HISTORIC CONTEXT Arab heritage, one of the main elements of world heritage, is rich and diverse. However, the recent past in the Arab World has been mistreated. Arab cities have undergone modernization since the Ottoman periods. New forms of public spaces emerged and even new forms of shopping. Bringing the scope closer to Jordan, before the 20th century, Amman was less of a lively place. The early steps of Amman’s development took place in the early 20s, when the city flourished on the site once occupied by numerous people from the Mediterranean, Ammonites, Assyrians, Ottomans, etc. When labelled as the capital, Amman was reborn. In the 20th century, Amman has witness gradual development along the years. Development came along with the expansion and urbanization of Jordan’s cities. Amman represents a different urban reality that had gone through motions which deserves intense research. Its early emergence of modernity included public buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cinemas and this gave the capital a head start towards development and acting as an influential figure to other surrounding cities. (Daher, 2008) With development came the rise of unique architectural styles and new types of buildings. That nullified the traditional architectural styles coming from the rich and multi-cultural heritage of the region. Buildings in that time were characterized by their multi-use and were designed by several concepts based on the principles of modern design. They were also based on using new building materials such as concrete, marble, metal, and glass with the use of original stone as a main material in the facade. It is said that this period was an important transition in which architecture in Jordan turned into an organized and established profession.
Heritage Conservation Course W20/21 | Lecturer: Dr. Rami Daher | Joanna Arida & Anke Steinke
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