Ksar of Negrine, a great model of sustainable architecture

Abstract

Despite the harsh climate of the SAHARA, the ancient inhabitants were able to settle it by creating one of the wonders of the ancient world that Herodotus talked about the - oasis -. They were able to build traditional houses with simple techniques that guarantee them a high level of comfort despite all the difficult climatic conditions by constructing a sustainable settlement.

Oases and Ksour of the Sahara are distributed through a large scheme that corresponds to the trans-Saharan trade routes, and then its sub-networks spread to the east and west, and each has its own peculiarities related to the region, society, and traditions. Between the south and the north, and between Algeria and Tunisia as well, the Ksar of Negrine ranks among the outstanding examples of sustainable architecture. This research provides a critical reading and an analytical proposition to better understand the strategies and methods of traditional housing and present the principles of sustainable architecture in a fragile environment embodied in it.

This analysis is based on the study and evaluation of urban planning and architectural design in the Ksar of Negrine in Tebessa, which reveals lessons and strategies that can be reused in the future.