Architectural Identity in an Era of Change

Abstract

This paper attempts to enhance knowledge about architectural heritage of large number of ignored human cultures.

Different global geopolitical changes since collapsing the Eastern Block and the recent political changes in the Middle East have revealed the need to reconsider the architectural identity in the new development process.  The resent street demonstrations that toppled the existing power systems in Middle are  revealing national demands and realities that suffered suppression for several decades.  One of the areas that has suffered from the previous control systems is neglecting and deconstructing  architectural identity of the different cultural groups.

The local architectural  identity of any particular society is an important life container which reflects among other its cultural values and meanings that evolve over time. Emerging the new democratic systems in Arabic Spring countries rise an important global phenomenon that I call it liberalizing  architectural identity. Our present architectural knowledge and practice should seize this historical change in order to liberate itself from practices that have influenced or guided by the previous control systems.

The paper is based on case study and observations. I have used an inductive method in observing the development of the whole architectural identity situation of the two cases in order to define what aspects are central in constituting architectural identity in a multi ethnic country.

The paper is using Iraq as a case study of a country with different cultures where each culture has its own architectural tradition. The study shows how the architectural diversity of the country has been damaged by ignoring the multi cultural reality of the country. The study will also show role of  the architects, architecture schools, authority,  and users in this phenomena.. The case study will show Iraq’s historical architectural development since 1921 till the present to develop evidences that are used in analysing the present architectural identity as a product and a process. The two case studies are, first case of  Baghdad ( capital town of Iraq and centre of Iraqi government since establishing of Iraq in 1921) and second is case  of Erbil ( main city of Kurdistan Region north Iraq).

Keywords: identity, multi-cultural groups, The Arabic Spring, Iraqi Architecture, Kurdistan, Kurdish architectural heritage, liberal architecture