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Culture Documents
Traditional Mediterranean Architecture: Troglodyte House
Traditional Mediterranean Architecture: Troglodyte House
Typology :
Troglodyte house
Country :
Lebanon
Synthesis Analytical group of the typology Forms of the typology Inventory of the country’s typologies
Current state of vitality and preservation Transformation process Capacity for rehabilitation Lexicon
SYNTHESIS
Quite common in remote high mountains or on the hillsides of steep sided valleys, the
troglodyte house only represents a minute percentage of vernacular architecture in
Lebanon.
It is characteristic of minorities and rural social groups; it is intimately linked to the
locations morphology and conditions.
Troglodyte house
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Traditional Mediterranean Architecture
Implantation
It is found in the mountain range of
Mount-Lebanon. The most famous
examples are found in Ouadi Annoubine
Elevation
(Northern Lebanon) and in Hermel
(Bekaa). Other areas, though less
known, our testimony of troglodyte
housing: Bentael, Ras Chekka,
Hamatoura, Ouadi Amchit, or Adloun
(south). Their implantation depends on
their function: hermitages in Qadisha
and sheep-folds in the agricultural areas
of Lebanon.
Dating
As far back as prehistoric times.
Altitude
200 meters and above Troglodyte house à Ras Chekka
Number of floors
Generally just one, in rare exceptions
two
Number of homes
One.
Number of families
One on average
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Traditional Mediterranean Architecture
Walls
Closed on the outside and partitioned inside. Structural modifications are often
carried out with dry stone masonry. This masonry, however, seldom reaches the
top of the cave ceiling.
Framework
The natural rockbed is generally the main framework on which the houses built.
Roofing
This type of housing is covered with the natural cave ceiling. Floors or flat earth
Laclouq
roofs and branches are sometimes used when the cave ceiling is too high (mainly
for reasons of heating).
Rendering
A rendering of earth or lime often covers the inside walls.
Hermel
Traditional systems of air-conditioning
Air conditioning is naturally through the cave's openings.
Laclouq
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Traditional Mediterranean Architecture
Today, this type of housing has almost completely vanished: it is usually in ruins or
has sometimes been recovered for other use (sheep fold, storage, Hermitage...).
TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
Effect / Cause
Typological transformations
Volume
Rare
Façades separations
industrial block walls
Structure
not reported
Space organization
adapts to new use
Change in use
Sheepfold, storage, Hermitage, emergency shelter
In use, living
stone
Little used, in decline
wood
No longer used
Lime
Recent incorporations
cement, concrete, metal, industrial blocks
Laclouq
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Traditional Mediterranean Architecture
• Administrative difficulties 0
• Major technical difficulties 0
• Irreversible deterioration of the structure 8
• Listed/protected building 8
• High cost of rehabilitation 9
• Absence of aid/subsidies 8
• Cost of the project and permits 9
• Status of building/lease 6
Annoubine caves (North)
• Inflation of property prices 0
• Social decline (delinquency, …) 0
• Poor environmental conditions (absence of minimum infrastructures, …) 8
• Desire to change the building for a modern one 9
• Lack of sensitisation/appreciation on the part of the users 7
• Not considered necessary (by the user) 4
Comments
LEXICON
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