Spaces of Healing: Reviving the Qualities of Traditional Hammãms in the Contemporary Context

Abstract

Hammãms or - traditional baths- were an important communal center in any Muslim city: for its social and physical significance that made it an integral part of the city’s urban fabric. Unfortunately, hammãms nowadays have been disappearing throughout the years and almost have no existence in most of our contemporary cities, and have been replaced with spas as a healing space instead, especially in the Gulf cities. This rupture of long-established traditional patterns and its impact on the Muslim city have been investigated by Hassan Fathy the prominent Arab architect of the twentieth-Century, in his long journey to help find solutions to ensure the continuity of Islamic art and Architecture that have served its community and context alike. _x000D_ This thesis is an investigation on hammãms typology as a healing space, given its four predefined dimensions; built, natural, symbolic and social environments. Based on qualitative research, the analysis will draw upon using those categories as a framework to establish a comparative tool between hammãms and spas, which is its core contribution. The parameters for the tool are derived through a three-tier perspective, which include Hassan Fathy’s views on contemporaneity, Wilbert M.Gesler’s four environments of healing places, and finally some interviews made with practicing architects that attain to the contemporary Muslim context. _x000D_ And thus the main objective of this thesis is to study the spatial qualities of traditional Islamic hammãms through a chronological analogy of hammãm typology and compare them to nowadays spas as a mean to investigate the contemporaneity of traditional cultural patterns. The comparative tool is applied to few case studies of both hammãms and spas. First, hammãms case studies will be evaluated using the four healing environments dimensions by M. Gesler as a framework. Then, the contemporaneity of spas case studies will be checked using Hassan Fathy’s own definition. And finally, the conducted interviews with current practicing architects will conclude some insights about the future of hammãms in the Gulf. _x000D_ The aim of this research is to question the validity of traditional architecture in the contemporary context and the importance of spatial qualities in creating experiences of social, spiritual, mental, emotional and physical healing. And finally, investigate new approached towards a contemporary-modern hammãm that would bring people together and enhance their well-being.

Date of Award	2018
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Islamic Studies