This study aims to analyze the role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in enhancing cultural identity within historic interior spaces, through an applied case study in the Old City of Nablus, with a particular focus on Al-Satton Mosque as a historic religious building of high architectural and heritage value.

The study adopts a descriptive–analytical and applied methodology by documenting the components of Palestinian cultural identity in historic interior architecture, analyzing the architectural characteristics of Al-Satton Mosque, and then employing AI tools to generate design scenarios that reactivate these elements within a contemporary framework informed by heritage conservation principles (ICOMOS, 2017; UNESCO, 2023).

The ChatGPT Pro model was trained using detailed text prompts that introduced the model to the historical and architectural features of the mosque and to local heritage elements such as Nabulsi limestone, arches, Islamic ornaments, natural wood, and stained glass. Based on this training, a series of images and visual treatments were generated for different interior and exterior spaces of the mosque. The findings indicate that using this tool supported the production of more accurate and realistic design visualizations, preserved the Mamluk–Ottoman character of the mosque, and strengthened the presence of Palestinian cultural identity in the proposed interventions, particularly in terms of materials, color schemes, spatial organization, and symbolic references.

At the same time, the study shows that output quality was strongly dependent on the precision of the prompts and the designer’s awareness of the heritage context; several visual “hallucinations” or undesired alterations to historic elements emerged and had to be mitigated through iterative refinement of prompts and model guidance. The study concludes that AI tools can serve as promising supportive instruments for the rehabilitation of historic interior spaces and the enhancement of Palestinian cultural identity, provided they are used within a critical and well-structured methodology that safeguards the authenticity and historical value of the place, while maintaining the central role of interior designers and heritage experts in design decision-making.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Cultural Identity, Historic Interior Spaces, Palestinian Architectural Heritage, Al-Satton Mosque, Old City of Nablus, Interior Design, Heritage Conservation.

Title

مجلة الفن و التصميم

Publisher

مجلة الفن و التصميم

Publisher Country

Egypt

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

4

Year

2026

Pages

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