Established in 2022, under Caravane Earth Foundation, INTBAU Qatar works on the preservation and promotion of Qatari and Gulf traditional architecture and urbanism, and seeks to present these traditional methods as viable models for contemporary living.  

The world is facing three overlapping crises: environmental, social, and cultural. These crises reinforce each other. First, mass production that values quantity over quality devalues craft production. This comes with a loss of traditional wisdom, and also leads to environmental damage in the form of loss of soil, water and animal and plant species. This has a profound effect on society, leading to cultural breakdown and conflict as well as poverty and health issues. 

Caravane Earth and the Qatar Chapter are aligned with INTBAU in their vision of creating humane and harmonious buildings and places which respect local traditions. While the world looks for extensive exploitation and technologies to solve its self-made problems, INTBAU Qatar believes that tradition and traditional approaches in architecture and living are the best solution for these global crises.  

INTBAU Qatar seeks to  

– Form and support a network for artists, architects, artisans, craftspeople, environmentalists and designers following traditional guidelines in the region. 

– Raise awareness of and promote sustainable traditional architecture and design as a possible alternative for the current trends.  

– Document, archive and preserve crafts and skills used in traditional architecture to maintain knowledge and skills for future generations. 

– Support restoration efforts of buildings and structures in Qatar and the wider region, and advocate to governments and stakeholders on the importance of preservation and restoration to retain living examples of design adapted to climate and context. 

– Create impact in the educational sector, both academic and vocational, on the importance, methodologies and practices of traditional architecture, urbanism and crafts.  

 

Contact: 

Zeynep Iqbal
Executive Member, INTBAU Qatar
zeynep.iqbal@caravane.earth

Fahad Al-Attiya
Chair, INTBAU Qatar
fahadalattiya@caravane.earth