Syrian mud domes

Beqaa, Lebanon, 2018

Organizers: Arcenciel (Lebanese non-profit association), in partnership with the Cultural Protection Fund of the British Council.

Led by: Houda Kassatly, anthropologist /photographer.

Main builder: Issa el Khodor.

Objectives: Preserve and transmit the Syrian know-how for building traditional domed houses.

Amidst the turmoil facing Syria's cultural heritage, efforts to safeguard its traditional architectural techniques have become paramount. Recognizing the peril facing the expertise related to Syrian dome houses, Lebanese anthropologist Houda Kassatly, from Arcenciel in partnership with the British Council, has initiated a workshop to revive this knowledge and impart it to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, alongside professional architects and architecture students. Through practical workshops and the publication of instructional materials, architects and builders are being introduced to the traditional construction methods of northern and eastern Syria. In a time marked by widespread destruction of Syria's cultural heritage, preserving the know-how of these traditional techniques stands as a testament to resilience and cultural continuity.

link to book by Houda Kassatly: from earth to dome
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Rammed earth experiments, Lebanon

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Earthen architecture workshop, Yazd Iran