The coastal villages of the Eastern Province are characterized by a contrast between the blue of the sea, the white buildings, and the blue sky. In the inland villages, the contrast appears between mud buildings and the lush green palm trees. The architecture in the province features three types of housing:
1- Houses built from limestone, locally known as Faroush (Rubble Stone), with courtyards and heights reaching up to three stories.
2- Houses built from mud, characterized by their simplicity in construction, consisting of one or two stories.
3- Arish houses, single-room dwellings made from palm fronds.
The architectural style of the province is defined by the following characteristics:
- The widespread use of inner courtyards in most houses.
- The abundance of openings in coastal areas and their scarcity in inland areas.
- Windows are elongated, with some featuring semi-circular or pointed arches, and solid openings appearing in certain parts of the building and rooftop barriers.
- Indian-style decorative arches seen in some significant buildings, such as al-Qatif Market and certain homes in al-Hufuf.
- Prominent wooden rawasheen resembling balconies.
- Indirect openings designed for ventilation.
- Columns protruding from the level of the walls.
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