Designing Modernity: Architecture in the Arab World 1945-1973

288 Pages·2022·74.106 MB·English

by  George Arbid (editor), Philipp Oswalt (editor)

Designing Architecture in
Modernity the Arab World
1945–1973
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COLOPHON خسنلا تانايب
imprint image sources Lebanon Karrar Nasser (Photographer), 2021 /
5.1. Dalia Khamissy (Photographer) / 5.2. 8.15. Unknown Photographer, Kahtan Awni:
© 2022 by jovis Verlag GmbH Morocco Arab Center for Architecture, Pierre Neema Consultant - Architect (Baghdad: c. 1969 /
Arabic co-publisher: Riwaq, Palestine 1.1. Frac Orléans / 1.2. Private collection Collection / 5.3. Arab Center for Architecture 8.16. Karrar Nasser (Photographer), 2021 /
of Aziza Chaouni / 1.3. Frac Orléans / 1.4. / 5.4. Arab Center for Architecture / 5.5. 8.17. Kahtan Awni: Consultant - Architect
Texts by kind permission of the authors. Drawings by Aziza Chaouni Projects / 1.5. Pierre El Khoury archives / 5.6. Arab Center (Baghdad: c. 1969 / 8.18. Karrar Nasser
Pictures by kind permission of the photogra- Frac Orléans / 1.6. Frac Orléans / 1.7. Frac for Architecture / 5.7. Henri Eddé archives (Photographer), 2021.
phers/holders of the picture rights. Orléans / 1.8. Frac Orléans / 1.9. Drawings / 5.8. Arab Center for Architecture, Pierre
by Aziza Chaouni Projects / 1.10. Frac Neema collection / 5.9. Arab Center for Syria
All rights reserved. Orléans / 1.11. Julien Lanoo (Photographer) Architecture, Pierre Neema collection / 5.10. 9.1. Photographer unknown, drkweider.
/ 1.12. Julien Lanoo (Photographer) / 1.13 Arab Center for Architecture, Pierre Neema unityworld.de / 9.2. Walid Al-Shihabi personal
George Arbid (Photographer) / 1.14. Julien collection / 5.11. Arab Center for Architecture, collection / 9.3. – 9.4. Emad Al Armashi
Cover: Designing Modernity: Architecture in Lanoo (Photographer) / 1.15. Julien Lanoo Pierre Neema collection / 5.12. Electricité collection / 9.5. Public Establishment for
the Arab World 1945–1973, Model by Jean- (Photographer) / 1.16. Andreea Muscurel du Liban archives / 5.13. Arab Center for International Fairs and Exhibitions, peife.gov.s
François Zevaco for Sidi Harazem Thermal (Photographer) / 1.17. Julien Lanoo Architecture, Pierre Neema collection / / 9.6. – 9.7. Emad Al Armashi collection / 9.8.
Bath Complex (Detail), Frac Orléans. (Photographer) / 1.18. Private collection of 5.14. – 5.17. Dalia Khamissy (Photographer) Public Establishment for International Fairs and
Aziza Chaouni / 1.19. Postcard, Photographer / 5.18. Ghada Salem. © aLes 2020 / 5.19. Exhibitions, peife.gov.sy / 9.9. Ibrahim Hakky,
Edited by George Arbid and Philipp Oswalt unknown, Private collection of Aziza Chaouni. George Arbid (Photographer) / 5.20. Carl Damascus in Eighty Years, 2017, p. 143 / 9.10.
Gerges (Photographer) / 5.21. Arab Center for – 9.12. Public Establishment for International
A project initiated by the Goethe-Institut in Egypt Architecture, Pierre Neema collection / 5.22. Fairs and Exhibitions, peife.gov.sy / 9.13. Wael
the Palestinian Territories and funded by the 2.1. Mercedes Volait (Photographer), 1997 / Dalia Khamissy (Photographer). Samhouri (Photographer), 2021 / 9.14. Rafee
German Federal Foreign Office. 2.2. Magallat al-'Emara, no. 5/6, 1947, between Hakky collection / 9.15. Public Establishment
p. 32 and 33 / 2.3. Magallat al-Muhandisin, Kuwait for International Fairs and Exhibitions, peife.
English Copy-Editing: Mariangela Palazzi- March 1948, unpaginated / 2.4. Archives 6.1. pace © Manu John / 6.2. Dar al-Athar gov.s / 9.16. Emad Al Armashi collection / 9.17.
Williams, Michael Thomas Taylor of Riad Architecture / 2.5. Archives of al-Islamiyyah / 6.3. Abdel-ilah Ismael, studio – 9.18. Public Establishment for International
Arabic Copy-Editing: Mohammad Hamdan Riad Architecture / 2.6. Archives of Riad al-Fahyae, Kuwait City (Photographer), 1960. Fairs and Exhibitions, peife.gov.sy / 9.19.
Translation English-Arabic: Fadi El Tofeili Architecture / 2.7. Magallat al-Muhandisin, ©The Palestinian Museum Digital Archive / 6.4. Emad Al Armashi collection / 9.20. The Syrian
Design: Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès March 1955, p. 12 / 2.8. Magallat al-Muhandis- Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah / 6.5. Dar al-Athar Stamps Archive / 9.21. Walid Al-Shihabi
Partner: Arab Center for Architecture, Beirut in, March 1955, p. 13 / 2.9. Magallat al-'Emara, al-Islamiyyah / 6.6. ArkiDes, Swedish Centre personal collection / 9.22. Walid Al-Shihabi
Lithography: Bild1Druck Berlin no. 1, 1957, p. 21 / 2.10. Karim El Hayawan for Architecture and Design / 6.7. Núcleo de personal collection / 9.23. The Syrian Stamps
(Photographer), 2021 / 2.11. Karim El Hayawan Pesquisa e Documentação Fau, uFrJ (Faculty Archive / 9.24. Walid Al-Shihabi (Photographer)
(Photographer), 2021 / 2.12. Mercedes Volait of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal / 9.25. Public Establishment for International
The views in this publication are those of the (Photographer), 1997 / 2.13. Mercedes Volait University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) / 6.8. Fairs and Exhibitions, peife.gov.sy.
authors and do not necessarily reflect the views (Photographer), 1997 / 2.14. Karim El Hayawan Croatian Museum of Architecture / 6.9. Samir
of the Goethe-Institut. (Photographer), 2021. Abdulac / 6.10. L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui, Jordan
June-July, 1961 / 6.11. siaF – Cité de l'archi- 10.1. Archive of Al-Hussein Youth City / 10.2.
Printed in the European Union. 3.1. American University in Cairo, Rare Books tecture et du patrimoine – Archives d'architec- Archive of the Central Bank of Jordan / 10.3.
and Special Collections Library (auc, rBscL) ture du XXe siècle / 6.12. Aga Khan Award for Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City (Madinat
Bibliographic information published by the / 3.2. Publishers / 3.3. Chant Avedissian Architecture / 6.13. siaF – Cité de l'architecture al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman: Mu’assaset
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. The Deutsche (Photographer), Aga Khan Trust for Culture / et du patrimoine – Archives d'architecture du Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 25 / 10.4. Archive
Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in 3.4. auc, rBscL / 3.5. auc, rBscL / 3.6. auc, XXe siècle / 6.14. siaF – Cité de l'architecture et of Al-Hussein Youth City / 10.5. Fawzeddine,
the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie. Detailed rBscL / 3.7. auc, rBscL / 3.8. Christopher Little du patrimoine – Archives d'architecture du XXe ‘Mashru’ qanoun daribet madinat el-Hussein
bibliographic data are available on the Internet (Photographer): Aga Khan Trust for Culture / siècle / 6.15. National Council of Culture, Arts (The proposed tax law for al-Hussein City)’,
at http://dnb.d-nb.de. 3.9. AUC, rBscL / 3.10. Photographer unknown and Letters / 6.16. Nuno Teixeira / 6.17. pace Al-Jehad, 16 November 1963, p. 12 / 10.6.
/ 3.11. Aga Khan Trust for Culture / 3.12. auc, © Manu John. Archive of Al-Hussein Youth City Engineering
rBscL / 3.13. auc, rBscL / 3.14. auc, rBscL Department / 10.7. Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein
/ 3.15. Karim El Hayawan (Photographer) / Palestine Youth City (Madinat al-Hussein lal-Shabab)
jovis Verlag GmbH 3.16. auc, rBscL / 3.17. auc, rBscL / 3.18. 7.1. Arab Development Society archives / 7.2. (Amman: Mu’assaset Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975),
Lützowstraße 33 Viola Bertini / 3.19. auc, rBscL / 3.20. Karim British Mandate Jerusalemites Photo Library p. 7 / 10.8. Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth
10785 Berlin El Hayawan (Photographer) / 3.21. auc, rBscL / 7.3. Source: Google maps, accessed May, City (Madinat al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman:
/ 3.22. Clea Daridan (Photographer) / 3.23. 2021 / 7.4. Drawn by Ziad Abdelhalim and Hala Mu’assaset Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 41 /
www.jovis.de Karim El Hayawan (Photographer) / 3.24. Saif, 2021 / 7.5. Arab Development Society 10.9. Archive of Al-Hussein Youth City 2021 /
Photographer unknown, Salma Samar Damluji, archive, 1940s and 1950s / 7.6. Bootstrap, 10.10. Archive of Al-Hussein Youth City 2021
Riwaq Hassan Fathy Private Collection / 3.25. A. Arab Development Society archive, 1953 / / 10.11. Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City
Nablus Road Albek & M. Niksarli (Photographer), Aga Khan 7.7. Dima Yaser(Photographer), 2021 / 7.8. (Madinat al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman:
P.O.Box 212 Ramallah Trust for Culture. Dima Yaser (Photographer), 2020 / 7.9. Malak Mu’assaset Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 22
Hassan (Photographer), 2021 / 7.10. Drawn / 10.12. Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City
www.riwaq.org 4.1. Karim El Hayawan (Photographer) / 4.2. by Ziad Abdelhalim and Hala Saif, 2021 / 7.11. (Madinat al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman:
Nasr City advertising brochure by the Nasr City Dima Yaser (Photographer), 2020 / 7.12. Dima Mu’assaset Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 15
jovis books are available worldwide in select Company, c. 1959. Mohamed Elshahed archive Yaser (Photographer), 2020 / 7.13. Malak / 10.13. Archive of the Royal Hashemite
bookstores. Please contact your nearest book- / 4.3. Mohamed Elshahed photographic Hassan (Photographer), 2021 / 7.14. Drawn Documentation Center, 2021 / 10.14. Arida,
seller or visit www.jovis.de for information con- collection, photographer unknown / 4.4. by Ziad Abdelhalim and Hala Saif, 2021 / 7.15. Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City (Madinat
cerning your local distribution. The hardcover Mohamed Elshahed photographic collection, Dima Yaser (Photographer), 2020 / 7.16. Malak al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman: Mu’assaset
will also be available via books.riwaq.org. photographer unknown. Mohamed Elshahed Hassan (Photographer), 2021 / 7.17. Dima Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 30 / 10.15.
archive / 4.5. Nasr City promotional book Yaser (Photographer), 2021 / 7.18. Drawn by Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City (Madinat
This book will be available as an open access published by Nasr City Company, undated, Ziad Abdelhalim and Hala Saif, 2021 / 7.19. al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman: Mu’assaset
publication in May 2024 via www.degruyter. c. 1971. Mohamed Elshahed archive / 4.6. Drawn by Ziad Abdelhalim and Hala Saif, 2021 Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975) p. 29 / 10.16. Arida,
com. Nasr City promotional book published by Nasr / 7.20. Dima Yaser (Photographer), 2020 / 7.21. Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City (Madinat
City Company, undated, c. 1971. Mohamed – 7.24. Pelin Tan (Photographer), 2019 / 7.25. al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman: Mu’assaset
Elshahed archive / 4.7. Mohamed Elshahed Dima Yaser (Photographer), 2020. Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 27 / 10.17. –
ISBN 978-3-86859-723-3 (Hardcover) archive (drawn by research team) / 4.8. Al- 10.20. Loay Tal (Photographer), 2021 / 10.21.
ISBN 978-3-86859-830-8 (PDF) Ahram magazine, undated / 4.9. Advertisement Iraq Janset Shawash (Photographer), 202 / 10.22.
TV and Radio magazine, 1969. Mohamed 8.1. Kahtan Awni: Consultant – Architect Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City (Madinat
Elshahed archive / 4.10. Al-Ahram newspaper (Baghdad: c. 1969 / 8.2. Karrar Nasser al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman: Mu’assaset
in February 1961. Mohamed Elshahed archive / (Photographer), 2021 / 8.3. ‘Aqil Nuri Al-Mulla Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 20 & 23 / 10.23.
4.11. Al-Ahram magazine, undated. Mohamed Huwaish, Al-’Imarah Al-Hadithah fi Al-’Iraq Arida, Issam, Al-Hussein Youth City (Madinat
Elshahed archiv / 4.12. Al-Ahram newspaper, [Modern Architecture in Iraq), 1988 / al-Hussein lal-Shabab) (Amman: Mu’assaset
1993. Mohamed Elshahed archive / 4.13 8.4. Karrar Nasser (Photographer), 2021 / Ri’ayet al-Shabab, 1975), p. 31.
Mohamed Elshahed archive / 4.14. Magallat 8.5. – 8.6. Kahtan Awni: Consultant – Architect
al-'Emara issue 3-4, 1952 / 4.15. Magallat (Baghdad: c. 1969) / 8.7. Jean Louis Cohen
al-'Emara issue 1-2, 1948 / 4.16. – 4.18. Karim (Photographer), 2013 / 8.8. – 8.10. Karrar
El Hayawan (Photographer). Nasser (Photographer), 2021 / 8.11. George
Arbid (Photographer), 2013 / 8.12. – 8.14.
5 CONTENTS تايوتحملا
Contents
7 preFace
Acquiring and Producing Knowledge.
Reflection through Relation and Understanding
Mona Kriegler
11 introduction
Designing Modernity
George Arbid & Philipp Oswalt
14 authors
16 morocco
18 sidi harazem thermaL Bath compLeX, 1959–1975
architect: Jean-François zevaco
A Post-Independence Icon
Aziza Chaouni
48 egypt
50 garden suBurBs, cairo 1940s–1950s
architect: mahmoud riad
Early Experiments with Subsidized Housing
Mercedes Volait
70 new gourna viLLage, 1942–1952
architect: hassan Fathy
A Vision of Self-Building
Leïla el-Wakil
94 nasr city housing modeL 33, cairo 1959–1960
architect: sayed Karim
Raising the Middle Class
Mohamed Elshahed
116 LeBanon
118 eLectricité du LiBan headquarters, Beirut 1964–1971
architect: ceta (aractingi, neema, conan and nassar)
Hope on the Horizon
George Arbid
142 Kuwait
144 nationaL museum, Kuwait city 1960–1983
architect: micheL ecochard
Cultural Nation Building
Sara Saragoça
170 paLestine
172 aL mashrou', Jericho 1949–1967
architect/ initiator: musa aLami/ araB deveLopment society
The Farm as Utopian Pedagogy
Pelin Tan, Dima Yaser
196 iraq
198 aL-mustansiriyah university, Baghdad 1965–1971
architect: Kahtan awni
Architecture as Urbanism
Amin Alsaden
DESIGNING MODERNITY ARCHITECTURE IN THE ARAB يبرعلا ملاعلا في ةرامعلا ةثادلحا غوص 6
WORLD 1945–1973 1973 – 1945
226 syria
228 damascus internationaL Fair and its monument, 1950s–1960s
architects: nizar aL-Farra et aL.
A Modern Public City Space
Rafee Hakky, Wael Samhouri
252 Jordan
254 aL-hussein youth city, amman 1962–1968
architect: munce and Kennedy
Sports and Culture for a New Nation
Janset Shawash
7 PREFACE للاهتساast
Acquiring and Producing (New) Knowledge.
Reflection through Relation and Understanding
New knowledge production, exchange and transfer is politics and the (ir)relevancy of Edward Said’s “Orien-
an essential element in the pages you are about to read talism”. We also received input on new developments
and see. The subject of “Designing Modernity: Archi- in the field of modernist architecture, current and past
tecture in the Arab world” has received little attention teaching models, the importance of magazines and
so far and a limited amount of material, and few other journals at the time or new research approaches and
(bilingual) publications on this subject exist. perspectives.
To reach a broad readership and a diverse audience, The aspect of creative “commoning” (Peter Linebaugh)
we adopted a shared learning process. This book is the and communing was important to all involved and
result of a long-term collaboration that started in 2019 resulted in a collective book publication. This is also
and evolved over the course of over two years. This has available as an e-book for those who cannot purchase
been a very meaningful experience for all involved and I the book. The e-book will be open access from May
would like to express my gratitude to Philipp Oswalt and 2024 onwards and downloadable in chapters for those
George Arbid for their immediate interest in and will- with limited internet capacity. (Since not all countries
ingness to lead the project, which made it both relevant could be included in this work, there is an opportunity
and engaging. for a second volume and new editions in the future.)
The foundations of the collaboration – and this book You will notice the absence of female architects of the
– were laid in 2019, which was the 100th anniversary buildings or building complexes introduced in this
of the Bauhaus movement. To mark this anniversary in book. This is because, in the postwar period, there was
Ramallah, we decided to do a critical analysis / inquiry limited awareness of female architects in the Arab world
on the relevancy of Bauhaus in Palestine. We began by and their work, both in their own countries and around
thinking about notions that circled around modernity the world. It was only in the 1980s that female architects
(in particular, social and affordable housing inspired by – and their work – began to be recognized, with Zaha
Neue Sachlichkeit) and architecture within the different Hadid as the most known example.
local contexts, as well as in the Arab region – the “con-
cept of Arab contemporaneity”, as referenced by major I would like to share what this first collective regional
Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy. project means for the editors of this publication. For
George Arbid, the essence and quality of this book and
We invited Philipp to Ramallah to meet with a diverse research project is its collaborative nature, and there-
group of architects, academics and experts in the field. fore collective value. For Philipp Oswalt, the publication
The ideas that came out of that meeting later became is an opportunity to inspire further critical analysis and
the outline of this book. Soon after, George joined research in the field.
Philipp to lead the project and they agreed to collabo-
rate on the project. As editors of this research-based I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the editors
publication, they co-curated its thematic approach and and to all researchers, experts, architects who joined
format, formulated the guiding set of questions to be the project: Amin Alsaden, Aziza Chaouni, Mohamed
addressed, and identified architects and historians of Elshahed, Leila El Wakil, Rafee Hakky, Wael Samhouri,
modernist architecture in different Arab countries. Sara Saragoça, Janset Shawash, Pelin Tan, Mercedes
Volait, and Dima Yaser.
A two-day workshop in late 2020 gave us further
insights into the process of the publication, driving They made this book what it is – an exciting piece of
research, context and concept and sharpening the research, analysis and presentation of vital case studies
analysis presented here. This included crucial topics that shed light on this era of modernity in the region and
such as, inter alia, the absence or the loss of archives, its networks, relations and connections globally.
education in the field of architecture under colonial
rule, decolonization and independence, contemporary I would also like to extend my gratitude to those who
research approaches in architecture, documentation translated, edited, designed and published this book:
of modernist architecture as cultural heritage, identity Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFares (book designer), Fadi
DESIGNING MODERNITY ARCHITECTURE IN THE ARAB يبرعلا ملاعلا في ةرامعلا ةثادلحا غوص 8
WORLD 1945–1973 1973 – 1945
Tofeili (Arabic translator), Mohammad Hamdan (Arabic
editor), Riwaq Centre and their team (co-publisher for
the Arab region) and our international publisher Jovis
and their team, for their patience, expertise and support
throughout the project’s process.
Finally, a project of such dimension could never happen
without a wonderful team behind the scenes: Shirin
Abu Ramadan, May Marei, Lisa-Marie Wollrab and Lena
Kuhnt. Thank you!
Finally, I would also like to thank Rainer Hauswirth,
former head of the Visual Arts department of the
Goethe-Institut e.V., Thomas Krüger from the Federal
Agency for Civic Education (bpb) and Bernd Scherer
from the House of World Cultures (HKW) in Berlin, the
team of the Arab Center for Architecture in Beirut,
Goethe-Institut’s regional Office in Cairo, and the Ger-
man Federal Foreign Office, without whose generous
support this book would not have been possible.
Enjoy reading this first collective, creative effort towards
the recognition, locating and unearthing of all the
things architectural we simply do not yet know about
modernity in the Arab world.
Mona Kriegler
Director
Goethe-Institut Palestinian Territories
9
DESIGNING MODERNITY ARCHITECTURE IN THE ARAB يبرعلا ملاعلا في ةرامعلا ةثادلحا غوص 10
WORLD 1945–1973 1973 – 1945