A New Mashrabiyya for Contemporary Cairo: Integrating Traditional Latticework from Islamic and Japanese Cultures

Abstract

The mashrabiyya is a latticework applied to the windows of traditional residences in the Arab world to both veil women from the gaze of men and to ameliorate the region’s hot arid climate. In etymology and design, the mashrabiyya is associated with the residential architecture of Cairo. Many scholars are calling for the revival of the traditional mashrabiyya because it best balances the social and environmental needs of Cairo’s residences. In order to realize such goal however, the following problems must be addressed: Its role as a veil, Cairo’s air pollution, and its considerable expense. Similar in social and environmental function, the Japanese machiya-goshi (traditional townhouse lattices) offer practical solutions for the problems of the mashrabiyya. This paper examines 1) the traditional form of Cairo’s mashrabiyya, 2) the social, environmental, and economic problems if this form is applied in contemporary Cairo, and 3) how the machiya-goshi’s simplicity and capability of adjusting privacy, lighting, and airflow can be adapted to improve Cairo’s mashrabiyya. At the end, the paper offers a preliminary proposal for a new mashrabiyya. © 2006, Architectural Institute of Japan. All rights reserved.