Sustainable Rehabilitation Strategy for Heritage Khans (A Case Study of The Heritage Khan of Alexandria in Iraq)

Heritage khans represent an important part of the Iraqi urban and historical fabric, as they have played prominent social and economic roles throughout the ages. However, the urban development that Iraqi cities have witnessed since the early twentieth century has led to radical changes that have caused the deterioration of khans and the loss of their traditional functions as a result of ill-considered interventions that did not take into account their heritage and cultural value. The research problem is the lack of sustainable rehabilitation strategies to address the continuous deterioration of khans due to development projects that are not compatible with the historical characteristics of these khans. The study aims to provide a comprehensive vision of the strategy for rehabilitating heritage khans in Iraq, with a focus on achieving a balance between preserving heritage identity and sustainable urban development. The study assumes the possibility of achieving sustainable urban development for Iraqi heritage khans by adopting an integrated approach that combines preserving the heritage and architectural values of khans, and meeting contemporary economic and social requirements, through the application of a balanced rehabilitation strategy that ensures the continuity of the role of khans in the urban fabric The study adopts a methodology consisting of three main parts; The first part deals with a historical review of the development of khans in Iraq, and an analysis of the main stages they went through, in addition to the factors that contributed to the fundamental changes in the heritage khans. The second part reviews the current project to rehabilitate the Khan of Alexandria,as a case study while the third part presents a sustainable rehabilitation strategy in proposing development interventions and their impact on the sustainability of the building, its spatial and functional impact, and its compatibility with the requirements of preserving the heritage identity. The results emphasized the importance of the participation of the local community and governmental and private entities in rehabilitation processes, as well as the need to establish a clear legal framework to protect these heritage buildings from random interventions that threaten their sustainability. The study concluded that there is an urgent need to adopt integrated policies that ensure the preservation of the heritage values of the khans while enhancing their use in the contemporary urban context. The study recommended developing training programs to preserve traditional skills associated with the restoration of historical buildings, and promoting cultural tourism as a means of financing preservation and rehabilitation processes.