Kuwait Architecture

            Architecture plays a big role in people's everyday lives because of Kuwait's geographic location. In the past, buildings were made using the natural resources available at the time. Those included mud, mud brick, Cora stone, and ruble stone. A historic landmark built using these resources are the Kuwait Gates. Because of the vast developments and increase in population, Kuwait became a point of interest in the Middle East. To secure the safety of the country from danger, the first wall was built in 1789 and two walls were built after that.

 

            Old Kuwaiti houses were made using the same materials as the Kuwait walls. In addition to these materials, wood was imported from East Africa and cut into poles and used for roofs. The architecture of the house was simple and fulfilled the needs of the people in the house. There was a courtyard in the middle where the family would usually get together. Most artistic touches in these houses were found on the main doors and windows.

 

            In the late 1940s, oil started to play a bigger role in economic activities. This was a time of great change that was reflected on the Kuwaiti architecture. Due to this fast change in development, little of Kuwait's old architecture remains. Also, because it's located in the middle of the world, many other cultures influence Kuwait's architectural designs. For example, when the Ottomans were ruling Kuwait, they had an impact on how Kuwaitis were building their houses. Building balconies made of wood and inscribing European motifs on the wooden doorways was a direct influence of the Ottomans.

 

Since then, Kuwaiti architecture became very international. The best known Kuwaiti architectural pieces include the Kuwait Towers and the National Assembly of Kuwait. The Kuwait Towers are made up of three spheres and three towers. It's a cultural icon and symbolizes how geographically small countries can achieve great things. Before building the towers, ten designs were created and only three were submitted. Pearls and pearl weaving influenced this design. Its spheres are covered with steel plates of different shades of blue. The mosaic covered Islam domes and mosques inspired these steel plates. The main materials that were used in building the towers were concrete, glass, and steel round plates. This shows how although the materials in the past and present have changed, the Arabic and Islamic cultural influence are still visible in both forms of architecture.

 

More recently, there has been great popularity in western styled construction. This can be seen when looking at the shopping malls that are currently being built. Kuwait is slowly being a center of trade and commerce. Through this, we can see a lot of skyscrapers being built in the heart of Kuwait City. For example, the largest sphere shaped skyscraper has just been built in Kuwait City. In conclusion, Kuwait has had distinguished architectural designs, and will continue to develop through time.

 

by Shoug Emad

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