Restoration of Tangible and Intangible Artefacts in the Tunisian Landscape: ‘Boutique Hotels’ and the Entrepreneurial Project of Dar Ben-Gacem

Abstract

This research stems from a theoretical study of the Medina of Tunis, as a continuity of the author’s doctoral research. The broader study from which the concepts are drawn is part of a PhD project, in architecture and humanities, focused on the effects of globalization on the Medina of Tunis. Studies and publications of the houses of the Medina of Tunis are lacking from the literature, in the Anglo-Saxon world, thus the interest of the author is to build a new body of knowledge examining historical restoration projects in Tunisia. This research article traces the challenges faced by the Medina of Tunis in the twenty-first century. It does so by evaluating a restoration and conversion project of seventeenth century Dar Ben-Gacem into a boutique hotel or ‘Hotel de Charme’. The project is unique as it reflects an architectural and entrepreneurial initiative of its owners aiming to work alongside the Medina’s small businesses, local artisans and the community at large. In this context, this research examines the architectural and socio-cultural challenges faced by the owners as well as the architects to preserve the identity of the building while diversifying the use of its spaces.

This study first examines the history of Dar Ben-Gacem and the transition of the traditional courtyard house into a ‘cosmopolitan’ guest house that attracts visitors and tourists from all cultures and nationalities. Later, it explores the motivations and commitments of the owners to revive tangible and intangible artefacts through architecture as well as the social and cultural entrepreneurship of Tunisia’s rich cultural history. Ultimately, this theoretical study evaluates the challenges faced in such projects to revive the cultural heritage of the house while shaping a ‘story’ of a generation. Restoration projects in the Medina vary in scale and purpose. The consideration of both tangible and intangible artefacts in this historical context is highly important as it delves into the question of heritage in the age of tourism and globalization.