1/1/2018 arch-peace editorials: Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of Architecture

home arch-peace news words@bld50 pro bono about us members join us links

January 1, 2018 | search | share | rss

arch-peace editorials
arch-peace editorials

LATEST EDITORIALS...
arch-peace editorial board
Anthony McInneny
Ashraf M. Salama
Beatriz C. Maturana (editor)
Ceridwen Owen (past editor)
David O'Brien
Gregory Cowan
Matthew Bond
Editorial - Parque Forestal: a Shelter: The Stories From the Representing
Orhan Ayyuce
Precarious Shifts in persistent urban inconographic STREAT Peace: Can peace Peter Johns
Homelessness project that nature of | 26 Sep. be set in stone? Sidh Sintusingha
Policy integrates nature temporary | 21 Sep.
| 12 Dec. and city structures
| 13 Nov. | 30 Jun.

Architects…
17 MAY 2009 28K likes

Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of

Architecture
Like Page
While scholars in architecture as an academic and professional discipline may criticize the interest
and tendency to place emphasis on discussing building images and facades, I adopt the principle
Be the first of your friends
that since architecture is created for the public then examining the public face of architecture is
to like this
integral to the understanding of the juxtaposition of those images and what they convey and
represent. This editorial interrogates a number of discourses on ways in which cultural identity is
manifested by debating selected interventions developed within the Arab world. Still, the discussion
on whether building images are created as visual voices that attempt to react to the tidal wave of
cultural globalization is open-ended. So, there is no claim here that there is a resolution, but an
articulation of identity debate as it is manifested in the public face of architecture.
Architects
Preamble for Peace
Arab architects are in a continuous process of criticizing their own versions of modern and post on Sunday
modern architecture and the prevailing contemporary practices. Within their criticism, discourses
Thank you for
always suggest the recycling of traditional architecture and its elements as a way of establishing
and imposing a distinguished character in the contemporary city. Typically, this takes the form of attending our end-of-
either refurbishing old palaces and public buildings, or establishing visual references—borrowed year celebration,
from the past—and utilized in contemporary/modern buildings. Adopted by governments and where we thank all of
officials, there are a considerable number of examples of projects that advocated traditional our friends and look
imaging to impress the society by their origin while boasting the profile of capital and major cities, back on the year that
especially in Egypt and the Arabian Gulf Region. In generic terms, similar to the worldwide was. 2017 was a year
tendency, societies in the Arab world tend to re-evaluate the meaning and desirability of building
of outstanding
images rapidly. The search for an architectural identity, the rise and fall of ISMS (movements and
success - made
tendencies), and the continuous debate on symbolism and character issues in architecture are
derived from this fact (1,2). possible due to many
generous gifts of time
Identity Discourse
In the Arab region, issues that pertain to identity, character, and architectural trends have been in latest blog comments...
debate for over three decades, more so because of this region’s cultural uniqueness and plurality.
I really like two features of this
However, it is this cultural uniqueness that has made it a tough pursuit and has – in many cases— project: its po...
culminated in a type of symbolism that is painful to behold or comprehend. Some scholars pose the August 26, 2016 08:14:05 pm
question of the necessity to refer to cultural or religious symbolism in architecture to reflect a Thanks for the great article! It's
nice to see...
specific identity. Others argue for the fact that Arab architecture should embody the collective May 27, 2016 09:03:38 pm
aspirations of societies in this region. As well, there are many who have questioned the need to Great to see such a committed
team! All the best f...
debate architectural identity at all, claiming that it merely displays a lack of “self-confidence” as a February 22, 2016 02:34:49 am
region or as a group of nations. Reviewing recent practices and debates reveals that we still seem
to be at odds with the issue of identity. Images and image making processes do not often address
the issue of meaning in relation to the public. This mandates looking at the built environment as a find all editorials by:
two-way mirror. One way can be seen in the sense that it conveys and transmits non-verbal Alison G. Stout (1)
messages that reflect inner life, activities, and social conceptions of those who live and use the Anthony McInneny (8)
environment. The other way is seen in terms of how it is actually perceived and comprehended by Ashraf M. Salama (8)
a certain society at a certain time. Beatriz C. Maturana (8)
Ceridwen Owen (8)
Entrances, Concrete Whimsies, and the Conundrum of Context / Content David O'Brien (4)
Can Buildings speak? I argue, yes, they convey silent, non verbal messages, they tell us about Eleanor Chapman (4)
themselves almost as if they are speaking. They tell us about what is happening and what ought to Eva Rodriguez Riestra (1)
happen in them. They may symbolically represent an attitude about what is taking place inside. Gregory Cowan (7)
Building entrances are no exception; they have certain qualities that can evoke a strong image in John Blair (2)

http://archpeace2.blogspot.in/2009/05/cultural-identity-manifested-in-visual.html 1/6
1/1/2018 arch-peace editorials: Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of Architecture
an observer; they can be inviting or repelling, they really talk but using a different type of language Matthew Bond (3)
and a different type of grammar. Entrances have the capacity to unleash feelings, trigger emotional Orhan Ayyuce (2)
reactions, feed the memory, and stimulate the imagination of the public. Thus, the image of the Peter Johns (8)
entrance allows the public to anticipate the interior world. In a country like Egypt, there has been a Shelley Freeman (1)
surge in the construction of tourist facilities along the Northern Coast, the Red Sea, and Sinai Sidh Sintusingha (6)
Peninsula. These facilities are shaping the skyline and waterfront of these areas and examining the Stephen Cameron (1)
characteristics of their entrances is thus paramount. Su Mellersh-Lucas (1)

While the aesthetic qualities of entrances are to be respected, for a complete appreciation one
Followers
must go beyond the visual appearance and examine meaning and content. The inherent meaning of
entrances can stand for the representation of place and/or the representation of the people Followers (11)
occupying it. However, entrances of tourist villages have more than that to offer. They have
physical variables that carry symbolic meanings that can impart information and enhance legibility
in a sense that is not confusing, easy to read, and allows visitors to know their whereabouts (2).

In the entrances examined one can find multiple yet puzzling visual voices within the efforts of
their designers to metaphorically reflect certain images or symbols. Some of them simulate the
Egyptian culture by reinterpreting the elements of heritage architecture, Pharonic, Arabic, and
Islamic, in order to attract tourists. Others simulate classical architecture or introduce images that Follow
pertain to the surrounding natural environment. Here, I argue that the designers of these
entrances try to use metaphors, identifying relationships between the present and the past, or
between the natural and the man-made worlds. These relationships are abstract in nature rather editorials archive
than literal. However, this does not mean they have been successful in addressing the issue of
May 2009 (1)
meaning, but they are just offering attempts toward introducing specific visual content for the
purpose of tourism.

subscribe to:

Posts

Comments

Followers (1)

Follow this blog

Traditionalist Approaches
Attempts to translate cultural identity into building images are evident in selected examples in
Qatar and Kuwait, where a conservative approach toward the use of traditional imaging is
employed. Suq Sharq-Kuwait, as an example of this approach, is a mixed-use development
extending 2.4 km along the waterfront, and comprises an entertainment complex, restaurants, a
retail complex, speciality arcades, and a new marina (4). An earlier example to establish a local
architectural identity against modernism and post modernism was Qatar University campus
designed by the late, Paris based Egyptian architect-Ahmed El Kafrawi. The campus is located on
an elevated site 7 km north of Doha and 2 km from the Gulf shore. Based on an octagonal unit
design idea wind-tower structures are designed to provide cool air and reduce humidity. Towers of
light are also introduced and are intended to control the harsh sunlight, and abundant use of
mashrabiyas (traditional screened windows) and stained glass. Open and partially covered
courtyards, planted and often with fountains, are plentiful throughout the site. The architect placed
strong emphasis on natural ventilation, one of the many links in which he relates to traditional
architecture of the region. As specific models he used the few still existing wind-tower houses in

http://archpeace2.blogspot.in/2009/05/cultural-identity-manifested-in-visual.html 2/6
1/1/2018 arch-peace editorials: Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of Architecture
Doha and modernized the basic principle (5).

Responsive Re-Interpretation of Traditional Images

As the discourse continues on the dialectic relationships between tradition and modernity, the
contemporary and the historic, and the high-tech and the environmentally friendly, here I select
two important buildings—from the Qatar Education City—that represent physical and intellectual
statements: the Liberal Arts and Science Complex designed by Arata Isozaki and the Texas A & M
University Engineering College designed by Ricardo Legoretta.

Arata Isozaki is well known for his innovative interventions over the past 30 years and for his deep
interpretation of the contexts in which his designs are developed. He designed the Liberal Arts and
Sciences building (LAS) which is a focal point for all students in the Education City. Occupying an
area of approximately 22000 m2 and developed over a period of 21 months the building is
introduced to accommodate the Academic Bridge Program; a preparatory program for enhancing
the academic background and experience of high school graduates from Qatar and other countries
in the Gulf region. The ABP addresses the universal problem of student academic and cultural
transition from high school to the university, but has been designed to specifically address the
needs of students in the Gulf region. As a visually striking and architecturally stunning intervention,
the building is designed around a theme developed from traditional Arabic mosaics that are
evocative of the crystalline structure of sand. This was based on intensive studies to abstract the
essential characteristics of the context while introducing new interpretations of geometric patterns
derived from widely applied traditional motives (6).

The second statement is by the AIA Gold Medal award winning Ricardo Legoretta who continues in
his design of the Engineering College of Texas A & M University to root his work in the application
of regional Mexican architecture to a wider global context. Typically, his work is recognizable for its
bright colors and the sustained attempts to amalgamate local traditions and contemporary needs.
Legorreta uses elements of Mexican regional architecture in his work including bright colors, plays
of light and shadow, central patios, courtyards and porticos as well as solid volumes. Over a
construction period of 19 months and on an area of 53000 m2 the College was opened in 2007 with
a total capacity of 600 users including students, faculty members, and teaching staff. The concept
is based on introducing two independent but adjoining masses linked by large atrium; these are
named the Academic Quadrangle and the Research Building. The overall expression of the building
demonstrates masterful integration of solid geometry and a skillful use of color and tone values.

http://archpeace2.blogspot.in/2009/05/cultural-identity-manifested-in-visual.html 3/6
1/1/2018 arch-peace editorials: Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of Architecture

While these two buildings represent conscious endeavors of two prominent architects toward
creating responsive educational environments that meet the aspirations of the founders of the
education city and their society, it remains to be seen how the new buildings that are being
designed by the two architects in the same campus will fit in harmony—visually, spatially, and
functionally—with those already discussed and with the overall master plan of the education city. As
well, it remains to be seen how the designs of other world and local architects would contribute to
the continuing discourse on global architecture versus the emerging attempts of a culture of
resistance (6).

Glocalism Demystified
Another important approach in attempting to reflect cultural identity is in the Center for
Environment and Development for Arab Region and Europe, CEDARE, Heliopolis, Cairo. It was
established as a non profit institution in 1992, and funded mainly by Arab and European
governments. It aims at building the capacity of governments to foster management of
environmental resources, and to envision sustainable development policies and strategies.

When looking at the new Headquarters of CEDARE, one can see the practice Glocalism in the sense
that it embodies the concepts of global and local and by logic, incorporates a time element, which
the two concepts tend to ignore. The design resists immersion in global trends while simultaneously
refusing the license to copy and paste from the past. This is clearly reflected in the building image
where the façade conveys a message encompassing the positive co-existence of the Arab Region
and Europe. This concept is carefully translated as a metaphor into all facades of the building. Two
layers of culture exist, the first is the layer of brick that reflects the Arabic culture, and the second
is the glass curtain wall that acts as a shell which engulfs the first layer expressing the modern
technology of Europe. Notably, the selection of materials defines the possible pattern of relationship
between the intended concept and the final building image. The tapestry of interlocking traditional
brick layering with glazed blue steel cylinders and the glass curtain wall represents the intersection
between traditional/local and modern/global values.

According to CEDARE designers, Ahmed Fahim and Hisham Bahgat, we—Egyptians generally and
Caierene particularly—possess multi-architectural heritage that ranges from Pharonic, Coptic-
Christian, and Islamic, to the post colonial, socialist, and modern.”(7). Thus, a critical question can
be posed here: How to introduce a relatively new functional office environment in the area of
Heliopolis that possesses a historic residential urban environment? Would the answer be borrowing
and copying from these multi-layers of Heliopolis or Cairo Heritage? Or imitating European
architectural trends? Their response to these questions was articulated where the merge of the
underlying values of cultures are manifested. This goes along the statement of Charles Correa—
which I recall from his speech at the American University of Beirut in 1999 – who warned the
architects of the developing world “Do NOT COPY YOUR PAST and DO NOT COPY THE PRESENT OF
OTHERS (8).

A Concluding Verbal Voice

Contemporary architecture in the Arab world seems to be a collection of architectural positions that
attempt to reflect cultural identity. There are positions that correspond to the history and economy

http://archpeace2.blogspot.in/2009/05/cultural-identity-manifested-in-visual.html 4/6
1/1/2018 arch-peace editorials: Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of Architecture
of different localities within the region while many are confused on how to manifest identity in
building images. Although there are some honest attempts to tame the urban development
process, the overall built environment within this region is increasingly mismanaged. There is hope,
found in a few designs, that a solid architectural direction can be created. But I must say that in
addition to attempting to establish an identity based on the unique peculiarities of the region in
terms of traditional images, it is critical that cultural identity should also emerge and evolve from
environmental and socio-economic concerns.

References:

1) Salama, A. M. (2005). Architectural Identity in the Middle East: Hidden Assumptions and
Philosophical Perspectives. In D. Mazzoleni et al (eds.), Shores of the Mediterranean: Architecture
as a Language of Peace. Intra Moenia, Napoli, Italy. PP. 77-85. ISBN# 88-7421-054X

2) Salama, A. M. (2007). Mediterranean Visual Messages: The Conundrum of Identity, ISMS, and
Meaning in Contemporary Egyptian Architecture. Archnet-IJAR- International Journal of
Architectural Research, Volume 1, Issue 1, Archnet @ MIT School of Architecture and Planning,
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, PP. 86-104. ISSN # 1994-6961

3) Salama, A. M. (2006). Symbolism and Identity in the Eyes of Arabia’s Budding Professionals.
Layer Magazine, LAYERMAG, New York, United States.
Archnet

4) Al Sharq Waterfront
http://www.archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=4125

5) Salama, A. M. (2009). Design Intentions and Users Responses: Assessing Outdoor Spaces of
Qatar University Campus. Open House International, Volume 34, Issue 1, Urban International
Press, United Kingdom, PP. 82-93. ISSN # 0160-2601

6) Salama, A. M. (2008). Doha: Between Making an Instant City and Skirmishing Globalization.
Special Edition of Viewpoints, Middle East Institute, American University, Washington, DC. United
States, PP. 40-44.

7) Salama, A. M. (2001). CEDARE Headquarters: Glocalism and the Architecture of Resistance

(English and Arabic). Medina Magazine, Issue 17, Medina Publishing, British Virgin Islands, PP. 32-
37.

8) Correa, Charles. Lecture. 2004. In Architecture Re-introduced: New Projects in Societies in

Change. Jamal Abed (ed). Geneva: The Aga Khan Award for Architecture, based on a regional
seminar at the American University of Beirut.

More in-depth discussion about cultural identity and the built environment are outlined in the
following publications:

Abel, C. (1997- 2000). Architecture and Identity, Architectural Press, Boston, Mass, USA.

Antoniou, J. (2000). Tradition and Technology, Architectural Review, Middle East, Issue 4, pp. 23-
44.

Baker, P. (2004). Architecture and Polyphony: Building in the Islamic World Today, Thames &
Hudson, London, United Kingdom.

Frampton, K. (1983). Prospects for a Critical Regionalism, Perspecta, Issue 20, pp. 148-162

Tzonis, A. & Lefaivre, L. (2003): Critical Regionalism: Architecture and Identity in a Globalized
World, Prestel, New York, USA.

Ashraf M. Salama
Architects for Peace, May 2009

| Author: Ashraf M. Salama

0 Comments Sort by Oldest

Add a comment...

Facebook Comments Plugin

3 comments:

http://archpeace2.blogspot.in/2009/05/cultural-identity-manifested-in-visual.html 5/6
1/1/2018 arch-peace editorials: Cultural Identity Manifested in Visual Voices and the Public Face of Architecture
beatriz said...
1
By focusing on the “public face” of architecture, this editorial poses a confronting, profound and very
sensitive question. And, if architecture is more than façades and styles, then I agree that the issue
goes deeper than architecture.

Can regionalism continue to develop, finding “clever” solutions in accord to its conditions? You have
presented us with some interesting examples that would confirm that this is possible, but as you well
suggest, this process requires self-confidence. How can architecture achieve self-confidence when
societal self-confidence eroded, I don’t know. The warning by Charles Correa is most telling, not only
is asking us not to copy, he is also asserting that most of us are NOT the designers of our present. Not
a very uplifting note, but something to creatively think about.

Great piece, thanks Ashraf.

20/5/09 02:43

Anonymous said...
2
Thanks Beatriz for your comment. Sure it goes beyond architecture and involves international politics
and post colonialism or globalization. I like your reflection on the fact that "most of us are not the
designers of our present" and relate to a set of critical questions made by Salingaros and Masden
"How can anyone believe that a “Dutch Design Demigod” could know more about a place than the
very people who were born and raised there? How can these starchitects espouse to know what is
best for the rest of the world? More importantly, how do we combat the aesthetic authority that such
individuals now exert over our place in the world?" For full article, please see IJAR, vol. 1- Issue 1:
Restructuring 21st Century Architecture Through Human Intelligence.
My best, Ashraf Salama

22/5/09 17:48

Anonymous said... 3
marvelous to read all your thoughts.
Lou

21/6/09 18:30

Post a Comment

Enter your comment...

Comment as: Bhagyasri (Go Sign out

Publish Preview Notify me

Newer Post Home Older Post

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

business members: rice&ewald + site-rmit + butterpaper + antarctica group + hayball + sydney architectural walk + happy homes building group + visionary

255 Nicholson St. Brunswick East, Melbourne Victoria 3057 Australia | email | ABN 16710601401 | Copyright © architectsforpeace 2003-2018
Disclaimer: Architects for Peace is not responsible for the news and the opinions by external sites. Information sources
and links to the original articles are provided. Unless otherwise specified, all photographs shown are right protected.

Work licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non commercial-No Derivative Works website by beatriz

http://archpeace2.blogspot.in/2009/05/cultural-identity-manifested-in-visual.html 6/6