Learning from Casbah of Algiers for more Sustainable Environment

Algeria as one of the Islamic biggest countries in Africa has three different climate zones: Mediterranean, semi-arid and arid; in three different regions: Northern, Central and Southern. Each region developed its typical vernacular tradition; one that responded to climate, topography and life style. Following modernization, westernization of the country since hundreds of years, traditional building practices started to be abandoned; leading to a radical transformation of the built environment. The current situation of the built environment depends only on reinforced concrete construction that does not respond to country's regional variety and as it disregards nature, climate and lifestyle of many. This paper explores the vernacular building types from one geographical region of the country; Casbah (Mediterranean region of Algeria), to understand its architectural design methods; its climate and site responses; its fit with the people's lifestyle. The aim is to be able to evaluate the degree of sustainable practices achieved in that kind of traditional housing building. This will be concluded first by knowing the architectural design principles which should be in a building to call it sustainable. Analyzing the different sustainable housing features of Casbah's house have been explored. This study helps us to understand more about the Architectural heritage of Algeria, and gives us a clear knowledge on traditional houses design principles in the Mediterranean region according to the climate, lifestyle, and local available materials, and how those architectural methods belong and valuable to sustainable issues. This might be useful for designers and architects to use those sustainable strategies in their future building projects, and change the design approach to a better one which is more sustainable, as well as restoring the heritage of the country which should not have to be forgotten, in order to be known for future generations.