Fieldwork Update!
23 May 2025
We are very pleased to share that our scientific and fieldwork activities for our Nahrein Network/UCL-funded project ‘Climate Change, Old Basra Traditional Architecture’ in Old Basra at the end of April were a huge success. We were in Basra for only a few days, but with the assistance
of our research partner, the Department of Architectural Engineering at the University of Basrah, the enthusiasm of the group of volunteering students and alumni, and the remarkable skills of our research partners at the University of Salerno in deploying innovative digital surveying techniques, we were able to meet our trip objectives—documenting some of the city’s most fabulous heritage houses (shanasheel houses) and planting the seeds for future collaboration.
The trip was filled with activities:
Day one started with attending the UNESCO Iraq Office’s first series of lectures at the University of Basrah, which also coincided with the university’s 61st-anniversary celebrations—great timing!
On day two, we documented the current building of the Basra Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate (SBAH) at the heart of Old Basra, which was previously the house of one of Basra’s most famous date merchants. We employed all sorts of technology, from drones to 3D laser scanning, 360-degree photogrammetry, and many other tools. The nature of the sites and the delicate quality of architectural details of these beautiful landmarks provided a rich platform for training the volunteers on the digital documentation of delicate landmarks.
Day three concluded our exploration efforts with the documentation of another heritage (shanasheel) house alongside an extended section of one of the old city’s most compact residential streets with its unique projecting window features. A big heartfelt thank you to our research partners in Basrah, Salerno, the SBAH team, both director and staff, the UNESCO Iraq office team in Basra, the Dean of Engineering at the University of Basrah and the amazing group of volunteering students and architects for making this fieldwork so wonderful including :
Gianluca Ronga, Alzahraa Ajina, Mustafa Majid Hashim, Amjed Jasim Abdulameer, Hiba Abdul hassan Mozan, Shams Mohammed Mahmoud, Haidar Ayar Jabar, Jaafar Mohammad Jawad, Mustafa Mohammed Hussan, Muntadher Jamal Mohammed, Hussein Mustafa Qasim AL- Qatrani,
Qusay Al-Shamkhawee.
Many thanks to the Nahrein Network for funding the project and for the continuous support.
The Project Team
Virtual Workshop Update
09 February 2025
We are pleased to report the successful completion of our virtual event “Innovative Technologies for Surveying Activities in Heritage Contexts’ which took place last month (January 2025). It was an outstanding experience, and we are excited to share the positive outcomes with
you.
Over 140 participants attended the workshop including architecture engineering and archaeology students, professionals, and established academics. Through these collective efforts, we have promoted our research activities and interest in the documentation of heritage buildings. The event has allowed us to expand our network and collaboration with stakeholders in Basra and across a range of Iraqi Universities. Participants expressed their interest in supporting our fieldwork in Basra and the plan is to invite them to participate in aspects of the fieldwork and surveying activities in the coming weeks.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event a success!
The Project Team
Workshop Invite
05 January 2025
We are pleased to invite you to attend this forthcoming virtual workshop on Innovative Technologies for Surveying Activities in Heritage Contexts to be held 14-15 January 2025. This event is part of the Nahrein Network/UCL-funded project ‘Climate Change and Old Basra Traditional Architecture’ Project activities.
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