BAHRAIN STORIES -Enduring Wind Towers

Wind Towers: their sheer name summons a bygone era of mystifying resourcefulness. Wind towers are my preferred structures, as they are a time-honored heritage of this island-state’s architectural design. It is believed that the concept of the wind tower or barjeel (from Farsi), was first set in motion in old Persia, where architectural innovations for desert housing were first started. A clear blueprint of Persian architectural, artistic, and scientific prowess has been revealed by archeologists and historians, both searching for answers to this distinctive and graceful architectural element.

The ingenious tower structures were designed to create comfort for those living in the hot and extremely dry fringes of the Persian desert. Consistent with archaeological research, the arid surroundings of the aged town of Yazd in Iran has the oldest known wind towers in the world. The stylish and high rising barjeels were developed using the wind’s energy to cool people’s homes in the agonizing desert heat.

Bahrain's Islamic heritage is manifest in its few enduring wind towers mostly found in old Muharraq, the old Manama quarter near the American Mission hospital, and in few of the country’s old villages.  Although the concept was developed in Persia centuries ago, the wind towers seem to have influenced the Arabian Gulf area because of their functionality, simplicity, and suitability to the local climate and social traditions. Island weather can be very windy at times, making the structures (open on all four sides), the perfect cooling tool.  Wind towers provided a surprisingly efficient form of summer ventilation, drawing in the wind through their high structures, while acting as channels for the re-direction of trapped air to the rooms in the inner courtyards below.  Living and sleeping areas of a house were located right under the barjeel to directly receive the cool air.  In winter, wind towers could be gated, or covered up with lumber to shield the rooms underneath from rain and cold winds.

The top half of the tower was built with an inner flue or funnel system, making the air speed downwards through it due to a pulling downdraft effect.  Meanwhile, rising, interior warm air could find its way out through the funnel’s upper openings.  

One of four hollowed sides would always capture the breeze no matter how minimal, or in which direction the wind blew.  Wooden rods reinforcing the structure, rising 5 to 6 meters above the top of the house were left in place for the up-keep and cleaning of the tower chambers. 

It is evident that religion and social tradition played a part in the development and building of wind towers. Indoor courtyards are perfect examples of an architectural style used to complement religious principles. Barjeels fulfilled Islamic laws’ conditions of virtue and seclusion enforced on women by providing an inward-looking home.  This type of home had no obvious outer windows, but only small, high openings to aid in the release of warm air. 

 Bahraini houses were designed with tradition in mind. Interior courtyards provided seclusion for the women in the household, while the distinctive and ingenious barjeels could keep rooms cool during the long and hot summer months. Courtyards offered cool, open spaces where chores and family activities could be carried out in privacy; women could move from room to room without being seen from the outside or from other exterior rooms, such as the male receiving areas. The sheltered and windowless homes prevented unsolicited or unplanned contacts, so that women doing housework or socializing inside experienced a feeling of retreat, thus being able to unveil and remove their abayas.                                                     

A traditionally beautiful home to visit is the 18th century Bait Shaikh Isa Bin in Muharraq, featuring intricately carved doors, a working wind tower and remarkable arabesque moldings. Trekking about the city you will find many old structures that deserve to be photographed, as some traditional dwellings still exist.  One can rest assured that patience and a keen eye will reward you while probing through old villages, Muharraq’s old quarter, and areas around Bab al Bahrain. Good examples of pre-oil boom traditional buildings, particularly those featuring masharabia (wooden lattice work), courtyards and barjeels still survive amid new tall structures.

            Expanding its financial horizons by diversifying its economy, Bahrain has been a bystander to obvious population growth. While influenced by tremendous socio-cultural and economic transformations, the country has seen an explosion of architectural developments with gigantic ventures being constructed, in an attempt to increase and improve lodging and commercial property for all.

Changes in economic wealth afforded changes in social, cultural, and architectural adjustments. Bahrain embarked on the construction of a rising skyline that flourishes alongside traditional and colonial buildings. Progress has brought new trends in design and sophisticated construction expertise.

            Fortunately, traditional architecture has regained definite splendor as fresh awareness of the significance of heritage has acquired new momentum. Contemporary buildings are using traditional characteristics such as barjeels, domes, courtyards, and artistic desert colors alongside fashionable conveniences like escalators, automatic walkways, lifts, air conditioning, and fiber and sun reflective glass.  Furthermore, architects and designers from around the world are presently developing a few projects using the ancient wind tower’s cooling methods.  This may not be practical for construction inside cities, but architects feel that remote, cooler, northern hemisphere areas may be able use the barjeel expertise effectively.

A dash of romanticism is involved as one imagines that in simpler days long past, the smart almost magic, square wind tower rose into the blue skies of Bahrain as well as other coastal towns and villages along the Arabian Peninsula representing an ancient era before the advent of electricity and high technology. 

 Towers TTTTTT5 to 6 meters