The story of Al Jazeerah al Hamra

The Za`abi tribe originated from the Mountains of Saudi Arabia. Travelling through the desert they settled along the coast of UAE and Oman.They soon established themselves as grat fishermen, pearlers and warriors. defending the costal line alongside the Qassimi-tribe, against the Portugeese and the English. Being Bedouins, they also establsihed a herd of camels and donkeysSince fishing and pearling was a seasonal occupation they also cultivated dates along the foot of the mountain, where they lived during the summer.

Introducing the history of the village

1960`s 1974

landfill, developingthe new village

timeline Al Jazeerah Al Hamra - architectural

4000-3000 BC

evidence of life along the shore of Jazirat al Hamra.possible trade with Persia

630`s

The area becomes islamic.

18-19th century.

the zaabi fighting alongside the Qassimi tribe againts the British. peace treaty in 1820.

1930`s

collaps of thepearl industy in the area, oil discovered in the gulf-region (Bahrain).

1968

dissagreement between the zaabi and the Qassimi led to the abandonment over 3 years.

1974

landfill

timeline Al Jazeerah Al Hamra - History

16th century

the zaabi fighting alongside the Qassimi tribe againts the Portuguese. the portuguese controlled the area for 150 years.earliest recordings of pearling-business (Julfar, 1510, dubai, 1580).

introducing breeze blocks.schools where established in RAK in the late 60`s. before this, only local Koran schools.

1894, after a huge fire in the Deira area of dubai, a new development of coral reef stone appared. for the more wealthy people. an indication of when coral as a building material emerced in the costal area.

the use of palm trees (Areesh) developed

early 20th century

al jazzerah al hamra was the largest village in the area, with 500 houses. ras al khaimah, was then a town of 1000 houses. half built in stone, half with palm fronds.

1969

the first tar-road was completed. linking RAK to south to the other emirates. this road was situated along the coast, passing al jazeerah al hamra.

16th century late 19th century 1960`s 1974

landfill, developingthe new village

timeline Al Jazeerah Al Hamra - architectural

4000-3000 BC

evidence of life along the shore of Jazirat al Hamra.possible trade with Persia

630`s

The area becomes islamic.

18-19th century.

the zaabi fighting alongside the Qassimi tribe againts the British. peace treaty in 1820.

1930`s

collaps of thepearl industy in the area, oil discovered in the gulf-region (Bahrain).

1968

dissagreement between the zaabi and the Qassimi led to the abandonment over 3 years.

1974

landfill

timeline Al Jazeerah Al Hamra - History

16th century

the zaabi fighting alongside the Qassimi tribe againts the Portuguese. the portuguese controlled the area for 150 years.earliest recordings of pearling-business (Julfar, 1510, dubai, 1580).

introducing breeze blocks.schools where established in RAK in the late 60`s. before this, only local Koran schools.

1894, after a huge fire in the Deira area of dubai, a new development of coral reef stone appared. for the more wealthy people. an indication of when coral as a building material emerced in the costal area.

the use of palm trees (Areesh) developed

early 20th century

al jazzerah al hamra was the largest village in the area, with 500 houses. ras al khaimah, was then a town of 1000 houses. half built in stone, half with palm fronds.

1969

the first tar-road was completed. linking RAK to south to the other emirates. this road was situated along the coast, passing al jazeerah al hamra.

16th century late 19th century

The past - Zaabi tribe

Timeline - Architectural

Timeline - Historical

1819 1953 1996 2010

The present - tourism & workers

A village abandoned in the 70`s, due to quarrels be-tween the two local tribes. This village is an old fishing and pearling-village, built up in mud-bricks and coral-reef stones. This is a modest village, consisting of, now, approximately 500 buildings. This is one of few authentic villages of its kind left in this area of the Middle East. In its surroundings, there have been successful and not so successful attempts to develop the area relating to tourism. Amongst hotels, theme-parks, shopping-malls and apartments, there is also a large business-park being developed, everything focusing on the in-come of tourists. Because of the quarrel, the government has been re-luctant to do anything with this village, and thus it has been falling apart, slowly. The owners, now mostly liv-ing in the areas of the capital Abu Dhabi, have refused to sell, and refused to move back. The only governmental responsible office has been the department of archaeology. They have been trying to capture as much documentation as possible on this village for years now. And have been promised by the authority that the village will be restored.

Still, nothing has happened

Al Jazeerah al Hamra is an ancient Ras al Khaimah town built of sand, bricks and coral, and it is prized by archaeologists as a rare example of pre-oil Emirati liv-ing. However, development and labour-ers seeking cheap housing are threaten-ing the village’s historic integrity.

Three years ago, things began to change. Development at the nearby in-dustrial zone brought in workers who needed low-cost housing. Companies began renting villas in al Jazeerah al Hamra, putting 20 or 30 workers into a house once shared by a family of pearl divers or fishermen.

At first, there were only a few labourers in the village. Families were reluctant to rent their old homes and many feared to live there because the village is be-lieved to be haunted by powerful jinn, or spirit beings. But during this last year, the south end of the village has been trans-formed, essentially, into a labour camp.

This is a typicalworkers camp in the area. 8 persons to a 30m2 room.No social interaction or possibilities for making food

Al Jazeerah al Hamra

Breaking it down

One of the first things I did when I came down was to just walk around in the village, for days. Since there is little registration on the village i decided to look at materiality. For three days I documented every unit in regard to its materiality.

Coral stone Compacted Seasand Breezeblocks/concrete

One of the most unique qualities ofthe village is the more or less organicpattern of alleys and small open areas.

Though it seems random, it is mostly based on the climatic conditions and expansion of the village.

The functional human scale is what gives the village its authenticity.

There are two two-story buildings in this village. This one is the best preserved on. It was used during the whole year by a merchant, Omran. This building is Utilizing the effect of the wind at a higher altitude, keeping the house cooler during the hot summer days.

To rebuild with existing materials and re-constructthe units as they were.

To establish a new typolo-gy in regards to scale and materials

To build according to the existing ruins, keeping them as they ae now.

To continue on the ruins with a new layer of materi-ality.

TypologyThe private units can be divided into four styles.The first is the Areesh house, made out of palm tree. The second is made out of coral stone, with small vents in the wallThe third is a little bigger in scale and made out of seasand-bricksThe fourth is bigger has aircondition and is made out of breeze-blocks

The Fort, with its watchtowerUnder command of the sheik.This also served as the villageprison.

The Mosque. Some with minarets, others withoout. 12 Mosques and one grand prayers area.

Omran house. Two-story house, served as a merchants living quarters thorugh-out the year

Abdul Karim house.Iranian Merchant.Enclosed courtyard with four windtowers.Imported architecture from Iran.

The Suq shop.Simple unit withshaded front andlarge shutters.

well in courtyardunderground water used for irrigation

the workers living in the village has already establised a communal garden in the com-mon space.

Picture of sewage storage, placed in the common areas of the village

sewage

courtyard

Majlis - mens social

sleeping

date palms, shade

seawater desalination fresh water utilities for water greenhouse greywater toilet blackwaterseptic

water consumption - stages

solar radiation

transparant absorber

flowing seawter

condensa-

evaporation

transmitted solar radiation

seawater fresh water

greenhouse

greywater

blackwater

units

sew

age

grey

wat

erw

aste

fre

sh w

ater

Developing hub - system

1m2 pruduces appr. 10L fresh wa-ter/day

one family unit needs appr. 75L pr. day

7,5m2/family unit = 150m2 ( 20 units )

1500L fresh water pr day/hub

150m2 solar still/hub

water - production/need8m2 pr unit of blackwater cell

8m2 pr unit of greenwater cell

20 units = 160m2 greywater 160m2 blackwater

160m2 greywater - 160m2 blackwater

greywater/blackwater2000 kwh/y pr unit

1m2 solar panel = 250kwh

8m2 solar pv pr unit = 160m2

laundromat 10x500kwh/y = 40m2

200m2 solar pv pr. hub

solar pv system

dividing up the right square meter.green = blackwateryellow = greywaterblack = solar pv

solar pv on roof greywater challenging private space blackwater as social attractor exploring space with crumbled fences the transition between private and public

solar pv as shading in public space

The Infrastructure

Traditional courtyard in village

Falaj, collecting and leading water from the mountains to the foot of the mountain, to irrigate their plantation near their summer-retreat. this was also the source of fresh water to the village by the sea.

Electricity came to parts of the village in late 60`s, But now only the newest area has op-erable electricity.The Emirate is struggeling with the fact that there is not enough power in the, especially in Ras Al Khaimah. New developements are finished, but lack their electricity.

The oldest bulidings have natural ventilation system, with small windows towards the prevaling north-west wind, and small ventilation tubes close to the ceiling on opposite side. The newer buildings installed mechanical air-condition

storage food

well

When developing a new infrastructure i have looked at the old infrastructure in the village, using the traditional courtyard as foundation for re-developing a new holistic system.

One of the most important factors is to be able to develope the infrastructure as an add-on system.

the private courtyards

defined as private courtyards for living.

input-element: add-on units.

add-on within private courtyards

relating to existing buildings and courtyard wall

example of closed and open courtyard

securing the inner courtyard space

densifying inside private courtyards, surroundingthe social hub.

to secure courtyard-space exploring courtyard-space

private VS public

when the courtyard-walls crumble

removing the courtyard walls that have crumbled

exploring the new space between public and private

walls intact, no contact between public and private

walls crumbling after 40 years visual contact but still clear border

palm-leafs restores full seclusion but keeping crumbling wall intact

blackwater-cell as divider between private and public space difuse contact with clear borders public system as private divider

traditional local courtyard modern local courtyard-style

the commercial units

defined as new service buildingsestablished on ruined buildingsto meet the needs of the hub

service buildings

the crumbling development of some units in the village proposal: use footprintwhy two stories?

typical village service building from Bastakia in Dubai.palm-lefs infront of openingsand public access to roof-level

windtowers above shops in suq,Bastakia

large open windows into shops,Bastakia

two-storie ventilation or one-storie ventilation

max

max

new units relating to old units within the courtyard

different stages of walls in the village

max

two-story building in village

the border between public and privatechanges

space need:

blackwater-150m2

public meets private

exploring the borders with the use ofsystems

input-element:blackwater cells

public meets private, systems

space need:

desalination-150m2greywater/greenhouse-150m2

the public space

the commercial courtyards

defined as a public accessable space, surrounding the mosque.

input-element: solar shading

defined as public accessable courtyardswith commercial programming.

input-element: greenhouse, desalination& commercial units.

the public space, systems

the commercial courtyards, systems

to keep the qualities of the public space intact,and only adding the quality of shading.

space need:

solar shading-150m2

securing the public space around a mosqueby adding solar shading in relevant places

securing the public space around a mosqueby activating the commercial within selectedcourtyards

densifying inside the public space VS inside thesurrounding courtyards

densifying for commercial use, surrounding themosque and the public space

to secure social space

to secure social space

exploring the systems

exploring the systems greywater/greenhouse desalination

exploring the rythme of the public space the shaded structures need to be able to withstand the weight of the solar PV panelshow to adapt this kind of construction into thisenvironment?

solar panels gives shading structure as divider between public and private?

or make a light structure that will still carrythe weight of the solar panels giving flexibility in length and width

giving the feeling of the traditionalshading with tents and fabric

connecting the desalinationwith the greenhouse roof

public VS private ruined wall as dividerto place the greenhouse in a public context building as add-ons by need

exploring the systems

the low technology of the blackwater allows forintegrations with the private courtyards as well

to connect private and public

possibilities to densify in public space and as adivider between public and private space

mixing systems

or

the shape of the blackwater celladapts to the situation

blackwater cell as public attractor blackwater cell as divider