Documentation and Heritage Management Plan: Harat al-Wusta and Harat al-Gharbia, Salalah
The city of Salalah, which is the capital of the Dhofar Governorate, is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, about 1.5km inland from the beach-front, behind a long stretch of coconut palm oasis.
Today the city occupies a sizeable stretch of territory and is home of a large population of both Omanis and expatriates from many nationalities.
About the project
This project proposes a detailed and comprehensive strategy for the preservation and development of the heritage quarters of Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate of Oman. The aims are, as agreed with the Sultanate’s Ministry of Heritage and Culture, the creation and implementation of a sustainable heritage management strategy, which will ensure the survival of Salalah’s ancient heritage as well as provide an opportunity to showcase said heritage to stakeholders and visitors.
During on-site fieldwork in the Autumn of 2015, it became evident that Salalah’s vernacular heritage was in a very advanced state of decay and that the vernacular quarters of the city exhibit a very high density of population. With this in mind the research team felt that what is needed in Salalah is an urban renewal plan which can add value, economic dynamism and a better quality of life and thus aid in the effort to preserve the architectural heritage.
For the purposes of this study the researchers concentrated on al-Wusta and Gharbiya, as the Eastern quarter has seen excessive development in recent decades, and heritage structures are no longer extant.
Related publications
Key people
Documentation, analysis and design drawings
