KUWAIT: Old Kuwaiti houses used to be constructed and designed with low grade materials usually gathered locally or imported from neighboring countries. In their book on the construction of old Kuwaiti houses, authors Mohammad Ali Al-Khers and Maryam Al-Aqroqa said that houses of old were built using materials such as 'Al-Bascil' and 'Jandal' (wood and hay). These substances were used to protect ceilings from rain, dust, and other weather elements, said the authors.

The authors added that there were other materials used in the past like 'Al-Juss', a hybrid of burned sand and plant parts mixed with water to form solid pricks used in construction. Solid mud and other materials were also used in building old Kuwaiti houses, the authors affirmed. With urban development transforming Kuwait into the current modern state, most of these classical houses have disappeared; however, there are still some remnants of these dwellings that tell stories of the beautiful past. - KUNA