November 18, 2011
Photo: Design Libya
Beginning in February, the world watched as Libya under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi descended into chaos. News outlets worldwide were clogged with reports of escalating civilian uprisings and military retaliations, leading all the way up to that fateful October day when the Libyan ruler was captured and brutally killed by rebel forces.
As the capital of Libya and the main arena for civil war, Tripoli will long bear the scars of a bloody revolution. Yet signs of a new Libya are beginning to take shape: Bab al-Azizia, Gaddafi’s former military stronghold, bunker and palace in the heart of Tripoli, was transformed from a 2.3 square-mile symbol of fear and oppression into a place for public gatherings and weekly markets before it was finally demolished in late October. Of even greater interest to us, Bab al-Azizia is now the site for an open architecture competition.
Design Libya is calling upon architects, designers, planners, artists, students and the community to re-envision Bab al-Azizia as “an open space to be enjoyed by the public.” Though there are no secured government contracts, the competition will culminate in a major exhibition in Tripoli, along with a publication and a website. Though this may come as a disappointment to some, the competition format is perhaps indicative of a more democratic approach to distributing prestigious projects. While Libya awaits government elections, the competition will start to give some form to a “powerful symbol of a new, free Libya,” whether this will be realized or not. It is the starting shot for the circulation of ideas, the impetus for creative people around the world to contemplate the future of a country that faces a long process of rebuilding.
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October 24, 2011
A rendering of the Eternal Crescent of Tripoli Hotel, planned before the war.
BD Online uses the phrase “itching to get into Libya” to describe how international contractors are feeling about the death of the country’s dictator. British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond told contractors and architects to “pack their bags,” sounding more like a game show host than a government official. According to BD Online, Misrata Hospital – a hotspot during the fighting — is one of the first projects on the docket.
Before the rebel uprising, architectural and infrastructural projects by American and British architects (along with many other international contractors) were common in Libya, which sought to keep pace with development in neighboring countries. AECOM, among other conglomerates, was working on several Libyan projects when fighting started.
The impending “boom,” thankfully, does not come without some qualifying voices. The post quotes architect Philip Graham, who says that Libyan development “should be about ideas not contracts.” Let’s hope those who do venture into Libyan development are well versed in the many precedents for tone-deaf international development inside of war zones. Anyone in need of a primer would do well to consult the great Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Life Inside Iraq’s Green Zone.
Another pre-2010 masterplan.
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March 3, 2011
After a frustrating rash of cancelled or delayed projects, LA-based Michael Maltzan has won a major commission in the form of the San Fransisco State Arts Center. [via The L.A. Times]
Do you live in one of the most toxic cities in America? Forbes has ranked them – apparently, we’re writing to you from #4 right now! [via Forbes]
The LEGO-architecture trend continues: an architect (and LEGO-certified professional!) has created a show of the world’s best architecture, in LEGO form, at the National Building Museum. [via The National Building Museum]
An amazing time-lapse sequence of New York by Josh Owens. [via A/N Blog & swissmiss]
The ongoing unrest in Libya has triggered a “profit warning” for giant Aecom, which manages Libya’s Housing & Infrastructure Board. [via BD Online]
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February 21, 2011
Vishaan Chakrabarti has a fascinating op-ed over at Urban Omnibus on the role of — no, not social media! — urban space in the Egyptian Revolution. He writes “One could argue that without cities and the spaces they inspire, nations themselves would never change.” [via Urban Omnibus]
Gallery show we’d like to see: Hyperlinks: Architecture and Design, at the Art Institute of Chicago. It explores the role of emergent (zing!) technologies and collaborations in the architectural profession, and even organizes itself according to the logic of the digital world. [via The Architect's Newspaper]
Design Indaba 2011 starts up this Wednesday, with the tagline “a better world through creativity.” Stay tuned for updates. [via Design Indaba]
BD Online reports that the first foreign architectural office has left Libya amidst increasing rioting, wondering “if they should have been there at all.” [via BD Online]
Apple has (alleged) plans to build a new (largest-in-NYC) store in Grand Central this fall. It will mark the 10th anniversary of their first retail store. [via Cult of Mac]
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