{"word_count": 698, "character_count": 4692}
A Journey into the Historic Hammams of  Damascus:Contemporary Usages &#38; Practices and impact of EU funded ProjectsSarab ATASSI, Ifpo Damas / Atelier du vieux Damas - SYRIEMagda SIBLEY, School of Architecture- The University of LiverpoolType de contribution : communication longueMagda SIBLEY : The hammams of Damascus have witnessed decline and transformation since the 1940's when a major survey was conducted by Ecochard and le Coeur highlighting their unique architectural characteristics and relationship to their urban context. A second survey was conducted forty years later by Mounir Keyyal in the 1980's indicating a further decline in their number and changes in their usage.Hammam al Qaramani in Damascus (M. Sibley 2008 )Twenty years later another survey was conducted by the authors in 2004 and 2008 as part of research projects funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council in the UK and by the FP6-EU funded HAMMAM project (see Sibley, 2007, 2006, 2008).  Linking the results of all these surveys, this paper traces the development of the hammams of Damascus from a situation of decline to a situation of revival in the 21st century. There is today an increased number of hammams being restored and reopened.  Taking the case study of hammam Ammuna,  a 14th century hammam in the Uqaiba neighbourhood, the paper illustrates how the action of the HAMMAM project has  contributed to safeguarding it from closure and decay  to its development as a contemporary urban  facility for women in the neighbourhood and beyond.  Promoting  good practices of restoration and reuse of hammam buildings in Damascus and other regions is of   paramount importance in order sustain both tangible and intangible dimensions of this unique heritage building. The paper will also highlight future actions that are to be taken by the Hammamed project (funded by Euromed Heritage  Programme IV) to promote national and international awareness and contribute to sustaining the hammam  as an institution for 21st century.References :Ecochard M, Le Coeur C (1942, 1943) Les bains de Damas, Volumes one and two. Beirut:Keyyal, M (1986) Al-hammâmât al-Dimashkiyya. Damascus: Ibn Khaldun Publishing. (Arabic).Sibley, M. (2007) ‘Pre-Ottoman Public Baths of Damascus and their Survival into 21st Century: An Analytical Survey', Journal of Architectural and Planning Research 24, 4Sibley, M. (2006) ‘The Historic Hammams of Damascus and Fez: Lessons of Sustainability and Future Developments', in Compagnon, C., Haefeli, P., and Weber, W. (eds) Proceedings of the 23nd International Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA), Geneva.Sibley, M. (2008) (Ed) Special Issue on Traditional Public Baths/Hammams in the Mediterranean ArchNet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 2, issue 3 (2008). http://www.archnet.org/gws/IJAR/)Liverpool  University Hammams Research Group http://www.hammams.infoHammam al Salhiye in Aleppo (M. Sibley 2004 )Sarab ATASSI : depuis l'étude approfondie  d'Ecochard / Le Coeur  (Les Bains de Damas) ,  publiée en 1949, ces édifices ont connu une dégradation sensible : en effet un grand nombre de bains a  été  détruit dans les années 60,  il devenait  très urgent de sauvegarder et de réhabiliter ces chefs d'oeuvre de l'architecture ayyoubide, mamlouke et ottomane.De nos jours une dizaine de hammams fonctionnent encore à Damas, une premiere prospection de leur situation actuelle permet de faire un constat relativement positif concernant un l'avenir de ces bains. Leur réhabilitation, restauration voire sauvegarde avec l'aide des familles restées dans le métier et dans le respect des traditions d'usage  demeure un savoir à organiser et transmettre en l'adaptant aux exigences d'une vie plus moderne.Dans le cadre  du programme HAMMAM "Hammam Aspects and Multidisciplinary Methods of Analysis for the Mediterranean Region" initié par OIKODROM (Institut de Vienne pour la Durabilite Urbaine), et financé par la Communauté Européenne, un ensemble de chercheurs   de différentes  disciplines  ont travaillé ensemble dans  cinq villes méditerranéennes dans lesquelles  l'avenir durable des Hammams traditionnels était  l'objet de recherches et analyses qu'ils y ont menées de 2005 à 2008.A Damas, l'une des cinq villes Méditerranéennes sélectionnées,  Hammam Ammouna a été choisi pour être au centre d'une recherche  approfondie concernant   la réhabilitation de ce bain dans son contexte urbain. A partir de cet exemple on essaiera de dessiner un scénario pour un avenir  possible des bains de Damas avec à l'appui un film de 7 minutes  célébrant l'inauguration du Hammam Ammouneh et préparant un documentaire sur les Hammams de Damas.