Climate Adaptation in Traditional Housing in the Algerian Sahara: A Manifestation of Ingenuity in Ksour and a Climate Challenge

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that architecture and urban spaces can be designed in harmony with
the climate. Traditional housings were the precursors of bioclimatic architecture, displaying human
adaptation to the environment across the globe: troglodyte housings in China, Spain, and Egypt; bamboo
huts in Southeast Asia; igloos in the Arctic; tipis among Native Americans; and Russian izbas. Primitive
humans sought to adapt to the climate using very limited materials and techniques, facing the challenge of
designing climate-responsive architecture. Traditional Housing in the Algerian Sahara, demonstrate this
adaptation to the physical environment and protection against undesirable climatic factors. This study
examines the climate adaptation strategies employed in traditional housing within the Algerian Sahara,
particularly focusing on the ksour (fortified villages). These settlements exemplify ingenuity in responding
to the region's harsh climatic conditions through various levels of adaptation have enabled these Saharan
settlements to create spaces suited to harsh climatic conditions, including the compact urban forms, the
street system, the parceling system, façades, efficient shading, natural ventilation, and locally sourced
materials. These adaptations reflect an optimal expression of habitat, leveraging the climate through
bioclimatic principles. By analyzing design principles and architectural practices, the research highlights
how ksour architecture balances thermal comfort and energy efficiency while addressing environmental
challenges. The findings underscore the relevance of these traditional solutions in guiding sustainable urban
design in hot and arid regions today.