Public Baths in North African Heritage Cities
Published on Tue 25 Feb 2014
Dr Magda Sibley,
3rd March 2014 Matthew Building, 5013
We invite you to a seminar hosted by the University’s Geddes Institute for Urban Research. The format is: two valuable presentations from Dr. Magda Sibely followed by a facilitated discussion. The first lecture will present the results of a survey of all the functioning historic hamm?ms (public baths) of the North African Medinas of Cairo, Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, Fez and Marrakech, conducted by Dr. Sibley between 2007 and 2010 as part of her large grant AHRC funded project. The lecture will highlight the many lessons of urban sustainability embedded in this centuries old institution and demonstrate how this institution remains as highly attractive health-oriented social place, adapting to the 21st Century conditions.
Hybrid technologies for Retrofitting Heritage Buildings in North African Historic Cities
The second lecture will present a newly developed prototype which combines three functions: day-lighting, solar powered LED lighting and natural ventilation for the public bathhouses (known as hammams) of the heritage cities of North Africa. The prototype was developed as a result of an extensive architectural survey of 67 surviving historic baths in North African cities, during which a common problem of poor natural lighting and ventilation as well as inadequate electric lighting was identified. The lecture will demonstrate how the combination of a vernacular element with an affordable high-tech solution results in an innovative hybrid system that is user friendly, and sensitive to heritage buildings.
Contact Dr. Husam AL Waer h.alwaer@dundee.ac.uk