Yemen — Vertical Earth: Shibam and the Typology of the Mudbrick High-Rise

Shibam's mudbrick skyline offers a sustainable model for climate-smart urbanism, demonstrating how traditional techniques can achieve high-rise resilience without modern mechanical systems. The study reveals that contiguous party-wall buttressing, combined with thermal mass and collective maintenance, provides comfort and structural stability in arid regions. It translates centuries of craft plaster renewal, timber diaphragms, and drainage into practical guidance for architects and conservators, addressing challenges like flood risk and salt weathering. By reframing maintenance as infrastructure and community employment, Shibam emerges as a blueprint for building higher with earthen materials, reducing energy costs, and fostering long-lasting urban communities worldwide.

Almusaed, A., Almssad, A., & Yitmen, I. (2026). Yemen — Vertical Earth: Shibam and the Typology of the Mudbrick High-Rise. Vernacular Architecture and Sustainability of Indigenous Building Materials, 167–195. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003726425-10