Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Restoration of the Amiriya Complex
Location: Rada, Yemen (Arabian Peninsula)Architect: Selma Al-Radi
Client: General Organisation for Antiquities, Museums and Manuscripts, Government of the Netherlands
Completed: 2005
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Restoration of the Amiriya Complex Project BriefA 16th-century Madrasa was restored following centuries of decay. Walls were rebuilt using limestone, baked brick and 'qudad' (a waterproofing mortar). The building was polished, re-plastered and an electrical grid was installed. Carved stucco decorations and tempera wall paintings covering the domes and prayer hall were also repaired. The ground floor has been turned into a museum, to commemorate the restoration work. As the first project of its kind in Yemen, it offered local workers the opportunity to revisit and learn traditional building methods.
Rada is the most important town in the southern half of the eastern plateau. The urban tissue surrounding the complex does not seem to include any contemporary building.© Anne DE HENNING
The Amiriya was in a very precarious condition when Dr Selma Al-Radi visited it.© Rosalind HADDOU
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At first floor level, the galleries are defined by a series of arches. All the rooms feature mashrabiyyas projecting from the windows.
© Anne DE HENNING
The Amiriya was in a very poor physical condition before restoration. Except for the west façade, most of them had sagging, bulging and cracks.© Selma AL-RADI
The east porch, at the top of the stairs, has arches on all sides. The inner one on the entrance axis opens to an entrance hall.© Anne DE HENNING
A front courtyard is situated on the south side of the building. It is not rectangular because there is an indentation at its southeast corner, providing direct entrance to the courtyard from ground level.© Anne DE HENNING
Rada grew up around the only outcrop of rock in the surrounding plain, on which the castle was built. The Amiriya was built at its foot.© Anne DE HENNING
Qudad decoration is used both inside and outside, here for the various panels and individual figures around the platform on which the domes of the masjid sit, especially on the north side marking the mihrab.© Anne DE HENNING
The restoration of the Amiriya complex revived the process of production of certain material as qudad, a mixture of lime mortar and crushed volcanic aggregate. It is used as stucco and plaster on exterior surfaces for waterproofing.© Reha GUNAY
The two corner rooms at the north side have circular lobes and the rest have faceted lobes, the plan of the domes being a polygon with folded sides.© Anne DE HENNING
The plan of the masjid rises about 3 metres above the roof as a rectangular platform, reaching about 4 metres at the top of the crenellations.© Anne DE HENNING
The north riwaq is given a particular emphasis as the entrance hall of the masjid, with a coffered stucco decoration on the ceiling.© Reha GUNAY
The decoration of the hammam on the ground floor is very fine and varied and is said to be unique in its quality and location.© Anne DE HENNING
Selma Al-Radi herself started to clean away the many layers of whitewash that covered the carved stucco of the building. Close contact with the material became a means to understand the technique of carving as well as the stages of production.© Reha GUNAY
Close contact with the material became a means to understand the technique of carving as well as the stages of production.© Anne DE HENNING
The major cause of damage to the painting has been earthquakes that have destabilized the structure. The surface of the paint layer also showed dust deposits, cobwebs, mud deposits, soot, whitewash and bird droppings.© Reha GUNAY
The most ornate space is the masjid, which represents a climax of the type of decoration developed in Rasukid and Tahirid madrasas.© Anne DE HENNING
Calligraphic bands of carved gypsum plaster run over openings and arches, delineating the structural elements as well as accentuating the importance of spaces.© Anne DE HENNING
The painted decoration in the masjid of the madrasa covers an area of approximately 600 square metres.© Anne DE HENNING
Careful study of the painted surfaces as well as several chemical analyses showed that a red paint was used to draw a perspective grid on wet plaster.© Anne DE HENNING
North elevation© AKTC
West elevation© AKTC
South elevation© AKTC
East elevation© AKTC
Roof© AKTC
Second floor© AKTC
First floor© AKTC
Ground floor© AKTC
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