On the 6th and 7th of May 2022, the Goethe-Institut Ramallah organized a symposium for the launch of the book "Designing Modernity: Architecture in the Arab World 1945-1973"at the House of World Cultures (HKW) in Berlin. The authors on-site together with international speakers online discussed various issues such as the preservation and the accessibility of historical resources, activism for preservation, modes of preservation and modernizing in addition to other topics.
Third Session: Knowledge Production for Modern Heritage- Research
Speakers:
1. Mercedes Volait- French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Paris
Talk: Research Centers at the service of knowledge on the Arab World
2. Mazen Haidar- Paris College of Art
Talk: 20th century ornamental ironworks in Beirut: From the dissemination of models to the rediscovery of the city
3. Amin Alsaden- University of Toronto
Talk: Researching Iraq
4. Susanne Bosh- Artist, educator and independent artistic researcher, Berlin
Talk: The Arab Development Society: Knowledge production from an artistic perspective
5. Turki Gazzaz and Abdulrahman Gazzaz- Bricklab, Jeddah
Talk: Saudi Modern: Jeddah between 1938-1963
About the book:
Since 2019, the Goethe-Institut Palestinian territories, together with international experts, has been examining how Modernism in architecture emerged and unfolded in the Arab world. "In cities like Beirut, Amman, Kuwait City, Jericho, Gaza City and Cairo, outstanding modern architecture developed in the wake of the Second World War, which is unique and diverse in itself," explain the architectural experts George Arbid and Philip Oswalt. "With the book project, we want to honor this often neglected cultural heritage and thus not only make a contribution to its preservation, but also correct the misleading image of western-dominated architectural history". The result is a presentation of ten case studies in Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Morocco and Egypt involving Amin Alsaden, Aziza Chaouni, Dima J. Yaser, Janset Shawash, Leïla El-Wakil, Mercedes Volait, Mohamed Elshahed, Pelin Tan, Rafee Hakky, Sara Saragoça, Wael Samhouri and George Arbid.
Further information on the project can be found on:
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The book can be purchased from Jovis-Verlag
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The publication Designing Modernity: Architecture in the Arab World 1945-1973 is a project initiated by the Goethe-Institut Palestinian territories. The work is published by Jovis Verlag and Riwaq – Center for Architectural Conservation. The project was funded by the Federal Foreign Office and the Goethe-Institut for the period 2019-2022. The symposium is funded by the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
