Traditional Housing Neighborhoods: Urban Solutions and Modern Applications (Old Sana'a - A Case Study)

Abstract

Housing neighbourhoods from a major part of the architecture pattern of old cities; with their
recognized components and planning methods, they have represented for a long time good examples of
standard housing environments that satisfy various requirements for humans and their surroundings.
However Fast growth and the development of communities impose more requirements for humans and
their surroundings that existing housing neighborhoods cannot accommodate. Hence, on alternative
planning scheme should be adopted to respend to such changes.
The old city of Sana a as a representative case of old Yemeni cities comprises several housing
neighbourhoods of excellent architectural and planning ideas that could be studied, developed and
utilized to meet the modern requirements of developed communities.
The aim of this research is to study the ideas, elements and proprieties of planning and design methods
for old housing neighborhoods and to develop them for future applications. Therefore, the research
involves analysis of old cities, and study of their components and methods of planning as well as analysis
of old housing neighbourhoods and their properties to come up with useful results and recommendations.