Context has always been an important element of architectural design and thinking. However, in this day and age context is quite difficult to define. That is even more challenging in certain locations.

I believe that in Kuwait and the Gulf States it is even more difficult to define and identify the appropriate meaning of context, so that it could be useful for Architects.

There are many factors that contribute to the lack of context.

• The geographical location that is characteristic to a harsh environment with no strong features. The climate is extremely hot, with mostly flat desert terrain.
• The limited economic condition of the states and coastal towns before the discovery of oil prevented the establishments of rich architectural forms.

However, after the discovery of oil, and during the rapid growth thereafter, the Arabian Gulf States choose to neglect their primitive urban and architectural forms; in an attempt to demonstrate modernity and development. This process resulted in the production of global architectural forms that rarely carry any contextual significance.

To this day our cities are considered white pages that allow real estate developers, decision makers and commercial architects to design and develop wired architectural and urban forms. Collectively these common architectural forms, despite being iconic; produce an environment of sameness and lack of significance.

Our duty today is to find a new meaning for context; in its complex nature we have to search for the meaning of local context in social practices, were local culture and experience of space can help define context. Also, local climate can provide hints to design unique architectural forms that are rooted in local context; beyond the simple agendas of green architecture. There is still a long way ahead of us in the study and analysis of historic urban and architectural forms, and distil lessons that can provide guidance in our search of context and specificity.

The single-family house became the dream and the ultimate objective of most families and individuals. Yet, due to modern development it has lost much of its historical significance. This significance that was present in the house, the neighborhood, the community and psychological dwelling. The main goal of the architecture of the house is to psychologically, socially and practically create high quality life for its residence.

From a design point of view, any house has always been a significant manifestation of architectural projects and one of the main elements of the urban fabric. Renowned architects gave special attention to that because it is one of the major architectural and urban expressions.

We can see clearly that the Kuwaiti house went through various phases – from the traditional house to the sixties ‘till date. Architects and planners give special attention to and track those changes and are fully aware of the criteria that give special status to the single-family house, which include:

• Housing in any city is considered one of the main land uses. Thus, planners must provide a careful balance between the various housing alternatives, such as single family house, medium density housing options and high density housing in the form of high rise apartment buildings.
• The single-family house is particularly important for Kuwaitis, as it has been the preferred option for most middle-income families. It has been the dream, the objective and measure of stability, security, success and self-actualization.
• Due to the nature of urban development in the State of Kuwait, the single-family house became the most common building type in the metropolitan area. Residential areas are the main background of the country. Thus, it is crucial to give residential areas special attention as they are the measure of urban quality in Kuwait.
• The single-family house directly expresses the culture and level of aesthetic taste of the society.
• The significant of the single-family house is closely tied to the cultural and social structure of the population; its significance is derived from values such as privacy, segregation and social gathering.
• What is more, the single-family house gives architects a chance to express their architectural language and to present to society a unique architectural language that stands out from the rest. The single-family house has always been the gate for many of the world’s creative architects.

We need to develop the concept of the single-family house in Kuwait. We should contribute to changing it, but without negligence to its significance, and understanding its roots.

المنزل الخاص أصبح الحلم و الغاية، إلا انه افتقد للكثير من قيمته التاريخية، تلك القيمة المتمثلة بالوطن و الجوار و المجتمع و السكن بمعناه النفسي. فالهدف الأساسي من المنزل هو تحقيق  جودة الحياة لساكنيه من الناحية النفسية و الإجتماعية و العملية.

من جهة التصميم، يعد المنزل مشروعاً معمارياً مهماً و أحد أهم عناصر النسيج العمراني. فقد أولاه كبار المعماريين اهتماماً خاصاً لكونه أحد أهم عناصر التعبيرالمعماري و التعبير الحضري بشكل عام.

إنه من الملاحظ أن المنزل الكويتي بالذات مر بأطوار مختلفه، فمن البيت التقليدي مروراً بالتحولات التي طرأت عليه منذ فترة الستينيات إلى يومنا هذا. فيجب أن يولي المخططون و المعماريون اهتماماً خاصاً لهذا المكون الأساسي من مكونات الفراغ العمراني، لما له من أهمية خاصة متمثلة بالتالي:

• الإسكان في أي مدينة يعد أحد أهم الإستعمالات، و يجب أن يراعٍ المخططون توفير توازن بين بدائل مختلفة كالمسكن الخاص للأسرة الواحدة و السكن متوسط الكثافة و السكن العالي الكثافة المتمثل في العمارات السكنية.
• يعد البيت الخاص في دولة الكويت، السكن المفضل لأسر الطبقة المتوسطة. لقد أصبح الحلم و الهدف و مقياس الإستقرار و الأمان و النجاح و تحقيق الذات.
• و وفقاُ لطبيعة التطور العمراني في دولة الكويت أصبح البيت الخاص النموذج السائد في المنطقة الحضرية. لقد أصبحت المناطق السكنية هي الخلفية العامة للدولة، و بالتالي ألاهتمام بها يعد ضرورياً جداً لقياس الجودة العامة للنسيج الحضري العمراني.
• إن ما يميز البيت الخاص أنه يعبر بشكل مباشر عن ثقافة المجتمع و مستوى ذائقته الفنية.
• إن أهمية السكن الخاص مرتبطة إرتباطاً وثيقاً بالبينة الثقافية و الإجتماعية للسكان، و تكمن أهميتة في دولة الكويت بالذات في الأهمية التي يوليها للسكان للخصوصية و الإنعزال و الإجتماع.
• كما أن البيت الخاص يمنح المعماري بسهولة نسبية فرصة لكي يعبر عن اسلوبه المعماري و أن يقدم للمجتمع مثالاً معمارياً متميزاً عن السائد. فالتصميم المعماري السكني يعد بوابة الإبداع و البروز للكثير من المعماريين المبدعين حول العالم.

قد نحتاج أن نطور مفهوم المسكن الخاص في دولة الكويت، و أن نساهم في تغييره و لكن دون أن نغفل أهميته و أن نفهم الجذور التي أعطته هذه المكانه.

With the rapid fall of oil prices to less than $20 per barrel, everyone in the Gulf began to talk about their fears of the coming year. After few years of economic prosperity and financial surplus; the ghost of budget deficit, lower spending and cuts cloud all economic sectors. These are legitimate worries and require alert and precautious measures. However, we shoule be initiative and not surrender to pressure that push various economic sectors to contract, lower expectations, and hold until the crisis is over. In hard times like this, we need to contribute  by dealing with our current circumstances. This article highlights some practical ways for architects and engineers in the consultancy field to act positively and constructively during these times:

1. Be positive and keep an optimistic spirit.
2. Recession periods are opportunities to find talent and highly skilled employees. This is because large companies are the first to feel the pinch of economic crisis and tend to shrink their work force. Therefore small and middle-sized design firms have a golden opportunity to attract creative and distinctive personnel who they can’t afford during standard times.
3. Architects and engineers must use these times to expand their field and look beyond their usual area of work. They should look into low cost construction sectors and proposing creative ideas that encourage investors to operate in such an economic climate.
4. If you find some free time, try to use it to develop your skills, learn new techniques and expand your area of expertise. Surely, after this temporary slow period, more work will come your way, by then you will find yourself equipped with more tools to some of the best jobs out there.
5. Architects and engineers can utilize recession periods by doing more research and constructive thinking. Keeping in touch with relative governmental authorities is quite crucial as well. As they would be vigilant to give good advice and creative solutions to contribute to advance the economy.