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Jeddah’s architecture has always reflected the city’s cultural diversity, but much of its historic heart is sadly being left to rot.
Jeddah’s old town is a far cry from the modern malls and air-conditioned offices of the city suburbs.
The old souks and neighbourhoods that have for so long attracted pilgrims from across the Arab world now suffer from alarming neglect, rubble lines the streets and the traditional buildings – bar a few token restorations – are partly collapsed into the surrounding streets and roads.
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Despite the squalor, the Hejazi architectural traditions that have thrived in the city can still be seen on the dilapidated buildings. In some cases vast wooden mashrabiya cover entire façades, and shuttered window boxes, known as roshan, provide cooling and privacy for inhabitants in the summer.
The narrow and winding streetscape, which is interspersed with communal, tree-shaded courtyards, is noticeably cooler than the main roads a few metres away. The breeze races down the narrow lanes, taking the edge of the oppressive humidity of the Red Sea coast.
The architectural differences between Jeddah and the northern cities of Saudi Arabia date back centuries.
The word Hejaz means ‘barrier’ in Arabic, and represents the fact that the cities of Jeddah, Mecca and Medina are cut off from the rest of the Arabian peninsula by mountains. In terms of construction, Jeddah used coral to build its first houses instead of mud, while in design terms Hejazi architecture is a true melting pot. The influx of pilgrims over the centuries has led to hints of Syrian, Iraqi and Egyptian design on Jeddah’s narrow lanes.
It is unfortunate that so much of what makes Jeddah unique has been ignored in the old town, and even in the government-approved ‘tourist area’ the buildings are in a state of disrepair. That the wooden window boxes and screens have lasted as long as they have is testament to the craftsmanship with which they were first built, but unfortunately nobody in Jeddah seems to have shown the same dedication to restoring these historic buildings.
We can only hope that the Jeddah Development and Urban Regeneration Company (JDURC) plans for the city’s unplanned settlements will provoke a similar regeneration of the old town, but few here hold out much hope. The sheer amount of work, and lack of profit, that would be involved in reversing the tide of neglect is likely to be great even for wealthy Saudi Arabia.
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