Arab Modern: Architecture and the Project of Independence
Despite growing calls for global architectural histories, the historiography of modern architecture remains depicted predominantly by Western figures, narratives, and experiences. This book takes a different approach by uncovering previously overlooked histories and contributions that shaped the Arab world’s modern built environment. Contributions consider projects from North Africa, the Levant, and the Arabian Gulf during a critical moment in history when several Arab countries were on the cusp of gaining their independence from colonial rule and were entering a new phase of postcolonial nation-building. The travel of ideas and figures from within and outside the architectural profession – including craftspeople, bureaucrats, and residents – demonstrates the multifaceted international and regional exchanges underpinning architectural creations and imaginaries in the wake of independence.
Edited by Nadi Abusaada, Wesam Al Asali.
Contributions by Nadi Abusaada, Wesam Al Asali, Sara Saad Alajmi, Muna Dajani, Nancy Demerdash, Lahbib El Moumni, Suha Hasan, Reem Khorshid, Danna Masad, Faiq Mari, Faysal Tabbarah.
Foreword by George Arbid
Designed by Nadine Wüthrich, Reinhard Schmidt, Urs Hofer.
Series gta edition.
2024. 14.5 × 22.5 cm, softcover
ca. 220 pages, ca. 50 illustrations
ISBN 978-3-85676-466-1
Text in English
Abusaada, Nadi, and Wesam Al Asali, eds. Arab Modern: Architecture and the Project of Independence. Zurich: gta Verlag, 2024.