Traditional Architecture in al-Jawf Province

Traditional Architecture in al-Jawf Province is an architectural heritage and cultural legacy that represents one of the historic landmarks in al-Jawf Province in the north-central of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The governorates of al-Jawf Province encompass historical architectural sites that resemble the traditional architecture of the central region of the Kingdom (Najd Region). The similarity is evident in the layout of cities, villages, and houses, as well as in the incorporation of various architectural and decorative elements. In addition, the construction process relies on the use of 'adobe brick' as a primary material.

Adobe brick is the main material used in the traditional construction of cities and villages in al-Jawf Province, except for some buildings, such as castles and palaces, where stone was used as the main building material, or stone combined with adobe brick. These materials are used for various environmental reasons, including the hot climate, weather volatility, and scarcity of rainfall.

Similarly to other cities and villages in the Kingdom, traditional architectural planning in al-Jawf Province relies on integrated architectural composition, such as the grouping of buildings in an architectural style integrated with a network of narrow and winding roads, and the uniformity of the height of the building's part within the height of neighboring buildings. This architectural planning was adopted in the province for several reasons, including the family and social system, which played a significant role in constructing buildings close to each other, in addition to safety concerns. The aim was to protect the city or village against external raids, as the narrow and winding streets helped facilitate the confrontation of enemies and tracking them.

The religious factor also contributed to the proximity and clustering of buildings in the province, as the roads were heading towards mosques. Another factor that led to the implementation of this architectural style was confronting the harsh environmental conditions, where the closeness and grouping of buildings helped to face the high-temperature levels and protect pedestrians from direct sunlight. Furthermore, the winding nature of the road network helped maintain the cool breeze throughout the night to cool the atmosphere during the day, reduce the wind speed, and minimize its effects.

A traditional house in al-Jawf Province features several architectural elements, such as a large internal courtyard, thick walls made of adobe brick and stone, and ceilings composed of mud, wood, and palm fronds. The house's facade was designed to face the wind, with windows and openings that overlook the exterior. Most houses typically comprise two stories: a ground floor and a second floor, connected by stone stairs. Alternatively, a house may feature a single ground floor with stairs leading to the roof.

The house in al-Jawf Province featured several amenities, including a medium-sized room with a few windows and shelves made of palm fronds in one corner. It also had a kitchen (al-Mawqad), a hall area known as al-Liwan or al-Diwan, and a small rooftop room called Sqaifah or Roshn, used for sleeping during summer nights and midday heat. Furthermore, the house included a storage area called 'al-Wihd' for keeping pottery jars known as 'al-Khabiyah', which are used to knead and store dates, as well as wheat mats. Some houses dedicate a small room to store fodder over the summer to be used in the winter. Rooms were roofed with tamarisk tree trunks and covered with palm fronds.

The prevailing style in traditional architecture in al-Jawf Province is the three-square opening system, similar to the traditional buildings in Dawmat al-Jandal and al-Qurayyat. This style is complemented by the triangular openings that characterize Najdi architecture.