Traditional Mediterranean Architecture

Typology :
Troglodyte house
Country :
Lebanon

CONTENTS OF THE FILE

Synthesis Analytical group of the typology Forms of the typology Inventory of the country’s typologies

Current state of vitality and preservation Transformation process Capacity for rehabilitation Lexicon

SYNTHESIS

Quite common in remote high mountains or on the hillsides of steep sided valleys, the
troglodyte house only represents a minute percentage of vernacular architecture in
Lebanon.
It is characteristic of minorities and rural social groups; it is intimately linked to the
locations morphology and conditions.

ANALYTICAL GROUP OF THE TYPOLOGY

rural Isolated or Permanent Changing Continuous Rooted Low Compact

groups
(Environment ) (Implantation) (Character) (Origin) (Use) (Cultural) (Economic level) (Morphology)

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY

Troglodyte house

INVENTORY OF THE COUNTRY’S TYPOLOGIES

Troglodyte house Shepard shelter Nomadic habitat Basic house

Iwan house Riwaq house Three-arch house Court house

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 Traditional Mediterranean Architecture

FORMS OF THE TYPOLOGY

Implantation
It is found in the mountain range of
Mount-Lebanon. The most famous
examples are found in Ouadi Annoubine

Elevation
(Northern Lebanon) and in Hermel
(Bekaa). Other areas, though less
known, our testimony of troglodyte
housing: Bentael, Ras Chekka,
Hamatoura, Ouadi Amchit, or Adloun
(south). Their implantation depends on
their function: hermitages in Qadisha
and sheep-folds in the agricultural areas
of Lebanon.

Cross section AA’

Use/associated activity
Household, sheep fold, Hermitage,
shelter

Dating
As far back as prehistoric times.

Altitude
200 meters and above Troglodyte house à Ras Chekka

Cross section BB’

Orientation
There is no privileged orientation for Functional outline
inhabited caves. The criteria depend on: Flanked in a hillside, this house is
− Living capacities of the area defined by the available space of the
− Natural qualities of the cave cave. Household activities are in line
(dryness or moisture) form, and only exceptionally deep inside
the case..
− Accessible nearby water
− Defensive qualities
Ground surface covered
The average living area depends on the
nature of the pre-existing stratifications:
this can range from 20 square meters
(average unit size) up to over 100
square meters. The average overall
area ranges from 10 square meters to
±0

500 square meters.

Surface area of housing

Variable

Number of floors
Generally just one, in rare exceptions
two

Number of homes
One.

Number of families
One on average

Average number of members per family

Four to five people maximum.

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 Traditional Mediterranean Architecture

Walls
Closed on the outside and partitioned inside. Structural modifications are often
carried out with dry stone masonry. This masonry, however, seldom reaches the
top of the cave ceiling.

Framework
The natural rockbed is generally the main framework on which the houses built.

Roofing
This type of housing is covered with the natural cave ceiling. Floors or flat earth
Laclouq
roofs and branches are sometimes used when the cave ceiling is too high (mainly
for reasons of heating).

Rendering
A rendering of earth or lime often covers the inside walls.

Openings and projections in the facade

A large opening is usually dug in the mountain for ventilation of deepest cells or
living units. (Ouadi Annoubine). No projections were protruding element in this
typology.

Hermel
Traditional systems of air-conditioning
Air conditioning is naturally through the cave's openings.

Drinking water supply systems

Near valleys, with significant rainfalls, inhabitants collect rain water through drains.
Water is sometimes in internal or external tanks. Neither rivers, water is collected
when needed.

Waste water drainage systems

No water drainage system

Laclouq

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 Traditional Mediterranean Architecture

CURRENT STATE OF VITALITY AND PRESERVATION

Today, this type of housing has almost completely vanished: it is usually in ruins or
has sometimes been recovered for other use (sheep fold, storage, Hermitage...).

TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
Effect / Cause
Typological transformations

 Volume
Rare
 Façades separations
industrial block walls
 Structure
not reported
 Space organization
adapts to new use

Change in use
Sheepfold, storage, Hermitage, emergency shelter

Change in use of construction materials and techniques

 In use, living
stone
 Little used, in decline
wood
 No longer used
Lime
 Recent incorporations
cement, concrete, metal, industrial blocks

Mazraat Bani Sady, St Antoine hermitage

Laclouq

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 Traditional Mediterranean Architecture

CAPACITY FOR REHABILITATION

Aspects of the typology

Score from 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent)

• Capacity for sale or rental on the property market 0

• Capacity for adaptation to present-day family and social requirements 2
• Capacity for adaptation to present-day comfort requirements 2

Score from 0 (insignificant) to 10 (major)

• Technical difficulty of rehabilitation 8

• Administrative difficulty of rehabilitation 2
• Financial difficulty (high-cost)of rehabilitation 6

Obstacles preventing rehabilitation/causing the user to decide not to rehabilitate

Score from 0 (does not represent an obstacle) to 10 (represents a major obstacle)

• Administrative difficulties 0
• Major technical difficulties 0
• Irreversible deterioration of the structure 8
• Listed/protected building 8
• High cost of rehabilitation 9
• Absence of aid/subsidies 8
• Cost of the project and permits 9
• Status of building/lease 6
Annoubine caves (North)
• Inflation of property prices 0
• Social decline (delinquency, …) 0
• Poor environmental conditions (absence of minimum infrastructures, …) 8
• Desire to change the building for a modern one 9
• Lack of sensitisation/appreciation on the part of the users 7
• Not considered necessary (by the user) 4

Comments

Kadisha valley, Annoubine

LEXICON

File created: 08.08.2003 Last modified: 29.11.2003

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