Set within an almost square enclosure with circular towers, the floor plan of the palace of Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi is typical of the group of 'desert castles’. The monumental gateway gives onto the paved courtyard lined with a portico. The living spaces are organised around large rooms that give directly onto the courtyard. This organisation echoes the distribution of traditional housing in the Near East region, which enabled family units living together to maintain their privacy.