Re-evaluating Vernacular Climatic Morphologies for Sustainable Development in Southern Algeria

The vernacular urban forms of Southern Algeria have been able to achieve a balance between nature and urban development over several ages. They are often characterized by appreciable thermal and airflow conditions during Summer, where thermal comfort is highly sought after. As a result, several studies relating to arid regions inform us about ancient adaptation models shaped by cultural, historical and climatic factors, which are the focus of this research. The Algerian Saharan cities are in a critical situation. They are becoming vulnerable, especially after years of drought, the last floods that have just occurred in the region, rising temperatures, and new urbanization. The objective of this article is to first report on the climatic performances offered by vernacular morphologies and to evaluate their contribution in terms of comfort, resilience, and sustainable development, through a morphological and climatic reading, taking the ksar of Timimoun as a case study. Then, it is a matter of studying their degree of vulnerability and exposure to the climatic hazards experienced by the region in recent decades. Findings are drawn via numerical data and descriptive information from observation, on-site data collection, and interviews. The result was for bioclimatic design, seeking sustainable solutions and taking into account the particularities of these oasian environments, Community culture, and the constraints of modern life, as well as an intelligent reappropriation of local building techniques and materials adapted to the current climate and inseparable from the desire to reappropriate lost knowledge.