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Well another dimension of feeling Kuwait for me was to observe the city through its architectural and planning perspective.  Overall, Kuwait architecture can be divided as residential architecture, religious buildings, Defensive walls and forts and commercial buildings. After going through some research papers and books in the internet, I got myself acquainted about development of Kuwait city and how the political and economic transformation have shaped the city to its present form. Actually, I realize the case of Kuwait provided good example of transformation and struggle of city to the pace of modern development and to return to the roots of its cultural heritage, at the same time. In my observation, Kuwait is transferring from local vernacular to modern urbanized city. It’s a city, which is preparing itself to be part of modern global world through transformation demanded by time and people. In the past history, Kuwait was inhabited by desert inhabitants from Arab countries, based its economy on sea trade but after discovery of oil in 50’s, Kuwait gained an economic boom and modern pace of development took place after that, which means, more cars, more high rise buildings, more wider roads, and modern planned city. Kuwait implemented its first modern city plan during 50’s after oil discovery but after the tragic history of Iraq invasion, the country had to go through devastation of their important structures and infrastructures. But today, Kuwait had successfully recovered and overcome from its tragedy but marks will always remain in the hearts of Kuwaiti people.

European or developed cities, average people do not ride bus, it is viewed as the means of transport for lower class people especially for Asian laborers and hence social stratification is well observed here.

 Another important features of Arabic residents, is the wind tower. It is usually one strorey longer than rest of the room and narrow and vertical shafts with its opening in all sides. It has a barrier structure in between which directs cold wind inside living areas sucks out hot air from inside to outside creating siphonic affect of air pressure. It is one of the interesting passive design technologies, which could be adopted in hot places as natural ventilation. Today, there are very few built forms left in Kuwait as part of architectural heritage but those who believe and feels the significance of traditional heritage, have tried to incorporate the concept of elements of traditional architecture in their modern buildings for e.g. Diwaniya, courtyards, Masrabiyas are some of them. While most of residences have taken modern and contemporary architectural form, they observe/borrow from their travel around the world esp. Europe and London.

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Another important elements that mark Kuwait city architecture, is its “market “Since the history trade has been part of Kuwaiti culture. Traditional markets of “Souk” were planned near neighborhoods with covered narrow alleys .All shops were open to ground floor level only and generally they were only one storey. These souks were zoned as spice souk, gold souk, souk for dried fruits, butcher souk, blacksmith and goldsmith souk, fish and meat markets etc. Covered markets are part of Arabic architecture, it is may be because of climate, to protect shoppers from scorching heat of sun, the alleys of souk is either narrow or covered with palm leaves placed over palm woods.

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Men/Women they both enjoy shopping here. Generally these Malls have food stalls, restaurants, food cafes and children’s play area in the first floor along with multiplexes. One can observe huge crowds including people of all age groups flocking in these malls especially during weekends and after office hour.

My living experience on Islamic Arabic city has given me a different dimension to see, observe and feel the city personally which was beyond my speculations, I set up in my mind . Every country is beautiful if it is shaped by true feeling of “Humanity” and nothing else but humanity and our culture and religion be it Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism or Islam, all teaches us one common thing to be true human. If one is educated then he/she will have the ability to grasp the essence of humanity in all. I thank God for admitting me in this new school of life and bestowing me with completely new depth of knowledge. Yes someone has rightly said, life is what happens when one is busy making other plans!!!!!!

Ar. Brinda Shrestha







 

 

Unlike courtyards of Kathmandu or Europe, where neighborhood is planned around the courtyard, Arabic courtyards are more private and each household have their own courtyards. Geographically, also these courtyards have helped transferred indirect north light to the living rooms in the hot and arid desert climate while providing natural surveillance of the rooms and place for social gathering in extremely introvert society. 

Traditionally, vernacular architecture of residences was planned based on courtyard planning with rooms laid around the courtyard. Load bearing walls made of sand and sea bed rocks, palm woods, fixed geometric forms of squares/rectangle, Diwaniyas and Mashrabiyas, courtyards and wind towers are of the special features of these residences. Culturally the overall planning concept of these residents can be divided as Men’s area and Women’s area. Men’s area including Diwaniyas is accessible from streets and much open while women’s area like Kitchen and bedrooms were much inside with private and controlled accessibility. Private courtyard is and essential feature of Arabic residences.

Today souk forms have transformed from traditional covered souk to modern well-facilitated “Shopping Malls” and departmental stores.  Mostly these malls are spread horizontally rather than the vertical heights. Each mall occupies hectares of land, requiring at least a day for one person to do window-shopping only. Shopping is part of Kuwaiti lifestyle.

Waking up in the dawn with Azaan, religious prayers in the neighborhood, I live, was totally new to me. For the first few days, I had difficulties in adjusting to the loud sound of prayers. Later, I started respecting, as I discovered their devotion to God and their religion. 

Born, grown up and educated in Nepal, my knowledge to people and their life have revolved somewhere, around life with dominance of Hinduism and Buddhism. A graduate in architecture and urban planning, personally I always have passion to explore and familiarize about different cities, their people and their living style. The beauty of exploring different cities is, one will always feel incomplete and ignorant in each new city, he/she travels.

Towards new school of Life: Living experience in Kuwait.

There is common saying I hear in Kuwait, i.e. the favorite pass time of people in Kuwait is eating and shopping and one can feel this, as the dawn starts and those restaurants become packed and jammed with cars for people to grab finger foods or any food they can eat in their cars. Actually, eating inside the car is a kind of living habit here in Kuwait. I wonder why they don’t choose to park their cars and at least make an effort to walk to the restaurants/food kiosks to buy food. May be it’s the “parking issues” they consider a hectic effort finding the place to park. Being oil rich country, almost every individual have one car each. Outside big villas one can see three to four cars parked each day. Mobility, in Kuwait is mainly through cars for average middle and high-income people them. But Kuwait also has public transport bus service run by KPTC ( Kuwait Public Transport company) but unlike in 

Neighborhood here is planned to make sure that mosque is easily accessible by foot, making mosque a part of community or neighborhood. Like my own country, there is also predominance of patriarchal society here, with strong male dominated culture. Based on my prejudice , I speculated Kuwaiti women are introvert, reserved and are deprived of many things for being woman. But to my surprise, I saw different perspective. They are confident, extrovert, professional and are juggling with family and career life. Like any other people around the globe, people here are simply ordinary people struggling with their life's ups and downs.More I knew them, more I felt my preconceptions on Arab people were  so wrong .It’s all about how one perceives things and how things have been explained. Arabic scripts were another beautiful and challenging learning experience for a person like me, who grew up learning English and Nepali language. I really had difficulty in trying to figure out scripts in many ways. Firstly it was a challenge to read and write scripts from left to right, I sensed as if I needed to reboot my mind. Secondly the scripts were unique and they were more like part of art, that’s why they are famous as the Arabic calligraphy. Writing Arabic script is part of art that includes special devotion towards artistic creation of Arabic scripts.

Be it Copenhagen or be it Kathmandu, every city is beautiful; if we attempt to listen to the resonance of the city driven through its social and cultural factor. In my past I gained knowledge about many Asian cities and European cities, but Arabic cities, were totally new to me. Arabic cities were never in my course of study, neither the Islamic culture nor philosophy that shaped the city. As it is said, life is the greatest institution and for past two years, my life journey has landed in Kuwait, the place I never dreamt of or thought of, I will go and live. Kuwait has been one of the job destinations in gulf countries, for so many youths from Nepal, whose family and livelihoods are dependent on the earnings, form here. But be it in Kuwait, America or anyplace around the world no country would be easier than your own home country. Even for frequent traveller person like me, my experience was insufficient to gain confidence in this new Middle East Arabic environment. In the initial few months, I felt I am going through cultural and emotional shock. Things were totally different and as per what is being shown and discussed frequently in western media, I had a different image of the Arab cities. Deep down in my heart, I had many dilemmas, but as the days passed by, my fear overcome and I started feeling more comfortable. Like many other cities I travelled, It has its own cultural and social values and is abide by its own law enforcement policy, but of course, the country had been occasionally criticized for human right issues by the world but the fact, that in 2014, UN declared the country and the Amir as the world humanitarian country and leader, places the criticism in the other side.