Through discussion of the case of Algiers, this paper exposes the forces by which architecture as a system of meanings and experiences is affected by a broader network of meaning. It examines how the built environment can contribute to the preservation of cultural values, and can also act as a physical instrument of cultural change. The study of the way that the built environment was produced in Algiers under Ottoman rule (fifteenth -nineteenth centuries), and the subsequent transformations that occurred under French colonialism (nineteenth -twentieth centuries), along with the cultural implications of each period, reveals that the extent to which architecture and culture relate to/affect each other depends on the broader political, economic and social context.
An energy consumption model for the Algerian residential building's stock, based on a triangular approach : Geographic Information System (GIS), regression analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Sustainable Cities and Society, 103191.
Solar energy planning becomes crucial to develop adaptive policies ensuring both energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. Cities, particularly building’s rooftops, constitute a promising infrastructure for enabling the use of locale solar resources. This study proposes a combined engineering–statistical methodology to assess the photovoltaic potential of residential rooftops. Using validated algorithms for solar simulation and geographical information system (GIS) for spatial dissemination, the proposed methodology deals with the lack of data and allows an accurate investigation of the geographical and technical potential. Applied to the municipality of Laghouat, the results reveal that suitable rooftops areas for PV installations in the examined typologies were approximately between 18 and 35%. Moreover, the deployment of distributed PV systems on residential rooftops provides significant technical potential, which could cover up to 55% of the annual electricity needs. These original findings offer a realistic assessment of the usable solar potential within municipalities, which helps decision-makers establish energy efficiency strategies by reducing energy consumption and increasing the share of renewable electricity production. Additionally, the discussion offers valuable insight into energy management and investigates eventual energy sharing among residential buildings to achieve a net-zero energy balance at the municipal level.
The original medina of Algiers -currently called the Algiers Casbah -constituted an integral part of the indigenous struggle for national independence. Constantly subject to French colonialist propaganda, it suffered throughout the colonial era (1830-1962) brutal destruction, negative representation, and ideological marginalisation. Yet it emerged after Algerian revolutionary war against French occupation (1954)(1955)(1956)(1957)(1958)(1959)(1960)(1961)(1962) as an icon of people's solidarity, a physical landmark of Algerian identity, and an emblem of national memory. This paper investigates the historical formation of these symbolic values, and examines how the built environment gains its cultural meaning from political struggles. It also highlights the way that such meaning becomes an immaterial tool for the instrumentalisation of the medina area in the affirmation of national identity in the post-independence era. Using a historical approach, which discusses the emergence of Algerian nationalism and the later famous battle of Algiers in the 1950s, this paper argues that the psychological and cultural implications of Algerian anti-colonial resistance contributed heavily to the way that people today perceive the emblematic importance of the Ottoman medina of Algiers.
The housing sector in Algeria has undergone huge transformations to improve the supply process. One of the major changes that has been operated is related to the introduction of information technology in the practice of controlling the eligibility of applicants for public housing. As a result, the National Housing File has been created, marking hereby a major step towards the development of e-governance in Algeria. Yet, despite this noticeable improvement, the housing supply process remains very complex. This is mainly linked to the multi-sectoral character of the procedure, which requires the involvement of various actors and institutions. The objective of this paper is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the National Housing File, which has been conceived as a decision support tool to housing supply. The paper examines the process through which data is gathered and evaluation of potential beneficiaries is made. It sheds light on the issues that hinder the right functioning of the National Housing File and delay the development of e-governance in an effective way.
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