Learning from the past: reinterpreting heritage for sustainable apartment buildings in Baghdad

Baghdad's housing sector faces significant challenges today. In addition to the pressing housing shortage and the country's general environmental issues, the sector is grappling with an identity crisis stemming from Westernization and weak regulatory enforcement. A gradual shift towards vertical housing projects, as a swift response to the growing demand for housing units, could be a viable option, provided that the actual contextual issues are carefully addressed. This study positions Baghdad's architectural heritage as a source of timeless, locally grounded solutions capable of addressing the sustainability challenges facing this vital sector. It explores the potential of utilizing traditional architectural features originally developed for single-family dwellings in apartment buildings while preserving their environmental role. Qualitative research methodology is employed, combining descriptive and comparative analysis of traditional environmental features and their applications in existing projects from the Middle East. The findings validate that enhancing the environmental performance of vertical housing is achievable through the strategic reinterpretation of heritage-based elements, revealing several environmentally appropriate solutions for Baghdad's context that reinforce the city's local identity. A conceptual framework is presented to enable contemporary architects to meaningfully integrate traditional environmental strategies into modern buildings while avoiding misinterpretation or superficial use.