Contemporary Urban Affairs 2019, Volume 3, Number 1, pages 175– 190 Visual pollution phenomena and sensitivity of residences in heritage city centers Case of: Old district of Manama city, Kingdom of Bahrain * Dr. ISLAM EL-GHONAIMY Department Of Architecture and interior design, College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain E mail: [email protected] A R T I C L E I N F O: A B S T R A C T Article history: Image of the ancient cities across the Arab region have been changed. The Received 08 February 2018 urbanization progress and their subsequent urban changes are of rapid Accepted 15 May 2018 acceleration, due to the population increase in the named cities; affecting the Available online 25 August 2018 encompassed old districts in many respects. The mentioned changes are forked into two main branches; controlled and uncontrolled. On one side, the Keywords: controlled category abide by the urban regulations in terms of the visual Building façades; representation of the old districts. On the other side, the uncontrolled Commercial life-; counterpart breach these regulations and their logical assumptions ending up Atheistic and Beautification; Visual in many urban problems in general and visual pollution in particular. The discomfort objective of this research is to tackle those cases of visual pollution. The research methodology is staked on both of the data collection and theoretical background about old district in Manama City, whereas thorough historic background of the city and analytical studies of the selected data and questionnaire are carried out. Although there were a few open-ended questions, the majority were closed-ended taking the form of yes/no, multiple This work is licensed under a choice, or rating scales. Questions went through several renditions based on Creative Commons Attribution intra- and interdepartmental review before being presented. - NonCommercial - NoDerivs 4.0. "CC-BY-NC-ND" CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS (2019), 3(1), 175-190. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2018.4694 www.ijcua.com Copyright © 2018 Contemporary Urban Affairs. All rights reserved. development of these cities and the lifestyle of 1. Introduction its residents by examining the adjustments of Treading along these ancient cities compels their building volumes, forms, color, height, and any researcher for visual quality analysis design. (Elghonaimy, Environmental Assessment purposes. Albeit, touring across their streets is of Urban Area, 2000). quite sufficient, to observe the devastating In Bahrain, old district of Manama city is a alteration within their urban state deforming witness on the economic, political and social their urban texture and architectural structure eventuated over the last decade for Manama equivocally. It is way facile to track and detect has been always the heart of civilization and the distinctive architectural set up of the buildings in regard of their affiliation to various *Corresponding Author: Department Of Architecture and interior design, College of decades. In addition, it is easy to the Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain E-mail address: [email protected] JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 vitality in Bahrain for a long time interval. It is monuments and heritage architecture entities. acknowledged that the municipal architecture Enhancing the visual quality would positively mirrors the cultural identity, social standard, show on residents’ life quality, and attract political conditions and economic status of the investors to do business activities and tourists to homing civilization. Therefore observing the visit the heritage areas, which by turn improves building chronological sequence in Manama the national economy of Bahrain. indicates the sovereign historical eras of the Bahraini civilization. 1.4. Research Idea It is a worth inspecting issue since the local The unsorted conflict between Bahrain 2030 residences of the ancient cities; Manama rely regarding the enforced regulations and actions on their accommodating buildings in all their amongst local authorities degrades the visual daily urban routine; living, trading, commercial quality in the old district in Manama city. The activities, entertainment and social services in flow of this conflict should be curbed, to avoid terms of education and health, to name a few. downgrading the visual quality in old district of Yet architecture is taken for granted as part Manama. and parcel of our existence whereas it is not receiving enough attention nor contemplation. 1.5. Aim of the research Nevertheless, considering architecture as an To find out the reasons of the deterioration of intrinsic part of our existence, then it ought to the visual quality in the old district of Manama, be enhanced regarding the visual quality of and the forms of the resulted visual pollution cities and counted as a window to its hosting then how can we enhance it, which cultural identity and its residents’ self-esteem. consequently will • influence positively life quality of 1.1. Diagnosis of the problem residences Many urban problems occur due to • attract capitals of business malfunctioning treatment of old districts in • Encourage tourists to visit the heritage cities, such as; overpopulated residential areas, areas, infrastructure deficiencies, and indiscriminate Consequently, will leads to improve the distribution of city services deteriorating the life economy of Bahrain quality right there. The foreign workforce imported utilize the spaces as per their 1.6. The research methodology requirement and understanding, thereby Research methodology consists of two cardinal altering the prime functions of spaces. sections, where the first compromises the Moreover, they are reluctant about the visual theoretical background figuring out the motif display of their place of inhabitance as they do of adjusting the urban texture of Manama not consider that it belongs to them and they followed by a survey interviewing its users, know that their stay is temporary. Visual residences, businessmen and municipality pollution has been the ultimate repercussion of officers. The second demonstrates the the haphazard urbanization policy adopted in analytical phase concerning the collected old district of Manama. data and the findings of the interview to generate the research guidelines. 1.2. Significance of studying "Manama city Manama is the former capital of Bahrain, 2. Visual pollution problem in old cities besides. It is considered as a prime tourist 2.1. Definitions attraction and investment zone. It has been the In general, visual pollution is an aesthetic issue prime location in the past for activities and still referring to the impacts of pollution that impair holds its position as an important city of one's ability to enjoy a visit or view. Visual Bahrain. The factual image of Manama pollution is defined as the whole of irregular incarnates the status of Bahrain in general formations, which are mostly found in natural indicate that of Bahrain. Manama is the and built environments. (Yilmaz, May 2011). It considered the hub of the social, economic could be also defined as encountering and environmental issues in Bahrain. unfavorable sight that flaunts the aesthetic appeal of a specific area. Visual pollution 1.3. Motivation of selecting “old district of occurs when an individual cannot enjoy the Manama “as case study view in a particular area due to the drastic Old district of Manama city is the core business changes taking place in a named natural activities and official buildings of Ministries in environment. Bahrain. Moreover, it is rich in archaeological Islam El-Ghonaimy 176 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 2.2. Old districts and Urban Design Defects:  Site Treatment In old districts in cities, life style change  Study of visual interrelation between the affected the physical conditions of the urban buildings and surrounding outdoor plan in general moreover, architectural spaces representation in particular. In Manama, by the  Site Furnishing oil mining success and modernization, most of  Artistic element within the urban areas the old residences moved out the old districts towards new districts looking for modern and 2.3.1. Site Treatment more comfortable and spacious areas. Street furniture plays significant factor in Fascinated by their desire to lodge in the new enhancing the visual communication between residencies together with their unawareness of existing buildings and urban fabric. In old part the value of the abandoned ones led to of cities, visual studies take to embark the site sweeping downfall of the old Manama and its treatment. It could be working on underscoring traditional buildings as well. This reality has and preserving its nature, obliterating whatever changed the character of the human spoils its homogenous set up. Moreover, it aims settlement in these old areas depending on the at introducing some additives, to highlight its variations of circumstances, actions and events natural composition on the one hand. It may such as migration and employment, balance be also an attempt to demolish this set all of urban fabrics. (Hamouche, 2009) together or work on amending adjustments on In order to reconcile visual quality inside old the other. district efficiency with physical and environmental constraints, the performance of 2.3.2. Study of Visual Interrelation between the policy and strategies in old cities seeking urban Buildings and Surrounding Outdoor development needs to be monitored and Spaces evaluated. Reconciling visual quality inside old It comes second after the treatment process, district efficiency required improving the quality where the buildings are studied as one block or of life reflect upon visual quality. The key factors limited variable ones. Thus, the visual image of Reconciling coming from clarifying the value formation is not hard to handle. Using similar of these old districts and avoiding the conflict colors, details and materials end up in a between policy and action plans. (Elghonaimy, homogenous rhythm along the blocks and Environmental Management and Economic , spaces. It may be apparent in a systematic 1995). En masse, the planning process has to train of thought in control of the design; hence, meet specific goals in terms of users, time and the visual interrelation among the constituents space. Behavior of the users’ forces cannot of the site especially for those speedy highway always be predicted, so feedback information travelers, for speed is known for correlating the is necessary to reevaluate initial goals and nearest points to the farthest ones. Therefore, objectives. The main features affected by the the named goal is realized. deterioration of urban quality are building Regarding free designs, they are double- condition, quality of life and standard of living. edged weapon for their free block formation (Dalia Hussain El-Dardiry, Islam Hamdi though their main problem lies in achieving Elghonaimy, 2010) The parallel impacts came in continual block-space interrelation with variant term of visual quality in old Manama city. functional surroundings. The design is termed In many cases, failing in controlling visual successful, if it satisfies the spectators visually pollution because of facing the economic and psychologically meeting their power of business. For examples, as businesses expectations and satisfying their wants, bearing look for ways to increase the profits, cleanliness; in mind their individual differences. Reaching architecture, logic and use of space in out for this continuation and consistency, archaeological urban areas are suffering from exaggerated repellent forms and size blocks visual clutter. (Morozan, Cristian; Enache, Elena; must be cut down along with setting forth an Purice, Suzan., 29 March 2013). overall controlling visual theme. This is either achieved by areal categorization; narrow 2.3. Repellent factors in Site Attraction Sceneries ranged areas must be separated from their Visual formation is considered one of the wider counterparts, or opting for green areas significant factors, to get a full visual picture of and foresting for thematic supremacy. cities in general. In old districts, traditional buildings are of unique characteristics. The 2.3.3. Site Furnishing: major factors that affect visitors’ scene for this It is a crucial supplementary factor for area as follows: completing the site scene in archaeological Islam El-Ghonaimy 177 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 areas. The comprehensive site scene includes The case of studying locate in the old district plants, fountains, lighting and other artistic Manama, Governorate Road, “Bab Al Bahrain” factors, ruling out any repellent forms for area. This Avenue is one of the liveliest streets in homogeny purposes. Additives do maintain the Bahrain, it is filled with locals and tourist filling color scheme and aesthetic touch necessary this area, with Bab-AL Bahrain and the gold for an architectural design, yet they decrease market is one of the busiest streets in Manama. the feeling of heat in high temperature areas, Visual analysis will for this street to find out the meanwhile they are despised in highly humid common features of visual pollution then in zones. Therefore, we can say that Site furniture return, it would be requesting some is not of a sole visual function, but improvements that may enhance the users’ comprehensive seen as well. experience. (Hamouche, 2009). Thus, their quantity and types must be allocated according to the homing environment circumstances in days and nights equally. From climatic perspective, regularly Bahrain is overwhelmed by sand storm. Thus site furnishing is also significant in enhancing the visual quality in sand storm attacked zones, for dust deposition areas, where evergreens perfectly fit, for their dropping foliage accumulates no snow. (Chmielewski, Sz., Lee, D., Tompalski, P., Chmielewski, T., J., Wężyk, P, 2016) 2.3.4. Artistic Element within the Urban Areas: There are other elements that in crucial dense Figure 1. A map of Manama of the early ‘30s clearly show such as statues, sculptures. They connect the morphological structure and the extent of the two different spaces and interfere in the curvature fabrics at the beginning of the modernization process of the corridors in directing and clearing (Agriculture, 2007) probable congestions within the site as well as the grading steps, kiosks, shops and billboards, in respect to the design consistency and the site visual coherence. (Elghonaimy, Historical preservation projects and urban developing plans, Impacts of Successful experiments in historical preservation projects upon Enhancing City urban conditions; Case of Bahrain, 2011). 3. Case Study: Governorate Road, “Bab Al Bahrain” 3.1. Historical Background Bahrain has a prolonged history that goes back to before the birth of Christ era, where the oldest civilization took place “Delmon”; it was a Figure 2. A map of Manama governorate clearly show the old district, Bahrain, in 2016s, Ministry of Municipalities Affairs center of trading from that time, until today. Till and Agriculture the time being, trading background still influences the Bahraini community. Manama is A sample of “transitional area” in Manama; the one of the most old cities in Bahrain emerged historic pattern is still kept, but some streets in 1780s, where Manama is the capital and have been widened to become commercial largest city of Bahrain, it was an important trough fares. Several transformations have trading center in the Gulf. Traders came to rest occurred in the built-up fabric as well, and feature their products. It means “the place especially along the “modernized” streets. The of rest”, Manama is a cosmopolitan castle red perimeter show the survey test area. embracing multi-ethnic origins within; Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus Buddhists, etc. It has been a melting pot for all these ethnic varieties lived door to door since the birth of the peaceful coexistent community Islam El-Ghonaimy 178 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 Figure 4. A portion of Manama city, old district 2006, showing more focus the urban fabric and spaces usage in old district (Agriculture, 2007) Figure 3. A portion of Manama city, Bahrain, in 1950s The survey test area in the “transitional” zone: a showing the urban fabric and spaces usage in old district. “modernized” commercial street and two (Hamouche, 2009) “traditional” streets. The bases of the survey data (including ownership, state of occupancy, building typology, construction system, and so forth) the category of the permitted interventions are identified for each buildings (left). Some “sensitive” areas can also be defined to be possibly submitted to integrated conservation and regeneration projects. (Agriculture, 2007). Figure 5. 1The survey test area in the “transitional” zone (Agriculture, 2007) Islam El-Ghonaimy 179 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 Figure 6. Location of the pilot study of: “Bab Al Bahrain”, Governorate Road, Old Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain 4. Pilot study: Government road, Old district, perfumes, handicrafts and souvenirs, as well as Manama City more modern products from all over the world. 4.1. Location of the Pilot study The souq offers a unique shopping experience It is the Avenue that goes through Bab Al- that brings to mind the style of commerce from Bahrain into Manama. Bab Al-Bahrain was built days long past (figure 7). in 1949, and it has undergone eminent changes over the years but the Ministry of 4.2. Historical background of the Area Culture undertook a project to preserve it as a The whole area had gone through many cultural landmark; thus restored it to its former developments until this day; the first area is glory and eventually moved its tourism sector relatively the same as before. The second area offices and visitor’s center right into the had gone through major changes; it had been building. Attached to Bab Al Bahrain is the old turned into a pedestrian path, which is similar to Manama Marketplace “Souq”. The market is a the international case that has been chosen, vibrant collection of number of traditional by turning a normal street into a pedestrian coffee and shops offering a wide range of path. goods from gold, textiles, spices, incense, Figure 7. Urban context of the study area, google earth map, 2017 Islam El-Ghonaimy 180 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 Figure 8. The most famous buildings in the study area. 4.3. Users weekends especially Friday. Both inhabitants Fig 9, illustrates the featured estimation for the and tourist use the street, as it holds a cultural use of Bab Al-Bahrain Avenue, where it is attraction as well an economic attraction. highest used twice a day; in the afternoon and evening. It records highest utilization rates in the Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Figure 9. The featured an estimation for the use of Bab Al-Bahrain Avenue (Popular times in Bab Al Bahrain, 2018) 4.4. Activities enjoy the space. While the victors do some This area indulges many activities; capturing shopping and have rest in some traditional photos near the (heart) Bahrain structure or cafeterias. near Bab Al-Bahrain or near the hanging coins. For local residences, they can enjoy their time in the cafés they can also sit around and just Islam El-Ghonaimy 181 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 Figure 10. The common social and commercial Activities in the case study area 4.5. Symptoms of visual pollution in “Bab Al unaesthetic scenes as normal. Residences used Bahrain”, Governorate Road, Old Manama to deal with deteriorated visual quality as Unfortunately, the visual quality is deteriorating, normal issues. It is an aesthetic issue and refers which is but a distortion of the once inviting to the impacts of pollution that impair one's view propagating psychological unease in ability to enjoy a vista or view. Visual pollution many places. In particular, the visual pollution disturbs the visual areas of people by creating appeared due to improper usage of the harmful changes in the natural environment. monumental and valuable wealth of the area Therefore, the dealing with phenomena of disturbing the visual quality concerning its Visual pollution in Manama Old districts is beholders. Infringing changes of the urban related to its handling methodology. context forcing the seers to accept Figure 11. Miss use of vacant lands that harmful the urban context From the inventory and field survey, it is deduced to be lacking the least artistic taste in dealing with building color or adding new one to the surrounding old buildings or disappearance of the aesthetic image of everything that surrounds from buildings to roads or sidewalks and others will provide some examples of this type of pollution: Islam El-Ghonaimy 182 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 Figure 12. Common causes for visual pollution in study area a. Urban Design; vi. Waste from the rubbish in the i. Lack of urban controlled: Local land space and around the managers of old urban areas crankshafts different colors of especially in archaeological places building facades. over what is built and assembled in public places. d. Street Furnishings: ii. Poor urban planning of some buildings, i. Street Lighting: Street lighting poles do both in terms of spaces or in terms not fit the streets while electrical of the form of construction. wires are hanging on building’ iii. Build buildings in front of beautiful facades deteriorate visual quality of scenery and hide it, for example the area. hiding the sea ii. Poor management of Billboards, Trash iv. Improper way in hiding waste and cans and dumping areas that are countless other examples. exposed, iii. Signboards and billboards hanging in b. Buildings arrangements and locations: the streets in non-matching colors. i. The spread of housing haphazardly in the vacant areas instead of having gardens. ii. archaeological projects: Deficiency in dealing with the restoration projects in the archaeological areas in comprehensive level c. Land misuses: in terms of i. Miss land sue in the old districts in general ii. open storage of trash, and automobiles movements and parking iii. Crashed cars or those loaded with goods asymmetrical appearance. iv. hopheads land use within the area v. Waste disposals: Garbage cans in their forms that give rise to pessimism. Islam El-Ghonaimy 183 JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN AFFAIRS, 3(1), 175-190 / 2019 Figure 13. Street furniture: in term of Miss-use Billboards i. Missing sitting areas and places for taxi more) and distributed randomly drivers waiting areas. along the street, with different sizes, ii. Missing shades and landmarks. materials, colors and forms. iii. low level of respecting the landmarks Pedestrians throw the garbage for example minor sculpture in the instead of making the street dirty area with wastes. iv. Garbage bins: Garbage bins are provided in large numbers (15 or Figure 14. Street furniture: in term of Miss allocating or designing trashcans and dumping areas v. Fences and Barriers: Lots of barrier some places. Some of these barriers structure are used in the avenue to are made of metal; some are made separate the pedestrian pathways of concrete but in general are not from Vehicles Street using these matching with the traditional style of different material and form barriers, buildings. so they prevent vehicles to enter Figure 15. Fences and Barriers are not matching with the traditional style of buildings. vi. Sitting areas: All visitors of different ages fountain view and for gathering. can use sitting areas-the “Basta” Shadings in many places are in ugly sitting area used by adults more. shape for shading the pathway in According to time, the using for the the shopping areas and the shading areas, all day -used more for the police officer. afternoons and evening as preferable daytime for shopping and using the SOUQ. For taking rest after shopping or for enjoying the photo gallery and the entrance Islam El-Ghonaimy 184