مختارات من عمارة العالم العربي 1914-2014 (ص 19)

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مختارات من عمارة العالم العربي 1914-2014 (ص 19)

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lraq
Architecture in lraq from
1914 to 2014: from pre-modernity
to uncertain challenges
Dr. Khaled al-Sultany
Dr. Caecilia Pieri
At the beginning of World War One and of the British Mandate
era, and apart from a few modernizations that occurred within the
Tanzimat {reforms} period, most Iraqi cities closely resembled the
traditional madina of the Arab-Muslim world. Some, such as Baghdad,
Mosul, and Kirkuk were home to a cosmopolitan population. The
successive phases of architectural and urban development in Iraq,
predominantly consisting of brickwork, remain legible today. Indeed,
until at least the 1980s, most of these cities evolved following the
principle of extension rather than that of destruction or densification.
Architecture in the 1920s and 1930s:
from neo-traditionalism to modern eclecticism
Major shifts in the built environment during the British occupation
(1917-1921) and after the establishment of a modern state and a
monarchy in August 1921, caused the emergence of modern archi-
tecture in Iraq. New situational requirements, the country’s need for
diverse building types, the emergence of new construction technol-
ogy, and the establishment of governmental departments concerned
with architectural and construction issues, have all contributed to
the establishment of modern architecture and hastened its arrival.
The built works of this period not only deserve appreciation, but also
require preservation as they constitute a part of the rich cultural
heritage of the lraqi people.
The most important buildings designed and built in iraq at this
time were initiated by the newly created Department of Public Works
under British administration. The production of this department,
which established the main architectural features and processes of
development in iraq, influenced the practice of related departments
such as the Endowments (Awqaf) Department, the Architecture
Department in the Ministry of Education, and the Baghdad Mayoralty
(Amanat Baghdad). It also introduced the new title of Government
Architect, assigned to design diverse buildings that meet the needs
of the young state. Multiple architects and engineers bore the title
during the British occupation and after the establishment of the
state: H.C. Mason, G. B. Cooper, Jackson and his assistant Baxter,
and Ahmad Mukhtar Ibrahim, the first [raqi to hold the title in 1936.
Unfortunately, the title was canceled in 1940.
In Baghdad, Al al-Bayt University complex, an ambitious large-
scale project, influenced modern Iraqi architecture due to the fact it
was the first public building without the traditional central courtyard.
While the architectural practices of the 1920s developed from the
intersection of modern and traditional approaches, modern eclec-
ticism characterized the architecture of the 1930s that witnessed
political, economic, and social events resulting in a fertile envi-
ronment for major architectural changes. lraq acquired a notable
political status regionally and internationally as an independent state
after joining the League of Nations in 1932, which affected its archi-
tectural development.
The establishment of organizations specialized in coordinating
and improving the quality of architectural production set influen-
tial trends in the built environment. These organizations not only
supervised construction, but also provided recommendations that
resulted in legislation that helped create and organize the new built
environment, such as the Law of Municipalities, passed in 1931, and
the Law of Roads and Buildings in 1935, which shaped the urban and
architectural morphology of cities in Iraq until the 1980s.
The 1930s is unique in terms of its design production that resulted
from a close collaboration between architects, designers, builders,
and craftsmen (both local and foreign), who constituted the design
task force that created the architectural panorama of the decade.
The period brought about new and unusual trends in design styles,
due to the use of catalogues published in Europe, mainly in France,
England, and Italy, Offices that specialized in architectural designs
started to publish in catalogues, and their work became popular.
Clients were left to freely select the design that suited them, while
a local office was in charge of execution. These eclectic designs
employed an excessive amount of ornamental elements and foreign
architectural vocabulary. Lastly, the 1930s saw the emergence of the
first academically qualified Iraqi architect, Ahmad Mukhtar Ibrahim,
who was succeeded by many others, such as Hazem Nameq, Jafar
Allawi, Abdallah Ihsan Kamil, Midhat Ali Macdhloom, and Sami Qerdar.
Their leading designs had a strong influence on the Iraqi architecture
of the 1930s and beyond.
Changes in architectural language and in planning mainly in
residential and public buildings were equally important. Many
important facilities became the new landmarks of the growing
capital: the School of Medicine (1930), the Muthanna Airport (1931),
the Awgaf Library in Bab al-Muaddham (1931, recently demolished),
the Industrial / Agricultural Exhibition Center in Bab al-Muaddham
(1932, previously the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Royal Palace
(1933), the Royal Hospital (1934), the Royal Mausoleum in al-
Adhamiya (1934-1936), the School of Engineering (1936), the School
of Fine Aris in al-Kasra (1936), the Ministry of Defense Headquarters
in al-Qalaa (1936), the Primary School Teachers’ Training College
(1936), and the Olympic Club in al-Adhamiya (1938-39).
As for the aesthetics of the residential buildings, the 1930s
were characterized by an eclectic style that blended various refer-
ences, including European neo-classicism along with Mesopotamian
remnants and Islamic details. It resulted in a specific combination
due to the interweaving of local traditional brickwork know-how, and
anew decorative vocabulary. This coincides more or less with the
persistence of symmetrical designs and the recourse to central inner
spaces,
From World War Two to the Iraqi Revolution:
the rise of an international modernism
Architecture after World War Two shows a clear break with the former
period, in nature, scale, and the widespread use of new construction
methods and materials, in addition to the integration of complex
electromechanical systems. The 1940s witnessed a trend of abstract
geometry, and of rational, functional, Bauhaus-inspired aesthetics,
where plastered concrete began to overtake brickwork, in regards to
structure as well as ornamental motifs.
With the advent of the 1950s, there was a fertile environment,
ready for architectural development. The local culture was chang-
ing rapidly, and radically new ideas had a notable impact on other
creative fields, such as painting, poetry, and literature. The num-
ber of architects and structural engineers educated abroad, or at
the School of Engineering in Baghdad (inaugurated in 1937), was
increasing. A variety of new materials became available. The economy
boomed due to the vertical growth of oi] production, creating large
revenues that propelled construction and development, as the local
bourgeoisie gathered more capital than before.
Multi-story buildings began to emerge on Baghdad's skyline.
This is an important architectural event; until then, the skyline was
limited to minarets and domes of mosques, amidst clusters of single-
story buildings. The construction of the Sofer Building in al-Rashid
Street designed by Midhat Ali Madhloom in 1946 was a shock. It was
four stories high, enough to mark a new period in traqi architecture.
The Damirji Building (1948) designed by Niazi Fetto had, by the
standards of the time, an incredible height of six stories. Although later
surpassed by high-rise buildings such as the fourteen-floor Daftar
Dar Building (1953) designed by the German firm Intercontinental
and Abdallah Ihsan Kamil, and the fifteen-floor Rafidain Bank
designed by Philip Hirst, the Damirji Building remains memorable
to Baghdadis.
In addition, fagade treatment changed, as plastering facades with
a mixture of sand combined with limestone or cement, an innovation
credited to a Hungarian architect, became popular. The meticulous
attention required in building brick courses became obsolete, and
craftsmanship in building construction declined. However, new fin-
ishing techniques adorning buildings emerged, such as cladding with

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مختارات من عمارة العالم العربي 1914-2014

تاريخ

2014

المنشئ

جورج عربيد