Traditional Afghan Architecture

The process must begin with strong foundations. Teams assess the earth, map out the building’s design and then begin digging along where the walls will be – the higher the planned building, the deeper the foundations must be. The trenches are then filled completely with stone and rubble. Another layer of stone, approximately 40-60 cm in height, comes next, elevating the earth walls above ground level, which helps prevent weakening by rain and snow.

Bricks in a timber frame act as the building’s main skeleton, a technique known as senj. The timber comes first, with the bricks then placed inside, and finally beams are placed across the top to form the ceiling’s base.

For these walls, wooden poles are placed vertically about 60-70 cm apart around the room’s perimeter. These poles are secured to the horizontal wooden beams that form the floor’s base and ceiling with what is known as a 'chool and faq' joint. The spaces in between the poles are then filled using the 'senj' technique. Layers of bricks are laid diagonally. After approximately 7-10 layers they are then laid in the opposite diagonal direction. This helps make the building earthquake-proof.

To provide greater stability for the roof, woven willow branches from Zabul and bamboo from Jalalabad and Mazar-e Sharif are layered onto the beams.

The 'ghoragel' (mud) can then be applied to the roof. If the building is only one story high, a mud plaster must be added as a final layer. If not, then senj construction is required for the next floor’s walls.

Now that the main structure is complete, it can be fleshed out first with the electrical wiring, and then with a mud plaster that consists of mud, straw and water. This must be left for one day until dry, after which the 'simgil' can be added.

'Simgil' is a layer of screened mud, 'lokh', and water, that is used particularly when the owners wish to decorate the walls. Once applied it must be left for 2 days to dry. This process is then repeated until enough layers have been applied.

This is 'lokh', the soft, feathery fluff or down of reeds that grow in the warm fields of Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad. It is a traditional material used in the last stages of the construction work. It is mixed with clay and reeds, left for 48 hours, then combined with water before being used.

Traditional houses require biannual roof maintenance, once before the winter in preparation, and once after, due to the season’s harsh conditions. In the building process about 80 percent of the work is done by men, including cutting the timber and digging the foundations. The other 20 percent, including the weaving of the 'chajakay' mats, is carried out by women.

Rather than fixed windows with hinges, which were difficult to construct in the past, 'patayi' screens are used. There are usually three horizontal panels, one on top of the other, which can be lifted up separately to control the amount of air circulating in the room. In summer all the screens will be hauled up to allow as much air as possible to come in and out.

Carved wooden panels can also be added to the ceiling, fixed directly to the roof beams. This is for finishing decoration, with the added benefit that this protects from any dust or dirt that may fall from a traditional roof.