Name of Monument:

Collective housing

Name in original language:

Hawsh

Location:

Tripoli (Mhaytra quarter), Lebanon

Date of Monument:

1850–1880

History:

A hawsh is a style of collective housing built around a harat (an Arabic term which literally means "lane"). It consists of several main buildings built around a common courtyard, which were usually occupied by families or relatives of similar geographical origins. Unlike the dar (another type of house built around a central courtyard), there is no hierarchy in the distribution of the buildings around the courtyard. In the suburb of Medwwar-Rmeil, Beirut, Beirut, an area which in the 19th century relied mostly on the agricultural sector, the hawsh was typically leased to the newly installed peasant families.

Description:

This type of collective housing, which was popular until the mid-19th century, generally consisted of houses built in sandstone or limestone ramleh, covered by a cray terrace and reinforced concrete slabs. The plan of the house is built around a central courtyard.

Citation of this web page:

Jeff El-Msanne, David Andos "Collective housing" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monuments;AWE;lb;4;en

Prepared by: Jeff El-Msanne, David Andos
Copyedited by: Flaminia Baldwin

MWNF Working Number: LB 004