ARCHITECTURE RE-INTRODUCED: NEW PROJECTS IN SOCIETIES IN CHANGE EDITED BY JAMAL ABED THE AGA KHAN AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE Architecture Re-introduced: New Projects in Societies in Change Jamal Abed, ed. Regional seminar held in the department of Architecture and design at the American University of Beirut November 1999 The Aga Khan Award for Architecture Hana Alamuddin, Seminar Organizer Fadi Zghreib, Cover Photography Designed by Barbara Cipriani Contents 007 List of Participants Opening ceremony 009 Opening remarks by Suha Ozkan 011 Lecture by Charles Correa Session1 :Urban design and Architecture in Lebanon 022 Introduction by Rifat Chadirji 023 The genesis of Modern Architecture in Beirut, 1840-1940 by Robert Saliba 035 Renewal of central Beirut: The BCD Master Plan and the shaping of architectural form by Angus Gavin 042 The Architectural Profession in Lebanon by Assem Salam 045 Notes on the Art of Selling Cities: Urban Design Strategies in the New Downtown Beirut by Jamal Abed Session 2 :Urban design and Architecture in Gulf Arabic countries 055 Introduction byTalal Akili 056 Opening comments by Assem Salam 059 Architecture in Saudi Arabia by Basem Shihabi 062 Contemporary architecture of Bahrain by Ahmed Bucheery 070 Kuwait Contemporary Architecture by Osama Al Duaig 072 Aspects of the Modern Arab/Islamic City: Architecture and Urban Fabric in Abu Dhabi by Abbad Al Radi 077 Architecture Re-introduced: New Projects in Dubai-United Arab Emirates by Rashad Bukhash Session 3: Urban design and Architecture in Egypt and Bilad Al-Shem 079 Introduction by Nader Ardalan 080 Contemporary Architecture in Egypt by Ashraf M. A. Salameh 101 Architecture and Urban Developments on the Central Lebanese Coast by Eric Huybrechts 104 The Architecture Experience in Jordan During the Nineties by Bilal Hammad 107 Architecture of the Nineties in Iraq by Suad A. Ali Mehdi 114 Contemporary Architecture in Syria by Maan Chibli List of Abbad Al-Radi Eleanor Curtis Iraqi architect, partner of the firm Writer and phtographer, London, UK participants Planar, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Peter Davey Editor, “The Architectural Review”, Jamal Abed Selma Al-Radi London, UK Assoc. Professor, Department of Iraqi archaeologist, director of the Architecture and Design, American ‘Amiriya Madrasa rstoration, Rada’, Habib Debs University of Beirut Yemen; member of the Steering Principal, Urbi Architects and Planners, Committee of the Aga Khan Award for Beirut; lecturer at ALBA University Amyn Ahamed rchitecture Information officer, Segretariat of his Farrokh Derakhshani Highness The Aga Khan, Gouviex, Georges Arbid Iranian architect, Director of Award France Architect in private practice, Beirut; Procedures, The Aga Khan Award for doctoral candidate in design, Harvard Architecture, Geneva, Switzerland Talal Akili University, USA Dean, Faculty of Architecture, Angus Gavin University of Damascus, Syria Nader Ardalan and Mrs. Shahla Planning advisor of the Chairman, Ardalan Solidère, Beirut Hana Alamuddin Iranian architect, Senior Vice President Principal, Al Mimariya Architects and and Director of Design, KEO Samir Ghawi Designers, Beirut; lecturer at the International Consultants,Kuwait Head of Architecture Section, Order American University of Beirut of Engineers and Architects, Beirut Khaled Asfour Mohammad Al-Asad and Mrs Reem Architect and professor at Misr Bilal Hammad and Mrs. Nida’ Aslan International University, Cairo, Egypt Massannat Director, Centre for the Study of the Architect in private practice, Amman, Built Environment, Amman, Jordan Ahmed Bucheery Jordan Managing Director, Gulf House Osama I. Al-Duaij Engineering Architects and Engineers, Mohammad Harajli Director of the Department of Manama, Bahrain Acting Dean, Faculty of Engineering Environmental Affairs, Municipality of and Architecture, American University Kuwait Rashad M.Bukhash of Beirut Head of historical Buildings Section, Abdullah Al- Hadrami Dubai, United ArabsEmirates Eric Huybrechts Restoration architect in private practice, French Architect, Direct. for Centre for Sana’a, Yemen Rifa Chadirji the Study and Reconstruction of Beirut Iraqi Architect, Director of the Chadirji Sultan Al-Harithy Research Centre, London, Uk Abdel Halim Jabr Director General, Muscat Planning, Partner, Bawader Architects, Beirut; Ministry of Housing, Oman Maan Chibli lecturer at the American University of Associate Professor, Faculty of Beiriut Suad Ali Mahdi Architecture, University of Aleppo, Syria Assistant Professor, School of Ibrahim M. Jaidah Architecture, Baghdad University, Iraq Professor Charles Correa and Mrs. Arab Engineering Bureau, Doha, Qatar Monica Correa Shiraz Allibhai Indian architect in private practice, Sany Jamal Education and Culture programme Bombay; member of the Steering President of the Architectural officer, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Commitee of the Aga Khan Award for Association, Beirut; partner, Rais & Geneva, Switzerland Architecture Jamal Architects and Engineers, Beirut Ali Fawaz Maher Jafar Tukan Director, Darat al -Funun, Abdul Architect in private practice, Amman Hameed Shoman Foundation, Amman, Jordan Jordan. Els van der Plas Azim Naji and Mrs.Razia Naji Director, Prince Claus Fund for Culture, Director, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Amsterdam, The Netherlands London, UK; member of the Steering Committee of the Aga Omar Youssef Khan Award for Architecture Architect in private practice, Palestine Domenico Negri Italian Architect, architectural consultant to the Government of Qatar, Doha Suha Özkan Turkish architect, Secretary general of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Attilio Petruccioli Professor, Faculty of Architecture, Bari Polytechnic Institute, Italy Jay Randle and Mrs. J. Randle Chair, College of Architecture and Design, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Assem Salam President of the Organisation of Arab Architects, Beirut Ashraf M.A. Salama Assistent Professor of Architecture, Al- Azhar University, Cairo; Acting Head, Department of Architecture, Misr International University Basem Shihabi Director, Omrania & Associates Architects and Planners, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Ali Shuaibi Saudi Arabian architect, Beach Group Consultants, Riyadh; member of the Steering Commitee of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Opening ceremony Opening Remarks Suha Özkan, Secretary General of The Aga Khan Award of Architecture It was late 1970’s, if I may take you to encouraged to educate younger architects those days, you will remember that the and established the program with the modern movement was severely and Harvard university and MIT. This joint probably unfairly criticized in the book program was the first in the history of these called Form Follows Fiasco. The book two gigantic universities. At the same time accused the modern movement to allow they launched a journal which has a wider people to build carelessly and wipe out scope than the Islamic world. It was called our cities. At the same time, there was a Architecture and Development. These movement, which had shallow ethics as activities grew and soon after the first cycle far as architecture is concerned - post- of the award I joined the award and worked modernism -, which basically said anything there and it has been 18 years, which I would go as long as there is a meaning have been working there with tremendous and relevance to the context and the commitment and pride. But it was basically people. As these two movements were due to the people whom I worked with, fighting in the field, His Highness the Aga the people in the committee, the people Khan came up with an idea of developing in the master jury, the people in the an architectural exemplary process. He technical review and the wide selection founded the biggest architectural prize; range of nominators who carry the probably the biggest price on earth until volunteers spirit of the award- 700 of them now. Five hundred thousands US Dollars from all over the world. His Highness is are offered for the exemplary works of interested in architecture because it is the contemporary architecture. most developed form of expression in art of the Muslim history. On top of it, This initiative had its roots very well thought architecture carries the potential of being out. I am very happy to have two of the a melting pot to all kinds of expression founding members here Nader Ardalan from painting to sculpture, from space and Charles Correa who were in the first configuration to construction. Furthermore, committee and who set the processes of it has the potential of absorbing the social evaluating architecture with some in-depth and cultural issues at the same time. meaning. This organization basically attempted to look at the positive, look at In 1988, His Highness established the the accomplishments, look at the interventionist institution that basically achievements, and look at the world to does exemplary works such as the history find examples to show to the architect. city support program. This program carries The architectural community embraced it, projects in northern Pakistan, Cairo, almost immediately. Because the first set Mostar, Samarkand, and recently in Syria. of awards given in Lahore in 1980 had an The goal of this group of people is to show array of 15 solutions, covering 15 of various the economics and the viability of the aspects of meaningful and cultural relevant cultural heritage to be restored and to be architecture, His Highness was operated by the people themselves for 009 their own good use and benefit in order In