Community and the
Built Environment:
Tarim, the Hadhramaut Valley of Yemen 
Description: In the face of internal and regional transformation,
the extraordinary architectural heritage of the Hadhramaut Valley
is in danger of abandonment. Following the Gulf War and unification
of North and South Yemen in 1990–92, returning Yemeni nationals
injected capital into the region. Their return sparked a construction
boom while also changing people’s expectations of building
styles and construction processes. To paraphrase Said Yislam
Ba-Sweitin, a master mason from Shibam, people now have different
tastes, anticipations and lifestyles and are turning away from
earthen architecture. The problem not only lies in preserving
significant structures, but also in articulating the value of
traditional craftsmen and their work in this rapidly changing
social setting.
Grants and Funding: American Institute of Yemeni Studies
and Samuel H. Kress Foundation
Contributing Faculty or Academic Program:
Staff: James Conlon
Media: HTML, Database, and Flash
URL: http://www.learn.columbia.edu/tarim
Access: Public
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| Molding bricks,
Khoreibah, Wadi Do'an, Tarim, Yemen. |
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