Privacy Patterns in Homes of Middle-Class Shaamy Immigrants in Montreal

Abstract

After the Second World War, several waves of mostly highly educated, middle-class, traditional Muslim families from the Shaam arrived in Canada. As a result of cultural differences they found that their new living environment in Montreal did not respond to their privacy needs. This paper examines the privacy patterns observed in homes of the Shaamy community in Montreal by analyzing physical characteristics and modifications made to their single family detached homes and townhouses, usage patterns of domestic spaces, and inhabitants' privacy behavioral modalities. In the context of the discussion, the paper alludes to some salient characteristics of the traditional living environment, indigenous lifestyle, and the socio-religious and cultural privacy concepts of this community. It scrutinizes briefly the correlation between these elements and the physical characteristics of Montreal housing patterns and of privacy concepts which are embodied in their designs. Both internal home layouts and functions and outdoor settings are analyzed in relation to the community and privacy. Consequently, the paper diagnoses major privacy deficiencies in the design of community homes and highlights domestic privacy mechanisms and utilization modes of the home environment. Finally, criteria are established for improving the design of detached homes and townhouses, with minimal change applied to their physical structure and patterns.