MIXED USE COMPLEX IN ROSETTA

Islamic fabric :

The Arab-Islamic city is entirely unique from other urban forms. Traditional and historic Islamic cities often lack monuments such as freestanding religious or public institutions accompanied by large open squares and plazas. Islamic cities from afar tend to look uniform and homogenous but on the pedestrian level, traditional Islamic structures and buildings are highly differentiated. Islamic cities compartmentalize their different spaces between the public and private spheres allow for a clear differentiation between the two. Surrounding the markets are a series and system of sprawling dead-end alleyways that would connect a cluster of courtyard houses. Islam qualifies the private sphere of the family as sacred, and therefore forbidden to strangers. This that residences had to be completely insular. These residential units are protected from public life and function as inward-oriented autonomous units. Within these courtyards were a series of houses or structures housing multiple nuclear families to compose the tribe or clan .

RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS:

They were clusters of households of particular quality of life based on closeness (Qaraba) which is manifested in personal ties, common interests and shared moral unity. They were usually dense and each quarter had its own mosque used only for daily prayers, Quranic school , bakery, shops and other first necessity objects. They even had their own gates which were usually closed at night after last prayers and opened early morning at early prayers time .

Islamic Residential buildings :

The courtyard house is the smallest unit within the Islamic urban structure; the Muslim dwelling is thus the ultimate haven for privacy and security. The courtyard functions as the primary source of lighting and ventilation to the domestic unit, being an essentially introverted space. The desire for privacy is one of the main motivations behind the choice of the courtyard as a crucial element in Islamic house planning.

STREET NETWORK:

Connecting between these quarters and to the central place was a network of narrow winding streets consisting of public and private and semi- private streets and cul de sacs.

Main Principles for the city

1- Achieve continuity between the past ,the present and the future by respecting traditions and applying them in a new way .

2- Reflect the character of the traditional city . building are not objects ,they are part of an urban fabric .

3- Offer privicy and security together with generous indoor and outdoor spaces . A spirt of family and a sense of community .

4- Create a comfortable and memorable network af places by creating a lasting setting for a vibrant street life , shaded environment with pedestrian priority .

5- Achieve maximum energy with minimum energy use , by exploit natural forces of the sun and wind .

SITE PLAN :