The Unknown Masons

Abstract

My traditional practice has taken me to many cities and through a variety of building experiences in the Arab world, three of which I wish to share. One in Syria, and two in Saudi Arabia. I will briefly present the materials, the methods, and the people who worked on them. Even though one builder had no previous experience of load-bearing work and the others had little, after some training and once stretched beyond what they were used to, they demonstrated ability and grit beyond expectations. For as soon as they realized what was required, they all gradually became capable masons, making them the heroes of this story.