Hybridity and Space in European Colonial Cities in the Indian Ocean Realm

Abstract

Colonial dwellings are hybrids that blend elements from different architectural and urban traditions. This is particularly evident in the Indian Ocean realm, in former colonial cities such as Diu, Tranquebar, and Zanzibar. Colonialism generated mixed architectural practices whose forms and evolution remain under study. In these sites, hybridity becomes especially evident when imperial authority weakens. The overlooked integration of “native” builders’ expertise into European colonial construction often produced innovative outcomes. This paper examines Diu (Portuguese), Tranquebar (Danish), and Zanzibar (Portuguese, Omani, British) during the late colonial era to compare how distinct building cultures combined to create hybrid spatial forms.