RIYADH: Described as an “exquisite botanical work of art” the traditional Jazani hut represents an innate and ingenious response to environmental requirements.
Today, the Jazani hut is experiencing a quiet revival; valued for its aesthetic appeal and environmental performance, the hut offers architects a compelling blueprint for climate-responsive design, demonstrating how natural ventilation, locally sourced materials, and adaptive, modular construction can be integrated into modern projects — fighting against cultural erasure at the same time.
Although huts are a prevalent architectural style across the Tihama coastal plains extending along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, the Jazani hut is distinguished by its enormous size compared with others in the region.
“There is no precise or specific date for when they first appeared, however, sources confirm that the people of the Tihama plains in the Jazan region have constructed them since ancient times,” the Heritage Commission’s head of handicrafts, Dalia Alyahya, told Arab News.
The unique environmental and geographical conditions of the Jazan region contributed to the innovation of the ‘Al-Usha’ design. (SPA)
Their construction prospered until the early civilizational shift in the Kingdom, following the discovery of oil, which greatly changed living situations.
“The construction of the hut is described as a process that never truly ended,” she said.
“Rather, it reflected the history of the family's growth and evolution over many generations, indicating that this architectural style is the product of successive experiences rooted in antiquity.”
While very similar, there were two main styles of huts: Al-Usha was the dominant style, characterized by a circular floor plan topped with a conical roof, and Al-Areesh, characterized by a square or rectangular floor plan and a gabled or vaulted roof built from the same botanical materials.
The unique environmental and geographical conditions of the Jazan region contributed to the innovation of the Al-Usha design as an ingenious architectural solution intended to harmonize with the harsh climate.
Alyahya explained that the flat terrain of the Tihama coastal plain dictated a horizontal expansion pattern consisting of spacious single-story structures.
“The design responded to high temperatures and humidity by providing natural cooling.”
A traditional Jazani hut in Tihama, a narrow coastal region of Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea. (Flickr)
Its streamlined circular shape was designed to dissipate the force of seasonal dust storms and ensure rapid drainage after heavy rainfall. This was complemented by the precise placement of two perpendicular doors to capture the Red Sea breeze and ensure cool, effective airflow.
Additionally, the thickness of the thatch prevented rainwater leakage and provided shading that protected the internal mud layers from the sun's intense heat.
“By utilizing abundant local plant resources — such as arak, athl, and markh — a structure was created that ‘breathes’ and does not absorb heat like stone does, making the hut a perfect model for environmental compatibility.”
Generations in the Tihama plains have traditionally built these huts using purely local materials derived from the region's natural environment. The structural framework relies primarily on the trunks and branches of hardy trees such as arak, athl, and sidr.
The gaps were filled and the exterior structure was clad with dense layers of dried grasses and plants, such as markh and thumam, which are tightly secured using hand-twisted ropes made from palm fibers or tree bark.
On the inside, walls were covered with a layer of mud, then coated with plaster and decorated with colored pigments in a traditional art form known as Nourah art, roles taken up by women.
The construction process was a collaborative effort by the local people. The work was led by a “mu’allim” (master builder) in constructing huts, while household members, relatives, and neighbors assisted in bringing timber and other building materials.
“These huts were primarily used for housing, sleeping, and daily living.
“The house, known in the local dialect as the ‘darah,’ functions as an integrated residential system comprising one or more huts depending on the family size,” Alyahya said.
In this setup, the hut is the primary hub for sleeping and gatherings, while service facilities — such as the kitchen (known as the “benayah”) and livestock pens, are built in separate corners to ensure safety and mitigate fire hazards.
“The Jazani hut reflects a tightly knit social life based on the darah system, which is enclosed by a botanical fence (sejaf) to provide privacy.
“Daily practices, such as sleeping in outdoor spaces (al-turraha) during the summer, reveal a deep connection to the environment.”
Families even hung decorated pots and plates as part of the home’s ornaments, which produce musical tones as the wind passes through, illustrating a unique artistic dimension to their daily life at the time.
The Jazani hut was also a communication tool through the “qur’ainah,” a long wooden piece at its peak from which pieces of cloth are hung as an announcement, with each social occasion distinguished by a specific color.
Meanwhile, the al-turraha and al-qabal spaces created important points for social interaction and evening gatherings, reinforcing neighborly bonds that began with the very act of collaborative building.
“The Jazani hut represents a symbol of human ingenuity in adaptation, transcending its role as a mere physical shelter to become a social and cultural space that reflects family status,” Alyahya said.
However, their use began to gradually decline with the shift toward modern building materials such as concrete, which symbolized an economic shift toward luxury and modernity at the time.
Despite the misconception that associates the Jazani hut with primitiveness or fragility, it actually represents “smart architecture” that was ahead of its time in terms of sustainability, thanks to its integrated system of thermal insulation and natural ventilation.
The flexibility of its wooden structure and the rope-binding system additionally made it resistant to vibrations and perfectly suited for the Tihama soil.
This clever build astounded researchers and historians, transforming the hut from a mere necessity into a heritage icon and a recreational space that the people of Jazan are now rebuilding on their farms to reconnect with their cultural roots and enjoy a natural environment that modern buildings cannot provide.
“The decline in building traditional huts threatens the loss of a wealth of indigenous engineering knowledge and rare craftsmanship passed down through generations,” Alyahya said.
The craftsmanship of functional accessories, such as “qa’ada” beds woven from palm fronds and the creation of pottery and wickerwork, also faces extinction.
“This is exacerbated by the younger generation’s reluctance to pursue these rare professions and the lack of traditional apprenticeship from parents,” Alyahya said, calling it a loss of architectural identity and the teachings of sustainability and climate adaptation.
Yet, modern architects are working to adapt traditional designs for contemporary use, protecting the architectural character and abstracting the aesthetic features of ancient models to apply in modern projects.
This is evident by Saudi Arabia’s interest in highlighting heritage through the official adoption of the “Tihama Square Style” on the map of Saudi architecture, a recognition that grants it official status as an authentic architectural style that inspires the design of other facilities and megaprojects.
With the Kingdom’s push toward sustainability, natural materials are being integrated with enhanced technologies, and green architecture concepts are being adopted — inspired by the natural ventilation and thermal insulation solutions that characterized traditional construction — to reduce energy consumption.
“This movement is supported by academic development aimed at training a new generation of architects to derive creative solutions from heritage roots … reaching a renewed identity that makes heritage a goldmine for inspiration and innovation in the architecture of the future,” Alyahya said.
This approach shifts heritage from a stage of passive preservation to one of positive, public developmental preservation.
Today, Jazani huts are found in prominent locations, including the lobbies of major hotels, national festivals, and agritourism farms, where they have transformed from traditional dwellings into living cultural symbols reflecting national identity.
Ensuring that they do not turn into static museum pieces, the huts’ design and architectural elements have been repurposed for use as tourist inns and in restaurants and cafes.
“This shift aims to breathe life back into this heritage, making it an active and vital part of the contemporary economic and social fabric,” Alyahya said.
