Architecture of Jordan
[1] The traditional architecture in Jordan can be attributed to many factors, which have played a pivotal role in shaping Jordanian culture.
These factors include the different groups of people who have lived in the land, the mostly arid desert climate and the terrain, which is dominated by the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, and the Jordanian Highlands.
The diversity of style of Jordanian architecture such as temples, castles and mosques can be credited to the wide-ranging cultures that have resided in the land.
[3] As there were no qualified Jordanian architects in this time period, the buildings were constructed by local builders or Arabs from neighbouring countries such as Syria and Palestine.
On the upper level, the rock face is decorated with Amazons and Victories, in the centre a female figure stands on the tholos (a circular building).
As it lacks the intricate carvings and detail of other monuments such as the Treasury and stands as an example of how the evolution of Nabataean forms has transformed from the elaborate to the simple.
[10] The vernacular architecture within Jordan was used by semi and wholly nomadic cultures in response to environmental, climatic and economic features of the Jordanian landscape.
[11] The purpose of the tent was to protect the inhabitants from harsh weather conditions such as torrential rainfall and extremely hot temperatures.
When they initiated the Ottoman Land Code,[14] it resulted in a gradual stratification within the village community into two groups, landowners (Mellakin) and share-croppers (Fellahin).
This was also a result of an increased number of qualified architects who had completed their degrees in foreign countries and were registered by the Department of Land and Surveying.
Buildings were characterised by the evolving materials used during construction including; concrete, marble, glass, metal and roof tiles and the diversity of their functions.
[2] Jordan’s parliament building was one of the first attempts to represent the nation’s Islamic architectural heritage as the architect referenced the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem in the project.
[18] The Le Royal Hotel in Amman combines Arab and Islamic architecture to resemble the designs of the Tower of Babel and Helicobacter (Malwiya) located in Iraq.
The building's influence is grounded in the owner's Iraqi heritage, this is evident in the combination of the creativity of design with modern construction methods.
[19] Designed by architect Ammar Khammash[20] and located in the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the Feynan Eco Lodge was one of Jordan’s first steps toward ecotourism.
[21] It is an example of using hybrid solutions by combining traditional materials and structure with contemporary building requirements and environmental design techniques.
The remains of the Nabataean civilisation in Petra stands as a prime example of ancient Eastern traditions meeting Hellenistic architecture.
[25] The frescoes and murals on the ceiling of the castle which depict the life of earlier settlers in the region is what gives it such cultural significance.
[23] Um er-Rasas was built in the 5th century and was utilised by the Roman military as a base due to its accessibility as a trading route in the Jordanian Desert.
Its architecture displays facets of the Christian and Islamic communities who occupied the area after the Romans, as well as having preserved ruins from the Byzantine period such as churches and mosaic floors.
The two areas of the site which give it such archeological significance are the remains of churches and baptism ponds and the remnants of the Jabal Mar-Elias which was a monastery also known as Elijah's Hill.
