From Residential Village to Heritage Marketplace: Evaluating morphological transformations and their use consequences over time in the historic settlement of Al-Wakrah, Qatar.

Many people consider Al Wakrah to be a distinctive settlement for cultural heritage in the State of Qatar. Based on archaeological evidence, the area of Al Wakrah was perhaps the first urban center of Qatar. Originally a fishing and pearling village like the capital city of Doha, globalization and rapid urbanization also characterized the development of Al Wakrah over the last half-century, leading to a remarkable transformation in the morphology of the settlement. The paper studies this morphological transformation of Al Wakrah and the consequences for socio-economic and functional use. In doing so, the paper offers some clarity about the identity and dynamics of Al Wakrah as a traditional heritage district today; specifically, Souq Al Wakrah. We explore this within the context of traditional marketplaces in general, and souqs in the Arab States of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region in particular. The study explores the symbiotic relationship between urban morphology, land use, and function in settlement form. The purpose is to develop a deeper understanding of urban changes and expansion on the use and experience of Souq Wakrah as a public place today. Researchers apply several representational techniques standard in morphological studies, including analysis of urban spatial networks using space syntax. The findings of the paper indicate the design and planning nature of Souq Wakrah as a contemporary heritage re-creation. It contrasts with more straightforward examples of historic preservation and restoration in other traditional marketplaces of Qatar itself and elsewhere in the world. This situation arose due to the near-complete demolition of most historic structures in Al Wakrah during the recent past, except for a few isolated examples. However, a few important ‘traces’ of Al Wakrah’s morphological history remain consistent over time, despite the dramatic transformations in the rest of the settlement over time. The paper concludes by discussing the potential implications for design and planning policy in the protection and preservation of historic resources in the State of Qatar. It argues for the critical importance of developing a clear understanding of the relationship between form, function, and the urban context of such places in future preservation projects. Keywords: heritage, market, morphology, public realm, space syntax, urban