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Journals / Digital international journal of Architecture Art Heritage / 2026 / Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2

An Evaluation of Healthy Housing Principles: A Case Study of Traditional Damascene Houses

Sağlıklı Konut İlkelerinin Değerlendirilmesi: Geleneksel Şam Evleri Örnek Olay İncelemesi

Dana Kahwaji(KARADENİZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0007-1935-9426
Pages
87–108
Publication Date
2026-08-25
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The study also identified critical shortcomings in the provision of sanitation and daylight penetration into deep interior spaces and the absence of comprehensive design considerations, which hinder their compliance with contemporary health standards.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Healthy housing enhances human well-being and ensures sustainability in urban environments; hence, this critical study aims to determine the degree of application of healthy housing principles in traditional Damascene houses, assessing their compatibility with contemporary healthy housing standards as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
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Key Findings & Data:This study examines architectural characteristics, indoor environmental quality, and residents' perceptions.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The study also identified critical shortcomings in the provision of sanitation and daylight penetration into deep interior spaces and the absence of comprehensive design considerations, which hinder their compliance with contemporary health standards.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Sağlıklı konutlar · Şam evleri · yerel mimari

Abstract

Healthy housing enhances human well-being and ensures sustainability in urban environments; hence, this critical study aims to determine the degree of application of healthy housing principles in traditional Damascene houses, assessing their compatibility with contemporary healthy housing standards as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This study examines architectural characteristics, indoor environmental quality, and residents' perceptions. Data was collected using a combination of field surveys, environmental monitoring, and questionnaires administered to current residents in an attempt to provide a comprehensive assessment of sustainable urban development, particularly in the context of heritage preservation and adaptive reuse. The results revealed that Damascene houses, as a popular architectural model, embody a number of sustainable features, including cooling, natural ventilation, and culturally rooted spatial hierarchies that enhance privacy and social cohesion. The study also identified critical shortcomings in the provision of sanitation and daylight penetration into deep interior spaces and the absence of comprehensive design considerations, which hinder their compliance with contemporary health standards.

Özet

Sağlıklı konutlar, insanların refahını artırır ve kentsel ortamlarda sürdürülebilirliği sağlar. Bu nedenle, bu eleştirel çalışma, geleneksel Şam evlerinde sağlıklı konut ilkelerinin uygulama derecesini belirlemeyi ve bunların Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (WHO) ve Birleşmiş Milletler Çevre Programı (UNEP) tarafından tanımlanan çağdaş sağlıklı konut standartlarıyla uyumluluğunu değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu çalışma, mimari özellikleri, iç ortam kalitesini ve sakinlerin algılarını incelemektedir. Veriler, özellikle mirasın korunması ve uyarlanabilir yeniden kullanım bağlamında sürdürülebilir kentsel gelişimin kapsamlı bir değerlendirmesini sağlamak amacıyla, saha araştırmaları, çevre izleme ve mevcut sakinlere uygulanan anketlerin bir kombinasyonu kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Sonuçlar, popüler bir mimari model olan Şam evlerinin, serinleme, doğal havalandırma ve mahremiyeti ve sosyal uyumu artıran kültürel kökenli mekansal hiyerarşiler gibi bir dizi sürdürülebilir özelliği bünyesinde barındırdığını ortaya koymuştur. Çalışma ayrıca, sanitasyon ve derin iç mekanlara gün ışığının girmesinde kritik eksiklikler ve kapsamlı tasarım hususlarının yokluğunu tespit etmiş ve bunların çağdaş sağlık standartlarına uyumu engellediğini ortaya koymuştur.

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Cite This Article

Kahwaji, D. (2026). An Evaluation of Healthy Housing Principles: A Case Study of Traditional Damascene Houses. Digital international journal of Architecture Art Heritage, Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2, 87–108. https://doi.org/10.67288/jah.1886480

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