islamic perspective. In quest of this notion, various scholars’ work throughout the Islamic civilization has been revealed to draw some shed on the rooted arguments to highlight various concepts of Islam toward preservation. Originality/value This paper fulfills an identified need to prove that Islam is against the destruction of built heritage and historic monuments and against all acts of violence and terrorism.
ArchNet-IJAR, Mar 3, 2014
Very few informative books have been produced regarding the development of the State of Qatar and... more Very few informative books have been produced regarding the development of the State of Qatar and its emerging capital city Doha until this recent book 'Demystifying Doha: On Architecture and Urbanism in an Emerging City' has been published by Ashgate Publishing Limited at the end of 2013. This book reflects on the rapid urban development process in an era of globalizing architecture and urbanism with in-depth focus on the various trends of urban evolution, governance, image-making and socio-cultural sustainability.
Open House International, Jun 1, 2012
The city of Doha is growing rapidly with emerging urban nodes and centers, housing development. L... more The city of Doha is growing rapidly with emerging urban nodes and centers, housing development. Little attention however has been paid to several growth aspects including the understanding of urban space diversity and the resulting inhabitants' spatial experience, their attitudes toward emerging urbanized spaces. Utilizing a perceptual approach in the form of an attitude survey, this paper explores urban spaces in the city of Doha as perceived and experienced by different groups. An investigation of a number of key urban spaces is undertaken through the identification of key urban nodes that are identified based on parameters that include density, commercial activity, and public accessibility. Spaces are examined from the perspective of Doha's inhabitants using 490 responses to a survey questionnaire. The results delineate that urban spaces lack key conditions amenable to creating urban diversity. Nevertheless, they corroborate the postulation that urban spaces are perceived and experienced differently by different groups based on their gender, age, and cultural background. The paper concludes with suggestions toward a more inclusive approach to the design of the city's urban spaces.
Frontiers of Architectural Research, Dec 1, 2014
Doha, Qatar is continuously positioning itself at the forefront of international urbanism with di... more Doha, Qatar is continuously positioning itself at the forefront of international urbanism with different qualities of expression in terms of economy, culture, and global outlook, and is characterized by fast-tracked urban development process with large-scale urban interventions in the old center. Although the unprecedented urban growth of this city continues to be a subject of discussion, little attention has been given to investigate the new interventions and the resulting effects they have on the old center. This study aims to examine three important urban interventions, namely, the Museum of Islamic Art, the reconstruction of the traditional market called Souq Waqif, and the Msheireb urban regeneration project. It examines local and global issues, universal standard practices, and traditional knowledge. This study employs a descriptive analysis of these interventions to explore the impact of change in the old center, exemplified by socio-spatial and typo-morphological aspects. Reference is made to a number of empirical studies, including behavioral mapping, GIS population statistics, and analysis of historical maps. Results analytically narrate the reactions of these interventions to the possibility of simultaneously adopting universal practices with local knowledge, and whether prioritizing local influences would represent narrow-mindedness in shaping the city.
International Journal of Architectural Research: Archnet-IJAR, Nov 15, 2011
Historic Cairo holds an impressive record of built heritage, which no other city holds this amoun... more Historic Cairo holds an impressive record of built heritage, which no other city holds this amount of rich architecture and urban quarters. This gathered worldwide expertise attention plus financial support for safeguarding and developing these populated settlements. This historic district experienced several projects of development through international and local efforts. However, for more than three decades; Historic Cairo was challenged with physical and socio-economic deterioration. Since, the strategic drivers for any developing project are the objectives and policies then it is crucial to stretch our scope of studies toward the formulation and implementation of policies. The aim of this paper is to examine the formulation and implementation of polices within the process of revitalizing Historic Cairo, in order to reveal the major challenges and defects. This study will be addressed through a quantitative, qualitative and narrative analysis of the role and feedback of users, developers, implementers, and professional expertise in the field of revitalizing Historic Cairo. The research will focus on two major and influential case studies - the Gamalia and Darb Al Ahmar quarters - in relation to the social, economic, and physical dimensions of revitalization. The study exposes the improper orientation of polices and directives toward the built heritage, discard of local inhabitants’ needs and rights, and the effect of corruptive administration upon the historic quarters.
Historic Cairo is one of the major World Heritage sites due to the massive amount of built herita... more Historic Cairo is one of the major World Heritage sites due to the massive amount of built heritage and traditional societies it embraces. Since the 1980s, the historic quarters of Cairo have undergone many preservational efforts either by the local government or international organisations. Plenty of resources are being poured into the urban revitalisation process. However, with less significant outcomes except for two or three examples undertaken by non-governmental bodies. On the other hand, several policies have been generated by the government to facilitate the revitalisation of Historic Cairo with its different quarters; nevertheless, the majority continue to be ineffective and unhelpful to the local communities. The focus of this study is to examine how the government revitalizes the historic quarters, what are the policies generated during the last three decades, who are the key players in the implementation process, and what are the major challenges. This study is addressed through a qualitative, quantitative and narrative analysis with the users, officials and contributors to the process of revitalising Historic Cairo, especially Al-Gamalia and Darb Al Ahmar Quarters. The study will show the implementation of government policies in relation to the 1980 UNESCO Plan, 1997 UNDP/Supreme Council of Antiquities, and 1997 Aga Khan Trust for Culture programs for revitalising Old Cairo´s quarters. The study reveals the neglected challenges toward the communities´ rights and the revitalisation efforts focuses more on the preservation of single buildings without a comprehensive methodology of urban revitalisation and sustainable development.
International journal of Islamic architecture, 2023
ArchNet-IJAR, Nov 28, 2016
Architectural design theories developed during the last decades of the 20 th century-including En... more Architectural design theories developed during the last decades of the 20 th century-including Environmental Psychology and Pattern Theories-aimed to improve the quality of the built environment while centred on the experience of users. However, their approaches of analytical methodologies are not usually applied to understand and comprehend historic buildings from a wider architectural perspective. This study aims to deepen the analysis of historic buildings by advancing their depictions using concepts and ideas mainly established in pattern theories and contemporary best practices, in order to facilitate how modern designers may learn from the significant buildings of the past. To achieve this, a knowledge-based descriptive framework has been developed; this tool serves to enrich the architectural description of a building by including both qualitative and quantitative details, abstract and as-built characteristics, and spatial patterns which are inherent to architectural designs. Four historical palatial complexes erected in the Iberian Peninsula during the Islamic rule in al-Andalus have been selected to demonstrate the practical application and validity of this tool. The information collected through such a descriptive tool adds a layer of quantitative information that enriches the depiction of the historic buildings studied. An organized display of the resulting data provides for comparative analysis and also serves as a way to develop contemporary architectural proposals which reflect distinctive features of significant historical buildings.
ArchNet-IJAR, Mar 3, 2014
The rise in the interest of urban conservation over the past years has led to search for a more e... more The rise in the interest of urban conservation over the past years has led to search for a more effective decision-making and appropriate assessment. Conservation of historic centers in England aims to achieve important goals with social benefits and increasingly the improving urban qualities. Despite this positive consciousness, some conservation initiatives do not deliver their goals at the right time while others do not maintain their success for longer periods. This striking phenomenon is often due to the lack of sustainable management. The aim of this study is to explore the concept of sustainable management with particular focus on the conservation of historic centers and to introduce an assessment tool to measure the degree of success in conserving historic centers. The study focuses on two English case studies: Bath and Cambridge City Centers; investigating their visions, policies and strategies with relevance to the feedback of local communities and responsible authorities. The study utilizes the assessment tool to clarify the crucial need for an effective management framework based on the relationships of the factors of 'importance' and 'performance.'
Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, May 1, 2014
Over the past two decades, the fabric of Doha has been altered, as Qatar is considered to be one ... more Over the past two decades, the fabric of Doha has been altered, as Qatar is considered to be one of the most rapidly developing nations in the world. The architecture and urbanism are evolving enormously, with new settlements, expanding infrastructure, and various architectural patterns deployed. Moreover, in the era of globalization, cities of the Arabian Peninsula are competing to place themselves in the international context, and it could be argued that in this milieu the Qatari government utilizes the high-quality urban interventions as a developing tool in this rivalry. This trend can be observed in the requalifi cation of the historic centre of Doha that involved massive destruction of traditional heritage observed during the 1980s through to the present day. This discussion focuses on Souq Waqif, a traditional open market which has been revitalized for the public, and Msheireb-Downtown Doha, an adjacent new development with reverence to Qatari history and culture. This paper investigates the role of urban design in reconstructing the historic centre of Doha and examining the local attitudes regarding what constructs an attractive, global, and emerging urban centre, addressing the cultural, socio-economical and physical impact of these projects with reference to different approaches to revitalization.
International journal of Islamic architecture, 2023
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2015
Founded in 1789, Georgetown University is a student-centered international research university of... more Founded in 1789, Georgetown University is a student-centered international research university offering highly ranked undergraduate, graduate and professional programs preparing the next generation of global citizens to lead and make a positive impact in the world. The outstanding students, faculty, alumni and professionals of Georgetown are dedicated to real-world applications of research, scholarship, faith and service. For more information, please visit the website: www.georgetown.edu. Founded in 1919, the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) is a premier school of international affairs. At Georgetown's Washington, D.C. and Doha, Qatar campuses, SFS provides a rigorous education combining theory and practice while instilling the values of men and women in the service of others. At SFS-Qatar, students have the opportunity to major in Culture and Politics, International History, International Economics, and International Politics with the same curriculum as that available to students in Washington. For more information, please visit the website: qatar.sfs.georgetown.edu.
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 2017
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of built heritage preservation from a... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of built heritage preservation from an Islamic perspective. This study will dig out the jurisprudential principles to challenge contemporary destruction of built heritage in the Muslim contexts. Design/methodology/approach The research challenges the radicals’ opinion by revealing their evidence to destroy the various built heritage. In fact, it confronts these acts and assists the international community to understand the basic values of Islam toward the environment and built heritage specifically. This exploratory research will follow this lead and seek the objective, first, by investigating the concept of succession and the urbanization of Earth by mankind. Reassuringly, the research introduces few verses from the Holy Qur’an to support the various arguments presented and provide a qualitative understanding of the interpretations. Moreover, few speeches of the Prophet (PBUH) are added to ease synthesizing the understandi...
Gateways to the World, 2016
This chapter provides a critical examination of the phases, spatialities, and temporalities of ne... more This chapter provides a critical examination of the phases, spatialities, and temporalities of neoliberalism by studying the port cities in the Persian Gulf. It begins by situating the concept of smart cities within a theoretical discussion that delineates the relationship between neoliberalization and urban spaces and identifies major fault lines. The focus is on Gulf cities in general which have been taking broad initiatives to decrease their oil/gas dependency by building a more diversified knowledge-based economy. It then discusses the criteria necessary for a city in the Gulf to be considered “smart”, and uses Masdar City in Abu Dhabi as a case study example of a smart city in the making.
Cairo encompasses a large number of historic urban quarters; the majority of which are functionin... more Cairo encompasses a large number of historic urban quarters; the majority of which are functioning since the 10th century. These historic quarters are over layered historic buildings and generally experi-enced different ruling systems throughout time. In the 1980’s, historic Cairo was recognized as a World Heritage Site due to the inherited glorious built heritage. Since then, this massive urban quarter has en-countered several disorientated urban revitalization policies that followed a top-down approach resulting from a centralized regime. Nevertheless, due to the poor line ministry coordination the policies focused on fragmented developments rather than a sustainable approach, consequentially, avoided the rights and needs of local communities. Very recently and on 25 January 2011, the removal of the authoritarian re-gime by the millions of peaceful Egyptians took place. However, this leadership-less revolution led to produce an expected ruling system dilemma. This paper is an attempt to understand the future of historic Cairo through the current competing political spectrums in the arena, such as the Islamic societies, neo-liberal, and neo-socialists. This speculating study offers to future policy makers and scholars a new un-derstanding of urban revitalization through lessons of international examples and the opportunities of the future. It addresses the aspects of housing, community empowerment, adaptive re-use, and economic enhancements as criteria integral to revitalizing historic Cairo. The study reveals the advantages and disadvantages of each future regime and its impact on the built heritage and the importance of engaging local communities.
Frontiers of Architectural Research, 2014
Doha, Qatar is continuously positioning itself at the forefront of international urbanism with di... more Doha, Qatar is continuously positioning itself at the forefront of international urbanism with different qualities of expression in terms of economy, culture, and global outlook, and is characterized by fast-tracked urban development process with large-scale urban interventions in the old center. Although the unprecedented urban growth of this city continues to be a subject of discussion, little attention has been given to investigate the new interventions and the resulting effects they have on the old center. This study aims to examine three important urban interventions, namely, the Museum of Islamic Art, the reconstruction of the traditional market called Souq Waqif, and the Msheireb urban regeneration project. It examines local and global issues, universal standard practices, and traditional knowledge. This study employs a descriptive analysis of these interventions to explore the impact of change in the old center, exemplified by socio-spatial and typo-morphological aspects. Reference is made to a number of empirical studies, including behavioral mapping, GIS population statistics, and analysis of historical maps. Results analytically narrate the reactions of these interventions to the possibility of simultaneously adopting universal practices with local knowledge, and whether prioritizing local influences would represent narrow-mindedness in shaping the city.
International Journal of Architectural Research: ArchNet-IJAR, 2014
The rise in the interest of urban conservation over the past years has led to search for a more e... more The rise in the interest of urban conservation over the past years has led to search for a more effective decision-making and appropriate assessment. Conservation of historic centers in England aims to achieve important goals with social benefits and increasingly the improving urban qualities. Despite this positive consciousness, some conservation initiatives do not deliver their goals at the right time while others do not maintain their success for longer periods. This striking phenomenon is often due to the lack of sustainable management. The aim of this study is to explore the concept of sustainable management with particular focus on the conservation of historic centers and to introduce an assessment tool to measure the degree of success in conserving historic centers. The study focuses on two English case studies: Bath and Cambridge City Centers; investigating their visions, policies and strategies with relevance to the feedback of local communities and responsible authorities....
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Papers by Remah Y . Gharib
Ashraf M. Salama and Florian Wiedmann, the authors, approach such a developmental case by a strong conceptual organization of research and a rich analytical methodology that unveils morphological transformations. While the title of the book promotes Doha, the book is essential for every planner, architect, and academic to read and explore its scientific and empirical methodologies, and their implementation. In essence these can be utilized in other cities of similar vision and pace of growth. This solid production delivers an overview study and analytical investigations on architecture and urbanism of a city, which competes with other cities in the region such as Dubai and Abu-Dhabi. The book interrogates three main questions: (1) how the city’s urban structure was shaped and managed from its beginning until its being a key player in the global arena; (2) what are the models of governance utilized to transform the city’s built environment and its physical image; and (3) how place-making and city-branding mechanisms define the city’s image and impact on the urban development tendencies and their relationship the city’s inhabitants.
the Middle Eastern region. The author presents research carried out within the Materiality and Preservation in Islamic Contexts project,
in which he examined governing models of cultural heritage preservation by reviewing Islamic classical literature and by analysing Qatar’s Law on Antiquities according to six criteria of policy efficiency described by Daniel Mazmanian and Paul Sabatier (1983). Evaluating these essential conditions helps determine whether a policy is being effectively implemented, and whether it fulfils standards for the type of top-down
policy-making procedures that are most common in Middle Eastern nations, including Qatar.