“Kharja” the Lung of the Traditional House—The Case of Makkah

Abstract

Kharja, singular, and Kharjât, plural, are an Arabic term means “outside”. In the Hijazi traditional houses and the Makkan in particular, it is the outdoor open area that enveloped with two to three outdoor walls and has no ceiling. The walls have special treatments for the openings and windows if they were. It has been described as an open space that located in upper levels above the ground in a form of a terrace open to the sky. These open terraces were surrounded by high periphery walls and positioned at different levels display a roof scape. The Kharja has long served as the lung of the house; it served family members for sleeping in summer time, as well as for dining and socialising. The family room in the house enjoys a greater importance in relation to the Kharja than any of the other outer elements. Women and family members are entertained at night. Formal daytime gatherings of women and their neighbours may also take place in the Kharja. If it is fashion, nowadays that courtyards are being adopted in contemporary houses as an element from the past, why the Kharja cannot be adopted the same way, especially in Makkah as the vertical extend is still dominated the current architecture. This paper focuses upon the importance of the within the house, and the role of it in relation to the family activities: daily, occasionally. It also stresses what family loses with the loss of KharjaKharja and what makes Makkah different than the rest cities in the Hijaz region? Moreover, could the Kharja be adapted in a modern version to retrieve its concept and function? Future vision of the Kharja and its modern version is another platform worth discussion and in-depth studies. Some case studies are highlighted to give a new vision before a complete disappearance.