Security elements are built into buildings and their surrounding spaces. The traditional fina, or outdoor space within a private dwelling, may be shielded by branches of the local tree Al-Awshaz for privacy and security (Abu-Ghazzeh). For the more permanent dwellings in the community, stone walls were built thick to withstand not only the summer floods but also the possibility of bedouin invaders. Doorways were built not so that tall men could clear their heads but purposefully so that they must stoop down when entering. Marking the lintel at neck height meant that any women inside would have time to don their headdress or hide (Abu-Ghazzeh).
The type of building material used also signifies social and cultural issues. For example, stone and adobe are reserved for the core tribe members. More transient residents of the community build houses out of less durable materials including wood....
Building materials are mainly local but some such as iron are imported into the community (Abu-Ghazzeh). Khulb (adobe + straw) used in construction allows for multi-level structures.
Abu-Ghazzeh offers the term vernacular to describe the traditional architecture of southern Saudi Arabia. The study of vernacular architecture in general expands the anthropological and sociological understanding of building and design elements. Architecture and design elements become more than functional, as they take on meaningful forms that serve their particular communities. Finally, vernacular architecture proudly displays its own aesthetic. Using materials that are drawn from the surrounding land and that suit the environmental and social needs of the inhabitants creates a community more linked with nature than a modern urban center that is pieced together using materials drawn from foreign sources.
