The Uncharted Pulse; The Rhythms of Ajlouni Vibrant Spirit

Reviving the Heart of Ajloun:

The story of Ajloun starts with its city center and its people. Ajloun city center, like those of many other Jordanian cities, is shaped by invisible social rhythms and cultural layers that most planners and architects often miss. It has vibrant yet underutilized spaces that has deep cultural, social, and environmental narratives. Thus, this project aims to bring those hidden qualities to light by rethinking the city center as a lively and welcoming public space for both locals and visitors. The project includes three areas of intervention: The Great Mosque of Ajloun, The Hesbet Ajloun, and a central square that has been left to fall into disrepair and is now used as a parking lot for public buses.

The project starts with the threshold of the city center which is the Great Mosque of Ajloun, one of the oldest historical Jordanian mosques, built during the Mamluk and Ayyubid periods. the mosque is considered a landmark characterized by its semi-pointed arches, modest minaret, and yellow limestone. with its sunk square and minaret, and despite its heritage importance, the mosque is accessible from the main street and no accesses from the surrounding commercial and residential buildings which remains the mosque disconnected from its surrounding urban life. Adjacent to it lies the Hesbet Ajloun, a local souq that runs through a narrow, unpaved pedestrian passage. It is full of informal trade, but it doesn't have much space or comfort. The market trail leads to a central square that hasn't been taken care of and is now being used as a parking lot, with stalls taking up space on its edges. There are many undefined urban staircases that run through this city network. Some of these connect the souq to the main city street, which is lined with important government and commercial buildings (Ajloun Municipality, Land Department, Industry Directorate, etc.). Others connect the square to the neighborhoods nearby. There are also some stairs that connect the Souq and the Square to the nearby historical shrines, such as the Sayyid Badr Shrine and the Al-Baaj Shrine.

The main purpose of the project is to highlight Ajloun’s city center as a cohesive, place-sensitive urban adaptor to both locals and visitors that celebrates local identity while fostering sustainable tourism. Through a place-making lens, the intervention seeks to reintegrate the cultural heritage city's traditional triad—the mosque, market, and square—as socially inclusive, environmentally conscious, and economically vibrant public spaces.

Key urban and architectural strategies include:

•Create multi-social urban layers to connect the mosque's surroundings with the urban fabric.

•Connect the square of the mosque with the Hesbet Ajloun and reorganize its uses with the surrounding commercial buildings by upgrading the Souq structures using local materials and vernacular typologies, offering dignified livelihoods to vendors and boosting the local economy. The new urban design of the Souq is trying to reframe the cultural storytelling of the city’s elements (murals, signage, activities) to narrate Ajloun’s heritage and deepen visitor-local connection. A shaded structure was introduced to the Souq to provide comfort and protect people from the sun, inspired by the simple yet thoughtful textiles that local shopkeepers and street vendors have long used to shield their spaces.

•The pedestrian Souq trail was thoughtfully connected to the city's staircases, both visually and physically, through subtle yet meaningful changes—wider steps, improved materials, and added handrails—all designed to enrich the human experience of walking the city and to make access to the Souq and the square more welcoming and inclusive.

•The city square was revitalized and reimagined as a multifunctional social terrace, featuring micro-landscapes that offer shade, foster social interaction, and help reduce urban heat. These layered terraces were designed as a vibrant hub for Ajlouni life to be as a social incubator for local small businesses, community training, performances, and seasonal markets. What was once used for parking is now reclaimed as a people-centered space that reflects the spirit and needs of the community.

Ultimately, this project envisions Ajloun’s city center as a sustainable, inclusive, and story-rich place—a living heart that celebrates its heritage while nurturing its future through vibrant community life and local economic opportunity.

Project Site Location: Jordan, Ajloun(city center)
Project Coordinates on Google Maps: Great Ajloun Mosque(32.33227254243221, 35.75123164775313)-Hesbeh Ajloun(32.33138983546473, 35.75111344721958)-Central Square(32.330657478388545, 35.75032760523462)
Site Area: 14,700sqm
Project Function: An urban design project for the Ajloun city center, which includes improving the spatial and urban environment of the Grand Ajloun Mosque, the Ajloun Hisbah, and the central square:

(Intervention 1 - Great Ajloun Mosque): Redesigning the mosque courtyard and creating multi-faceted urban layers to connect the mosque's surroundings to the urban fabric(Landscape design).

(Intervention 2 – Hesbeh Ajloun, Local Souq):
1. Rehabilitate the souq: updating the market with local materials that provide comfort, sun protection, floor tiling, and redesigning facades and signs.
2. Organizing the souq land uses: arrange the shops to create an enjoyable space experience and separate daily needs from monthly and annual needs.
3. Connecting the souq with the surroundings: connecting the souq with the mosque and the central square, connecting it with the surrounding stairs, connecting it with the buildings' roofs

(Intervention 3 – Central Square):
Multi-level terraces to be a vital hub for Ajloun life, a social incubator for local small businesses, community training, art performances, seasonal bazars, and associations to solve problems and serve locals.Also, the Ajloun underground bus station, and the Re-Use building motel.

Student: Rand Ahmed Al-Shaer
Supervisor: Arch. Roaa Zidan
University: Applied Science Private University