SAUDI ARABIA: The historic Saudi town of Diriyah is being carefully restored to its former glory, using traditional-style clay bricks made out of soil, straw and water

Record ID: 188968

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: The historic Saudi town of Diriyah is being carefully restored to its former glory, using traditional-style clay bricks made out of soil, straw and water
  • Date: 16th May 2012
  • Summary: DIRIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA (RECENT - APRIL 29, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BULLDOZERS MIXING CLAY TO PREVENT IT FROM DRYING OUT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ENGINEER AL-WALEID AL-EKRISH, DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION AT THE HIGH COMMISSION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIYADH, SAYING: "Here we can see the process of mixing the clay. Of course the clay is collected in pools, water is added and it is stirred for a suitable period of time with water added every day or two, and the clay is also turned upside down every day or two. After that, the fermentation continues for around four weeks, then it is used to make bricks." BRICK-MAKER PRESSING CLAY INTO A MOULD/DRY BRICKS LINED UP OUTSIDE BRICK-MAKERS AT WORK BRICK-MAKER TAKING BRICKS OUT OF MOULD VARIOUS OF BRICK-MAKER AT WORK (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) NABIL YAGHI, BRICK-MAKERS' FOREMAN, SAYING: "They don't fragment in the rain because the fermentation process makes them hold together and prevents water seeping in. And because we press the clay down, it becomes compressed so the water can't seep inside easily." BULLDOZER CLEARING THE WAY FOR NEW MUD POOL VARIOUS OF DRIED CLAY BRICKS LABOURER FILLING BUCKET WITH MUD VARIOUS OF LABOURERS USING MUD TO COVER WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ENGINEER AL-WALEID AL-EKRISH, DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION AT THE HIGH COMMISSION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIYADH, SAYING: "The work that you can see behind me now is one of the methods of construction using clay. And as you can see, the lower part is made of bricks and this is the first stage. After that, a first layer of clay is added, and you can see now that it is a dark colour. After it has dried out a little, the colour changes to light brown. Then, after a few days, the final layer is added, which gives the building its final shape." LABOURER PUSHING WHEELBARROW FULL OF MUD AT CONSTRUCTION SITE LABOURER AT WORK ON CONSTRUCTION SITE VARIOUS OF LABOURERS BUILDING WITH CLAY BRICKS MUD BRICKS IMPRINTED WITH DATE OF MANUFACTURE (JANUARY 2012) VARIOUS OF ONE OF DIRIYAH'S CASTLES BEING RENOVATED (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDULLAH ARRUKBAN, DIRECTOR OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AT THE HIGH COMMISSION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIYADH SAYING: "The project to develop the historic city of Diriyah is concerned with the historical area of Diriyah which was the capital of the first Saudi state." A PIGEON ON TOP OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDULLAH ARRUKBAN, DIRECTOR OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AT THE HIGH COMMISSION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RIYADH SAYING: "The project to develop Diriyah is aimed at restoring Diriyah according to the characteristics of the historical Diriyah in terms of architecture and the environment, and adapting it to the requirements of the current time." VARIOUS OF NEW AND OLD CONSTRUCTIONS AT DIRIYAH CITY
  • Embargoed: 31st May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Business,History,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVAEW98PUMNM4HQ2EBRJQTFJGXLJ
  • Story Text: Steeped in history, the town of Diriyah, on the outskirts of modern-day Riyadh, was once the capital of the first Saudi state.
    Now, the Saudi government hopes to open it up to tourists and visitors through an ambitious renovation project.
    Diriyah's buildings, palaces and houses are all being carefully restored to their former glory, using traditional-style clay bricks made out of nothing more than soil, water and straw.
    Those involved in the project say the bricks are largely hand-made, using a simple but effective technique.
    "Here we can see the process of mixing the clay. Of course the clay is collected in pools, water is added and it is stirred for a suitable period of time with water added every day or two, and the clay is also turned upside down every day or two. After that, the fermentation continues for around four weeks, then it is used to make bricks," said al-Waleid al-Ekrish of the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh.
    The clay bricks are not only cheap to produce, but the manufacturing process results in a very effective building material.
    "They don't fragment in the rain because the fermentation process makes them hold together and prevents water seeping in. And because we press the clay down, it becomes compressed so the water can't seep inside easily," said foreman Nabil Yaghi.
    Diriyah, around 20 kilometres northwest of Riyadh, became the seat of power for the House of Saud in 1744, when Mohammed bin Saud forged an alliance there with religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, marking the foundation of the first Saudi State.
    But Diriyah was destroyed in 1818 when Egyptian-Ottoman forces invaded the Arabian Peninsula, laying siege to the town.
    With much of the area left abandoned for over a century, before being partially resettled at the end of the 20th century, the task of now restoring the palaces, mosques and ordinary houses to match their original styles, is a delicate one.
    "The work that you can see behind me now is one of the methods of construction using clay. And as you can see, the lower part is made of bricks and this is the first stage. After that, a first layer of clay is added, and you can see now that it is a dark colour. After it has dried out a little, the colour changes to light brown. Then, after a few days, the final layer is added, which gives the building its final shape," said al-Ekrish.
    Of particular historical significance is the district of al-Turaif, which comprises government buildings and several palaces built in a distinctive Najdi architectural style. Abandoned for decades and largely in ruins, work is now underway to turn the area into a vast open-air museum.
    "The project to develop Diriyah is aimed at restoring Diriyah according to the characteristics of the historical Diriyah in terms of architecture and the environment, and adapting it to the requirements of the current time," said director of urban development, Abdullah Arrukban.
    The unique architectural style of the al-Turaif district has earned it a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, and the area will one day be enjoyed by tourists too - all thanks to the effectiveness of the simple clay brick.
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