Social diversity and changes in the form and appearance of the Qatari house

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between house form and appearance and social diversity. The metamorphosis of two features of the Qatari house which operate as loci of communication between occupants and non‐occupants, the majlis (guest reception area) and the exterior ornamentation, is described within the context of increasing social diversity between the 1960s and the 1990s. The manner in which each of these features conveys information to the new range of audiences within the diverse population of Qatar is examined. The article supports the view that differences in the use of a house to signify status are related to the character of social networks and demonstrates that in a dual social system where networks coexist but rarely overlap methods and media of communication through the built environment can be similarly bifurcated.