Scaling Up Traditional Architecture and Urbanism: Challenges and Opportunities

Heenat Salma Farm, Qatar

 The Convention will be a flagship event organised by Caravane Earth Foundation and INTBAU Qatar. It will be a focal point for leading experts, practitioners, and policymakers from around the globe to engage in meaningful discussions, explore new approaches, and develop implementable strategies within the realm of scaling up traditional architecture, urbanism, and craftsmanship.

This multifaceted endeavour of scaling up traditional architecture and urbanism will require an in-depth analysis of the architecture and construction value chain. This analysis will enable us to identify the challenges and potential opportunities to establish strategies and frameworks that will contribute to the scaling up of traditional architecture and urbanism.

The topics to be discussed will revolve around:

• — Policy Making, Laws, and Regulations.
• — The Construction Supply Chain: Materials, Suppliers, Fabricators, and Logistics.
• —Guilds, Vocational and Educational Programs.
• —Analysis of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Impact of Construction and Urbanism: Modern vs. Traditional.
• —Funding Institutions and ESG Frameworks.
• —Advocacy, Lobbying, and Public Relations.
• —The role of Architects, Master Builders and Planners.
• —The availability of master builders and crafts people.
• —The Role of Real Estate Developers.

 

Venue and Registration

The convention will take place at Heenat Salma Farm, a flagship project and embodiment of Caravane Earth Foundation’s mission. This multidisciplinary project is dedicated to holistic agriculture, architecture, and community engagement methods.

Registrations are now open. Please visit the Convention’s official website to secure your spot and read about accommodation and travel tips.

Background Information

Any sustainable built environment is guided by three main factors:

The philosophy that guides the thinking and design process behind the envisaged city. This will enable the form of the built environment to embody the philosophical.

The choice of materials under a traditional system is local and natural, resulting in harmonious symbiosis with the natural surroundings. These materials need not undergo any industrial processes to be used in construction, and therefore offer the highest degree of sustainability and ecological resilience.

The method used for the realization of the buildings is craft and masonry-driven and not industrial. This process saves many steps in the construction process and supports the continuation and survival of the creative knowledge vested in the individual craftsperson. In turn, they embody the cultural DNA of their nation or group of people.

The three factors above are the same as those used in practically every ancient city in the world. They are a testament to the resilience and attractiveness that these cities hold to many millions of people from around the world.

Traditional architecture is ecological architecture and embodies forms that act as “linguistic metaphors” for society through non-verbalised communication that enhances a positive sentiment towards the place that said society calls home.