The Damascus House

 The Damascene house differs significantly from Persian and Turkish dwellings, the latter corresponding to European houses in structure and layout. 

In Damascus, the living quarters are grouped around a central courtyard, as is the case in Baghdad with one major difference: the Iraqi house's components are connected via galleries supported by wooden columns, whereas in Damascus the connection is almost exclusively through the central courtyard.

A warmer climate influences Damascene dwellings and differentiates them from their Iranian and Turkish counterparts, whence the open space in the middle and the internally oriented façade seen in the traditional homes of the Syrian metropolis. Houses and mosques share this peculiarity. 

There can be no doubt as to the source of inspiration: The Arab house is derived from Greco-Roman models that had spread throughout the Mediterranean basin after the conquest. Thus, we encounter the same pattern in the Decapolis, Morocco, and Spain. As tent dwellers, Arabs found it convenient to occupy the existing homes and adopt their prototype with as-needed adjustments related to taste, religious views, and the perceived need to segregate women and maintain privacy. 

Hans von Kiesling. Damaskus, altes und neues aus Syrien