Martin Heidegger’s Philosophical Insights on the Essence of Home: A Journey Through Iraqi Kurdistan’s Dwellings

This study critically examines the integration of Martin Heidegger’s philosophical insights from his seminal essay “Building Dwelling Thinking” (1954) into the architecture and existential experience of Kurdish homes in Iraqi Kurdistan. It navigates the dichotomy between the home as a physical structure and as an existential domain of spiritual belonging. Employing Heidegger’s complex notions of “dwelling,” the “fourfold,” “disposedness,” and “situatedness,” the research identifies tangible manifestations within Kurdish domestic spaces. It demonstrates that Kurdish homes transcend mere architectural form, becoming vivid spaces of existential meaning and cultural expression. The research elucidates how Heidegger’s abstract concepts resonate concretely in the lived realities of Kurdish dwellings, highlighting the transformation of architectural construction into an existential phenomenon deeply embedded in human habitation. Ultimately, this investigation provides a nuanced interpretation of Heidegger’s philosophy through specific architectural examples from the Kurdish context.