Traditional Architecture in Jazan Province

Traditional Architecture in Jazan Province is an architectural style and a building method that reflects the history of the community and the development of urban life in Jazan Province, located in the southwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From the perspectives of form, construction methods, and building materials, this architecture was shaped by the region’s natural and social conditions, highlighting its environmental and cultural features. Residents adapted available resources for construction, adding aesthetic elements to harmonize with the community’s needs and lifestyle, whether in old or modern urban settings.

Traditional urban fabric in Jazan Province

The urban fabric of Jazan Province varies according to its diverse terrains and can be divided into three types:

• The urban fabric of the coastal plains: Characterized by scattered buildings and winding roads, especially in the south.
• The urban fabric of the valleys: Similar to the style in the coastal areas, where buildings are scattered and roads are winding, with structures featuring inner courtyards, alongside Bayt Al-Asha and the traditional stone house.
• The urban fabric of the mountainous areas: Buildings in mountainous regions are constructed to a considerable height. The urban fabric here can be divided into two patterns: the scattered building style, established on agricultural terraces with houses located at the top for supervision and protection, which is seen in Fayfa Mountains; and the compact building style, influenced by security considerations, where houses are built closely together on mountain slopes or elevated areas.

Design of traditional buildings in Jazan Province

The design of traditional buildings in Jazan Province varies from one place to another, depending on cultural, environmental, and climatic factors. It also relies on the natural resources available for construction. The designs are divided into three main types: the traditional building style in the coastal plains, the building style in Tihama valleys, and the building style in the mountainous areas.

Traditional building styles in the coastal plains

There are various traditional building styles in the coastal plains of Jazan Province, including:

• Al-Asha: Al-Asha style is common on the edges of valleys and in the plains. It is a single-story, high-ceilinged structure prepared for receiving guests and for sleeping. A family may have one or more Asha, depending on its means and number of residents. From the outside, Al-Asha takes a conical shape, while its floor plan is circular with a diameter ranging between three and five m. It has two perpendicular entrances that help with air circulation. Construction materials include parts of trees and some plants, while the lower section is coated with a layer of gypsum and clay. Colored plates are hung on the walls, and decorative patterns are added to the floors and walls to provide an aesthetic touch.

Next to Al-Asha is a clay kitchen building called 'Binayah,' which contains several stoves known as 'Tannour.' The house may also include an Arish (shed) for kitchen tools and a coffee stove called 'Sabl,' and another open-sided Arish. This area is enclosed by a fence made of light wood and straw called 'Masharij,' and the whole group of structures is referred to as 'Dara.'

• Al-Arishah: It is similar to Al-Asha in being a single-story structure used as the main room for living, receiving guests, and sleeping. It differs, however, in having a rectangular design. This type is rare and is considered short-lived due to the nature of the materials used, lasting no more than three or four decades. It is no longer built since the shift toward modern houses.
• Al-Bayt Al-Fursani: This style spread on Farasan Island. The design of Al-Bayt Al-Fursani was influenced by the culture of pearl merchants in the past, who traveled frequently for trade. Houses in Farasan were built using the island’s natural resources, such as limestone coral rocks, which builders shaped, along with raw gypsum found in Farasan’s mines. The gypsum was processed in a simple, primitive way by burning gypsum sheets and grinding them into powder for plastering walls or adding decorative elements. Quranic verses, Hadith texts, and welcoming phrases were engraved to adorn the facades and corners of houses.

Al-Bayt Al-Fursani design adapted to the region’s high temperatures with thick walls, small external openings, and high ceilings. An example of the Fursanis’ attention to architectural styles is Al-Rifai House, built in 1923, decorated with golden-painted bands inscribed with Quranic verses, along with wooden beams on the exterior walls engraved with inscriptions. Nearby stands the historic Al-Najdi Mosque, built in 1928, distinguished by its Islamic decorations and ornaments resembling those of Al-Hamra Palace Mosque.

Traditional building styles in Tihama valleys

Building styles in the Tihama valleys include Al-Asha and Al-Arishah, along with traditional stone houses that consist of a single story. These houses differ from the stone houses in the mountainous areas due to climatic conditions and economic factors. A typical house is built with two rooms: the first is spacious for receiving guests and is called 'Al-Ghurfah' (the room), to distinguish it from the smaller one; the second, intended for sleeping, is smaller and called 'Wustah.'

The house is surrounded by annexes and enclosed by a stone wall or a plant fence known as 'Sajaf.' For protection, thorns are added; and in this case, it is called 'Zarb.' The windows are designed in the shape of a five-lobed arch. Houses are built using volcanic stone and baked red bricks, while wood is used for construction and roofing. The interior walls and floors are covered with gypsum, while the exterior walls, depending on the owner’s means, are coated with gypsum or clay. For decoration, gypsum is used to cover the walls with geometric ornaments such as circles and plant motifs. These decorations extend from the middle of the interior walls upward, or are limited to the areas near the ceiling. The gypsum can be painted with Nurah—a lime coating mixed with sky-blue and white—while other paints and colors are sometimes used. The houses withstand climatic conditions by having small windows, raised ceilings, and thickened walls.

Building styles in the mountainous highlands of Jazan Province

Stone buildings in the mountainous highlands of Jazan Province are constructed according to geographic conditions, aligning with local needs. These buildings follow a vertical pattern, typically consisting of three or four stories or more, and vary in construction style. They can be classified into three types:

• Al-Maftoul: It is built on a high rock in a circular shape resembling towers, making it safe and easy to defend against enemies.
• Al-Qaryah: It is a cluster of houses connected to Al-Bayt Al-Maftoul, arranged in circular or square shapes and attached to the core house so that they form one facade and share a single entrance.
• Al-Marbou‘ah: Houses built in rectangular or square shapes. They were rare in the past, known for their solid construction and limited windows. The lower floors typically had no windows for security reasons. Locations were carefully chosen to oversee the surroundings and make it difficult for enemies to reach them.

The design of stone houses in the highlands emphasizes vertical circulation between spaces. They are usually built with three or four floors, sometimes more. Rooms are arranged so that their doors open directly onto the staircase. The design varies by location: in some cases, a master bedroom for the head of the household is placed on the top floor, along with an open rooftop area designated for observation. Small openings were included for use in warfare. However, the overall design relies on the arrangement of spaces across the floors, and each floor is assigned a specific function, as follows:

• Ground floor: Used as a storage area for grains and as shelter for livestock.
• First floor: Contains a passage to the upper floors. In large families, it was often used as the main living room (Majlis), typically in a full circular shape, with a part sometimes reserved for storing agricultural crops.
• Second floor: Typically semi-circular in shape, or slightly larger. One-third of the floor was designated as a kitchen, called Satah, while the remaining two-thirds served as a living and sleeping area, large enough to accommodate about three families.
• Third floor: Covered about one-quarter of the house’s area. It was used for storing valuable and important items, with an adjacent area designated for washing and bathing, called Al-Masrab.

Mountain buildings in Tihama highlands of Jazan Province

Stones available in the mountains are used for construction in Tihama Highlands, along with wood for roofing. Construction follows several steps, beginning with determining the area and dimensions of the building, the number of rooms, and its external shape. Foundations are then dug to a depth of about five m, using large stones. The next step is strengthening the structure by interlocking and shaping the stones, a process known as 'Al-Rasm.' Wall thickness is carefully considered, gradually decreasing as the building rises, while gaps are filled with small stones to prevent air from entering. The roof is covered with wood arranged in square patterns called 'Al-Aslah,' along with reeds known as 'Al-Jura‘.' The exterior is coated with a layer of clay, followed by another layer of lime to protect against rain. For aesthetic purposes, white stone known as 'Al-Marw' is used to create external frames. Inside, the housewife would apply coatings of gypsum or clay, adding colors and decorations to beautify the interior.