TRADITION VS MODERNITY 199

Tradition versus Modernity: The Challenge of Identity

in Contemporary Islamic Architecture

MOHAMMAD GHARIPOUR, PHD

Morgan State University

INTRODUCTION stylistic pluralism says less about cultural diversity

in this region than about architects’ egocentric ap-
Throughout various historic periods of the Middle proach or social and economic complications.
East, the construction of the built environment has
been a result of progression in cultural values, re- In this age of pluralism and global capitalism, Is-
ligious context, political framework, science and lamic architecture has become a tremendously di-
technology, and the progress of society as a whole. verse entity which cannot, by any means, be gen-
Following World War I, the availability of building eralized. The disorder in the construction industry
materials and technologies for the standardization affirms the absence of a systematic theoretical
of fabrication and construction spread to countries critic on architecture and its potential impact on
within this region. Native and foreign architects ex- culture and society. While architects in this region
plored a variety of approaches of new forms and do not seem to be motivated by universal labels
methods to architecturally express new functional and the question of style as a set of predetermined
needs. In addition to the dynamics of economic icons and features feels outdated, the retention of
progress and socio-cultural and geopolitical con- identity remains an important matter. Today, critics
texts, contemporary architecture of this region and the public still share the same concern: How
faced the challenge of finding an individual charac- can history and identity be addressed in architec-
ter that combined the heritage of historical regional tural design? To answer this, numerous attempts
building traditions with the expression for a modern have been made to reinterpret “tradition” in new
society. This evolution included the creation of new projects. By applying a theoretical and historical
building types, the use of innovative building tech- framework, this paper examines current trends
nologies and materials, and the revival of Islamic and approaches to the interpretation of “identity”
architectural traditions suitable to the demands of in contemporary Islamic architecture.
growing industries and urban infrastructure. Digi-
tization of the design process, involvement of in- THE DISCOURSES OF IDENTITY
ternational architects, and increasing investments
in construction projects obscured the progression Cultural identity is a collective self, in which people
of architecture in the Middle East and North Africa. share a common history and ancestry. Each iden-
Recent sociopolitical and cultural movements also tity has a set of characteristics that can be gained
moved this region into an age of complexity and through social interactions.1 Michel Foucault de-
contradiction, a situation predicted by late modern- scribed this as practices by which individuals are
ists. As a result, contemporary architecture is no led to focus attention onto themselves to decipher,
longer a monotonous, universal, or homogenous recognize and acknowledge themselves as subjects
phenomenon. Since the 1970s, local and interna- of desire. This brings into play a certain relation-
tional architects have experimented and examined ship that allows them to discover the truth of their
different architectural trends. The current chaos of being.2 Personalities are often formed through the
200 LOCAL IDENTITIES GLOBAL CHALLENGES

characteristics or common origin one shares with by some of his peers. Fat’hi’s style, however, influ-
another person or group and, through shared val- enced a new generation of architects who were also
ues, an allegiance is formed. Questioning the tra- under the influence of western movements. This
jectory of self, British sociologist, Anthony Giddens type of historicism was investigated by local archi-
wrote, “The search for identity is a modern problem, tects, through the use of historic elements, forms,
which probably has its origins in Western individu- and materials. Nevertheless, this type of histori-
alism. And the idea that each person has a unique cism did not become dominant because of the pub-
character and special potentialities that may or lic’s fascination with European and American archi-
may not be fulfilled is alien to pre-modern culture.”3 tecture. The economic development of the region
Cultural identity works as a mediator between past and the involvement of international construction
and future. Rainwater wrote that the self forms a firms also resulted in the import of modern archi-
trajectory of development from the past to antici- tectural forms and shapes from the western world.
pate future. Each individual appropriates his past The use of steel, concrete, and glass were consid-
by sifting through it in the light of what in antici- ered signifiers of progress and development in the
pated for a future. The trajectory of the self has a city as well as signs of prestige and social pride for
coherence that derives from a cognitive awareness their owners. Another issue that accelerated this
of the various phases of the lifespan.4 process was the lack of serious criticism on mod-
ernism in the region. In other words, historicism
Architecture as a cultural artifact plays a significant in this age was either pure imitation of local forms
role as a signifier of cultural identity. The emer- and elements or an imitation of western postmod-
gence of new styles and movements in the Middle ern language that had no roots in the Middle East.
East and North Africa helped to define new cultural Gradually, with the decline of modernism in Europe
personas throughout this region. Whether local or and the U.S., and in an attempt to define national
regional, real or illusory, these identities have posi- identities, many political authorities preferred to
tively affected national self-esteem. Such self-con- support regional approaches, which clearly contra-
fidence is evident on local or national scales after dicted the uniform language of the modern archi-
the construction of certain projects. Water Towers tecture. After a period of Western domination, the
in Kuwait, Babur Garden in Kabul, and Bibliotheca search for national identities motivated local archi-
Alexandria are witnesses to this claim. There are, tects to discover form and elements inherited in
however, numerous examples of failed architecture their cultural and architectural heritage. While this
which have provoked public anger and outrage. ongoing trend was not necessarily synchronized
Such responses from the public reveal that contem- with so-called postmodern movement in the U.S.
porary society sees its individuality tied to the iden- and Europe, its depth should be questioned.
tity of cities and architecture. This explains the use
of architecture as a tool to create or revive senses IDENTITY IN THE CONTEXT OF
of nationalism and patriotism by governments. CONTEMPORARY MIDDLE EASTERN
ARCHITECTURE
In reference to contemporary Islamic architecture,
historicism concerned itself with national identi- In order to contextualize recent architectural
ties, which mostly emerged after the collapse of movements, the formation of modern architecture
the Ottoman Empire, the establishment of national in Middle Eastern countries should be examined.
governments, and the liberation of formerly colo- Among these countries, Turkey was physically and
nized countries like Egypt. Since then, there have culturally most similar to the West, especially be-
been intellectual debates on the use of traditions cause of Ataturk’s attempts to modernize the coun-
and representations of history and identity. Some try in the early decades of the 20th century. The
of these challenges are visible in the writings of 1960s were a pivotal decade in which the West-
famous architects of the region. The attempts to ern International style was followed in parallel to
localize modern architecture in the Middle East a revived nationalistic style in Turkey. Sedat Hak-
were rooted in early modern movements in the re- ki Eldem’s (1908-1988) Social Security Complex
gion. Hassan Fat’hi was one pioneer whose focus (1962-1964) consisted of a series of rectilinear
on community issues through using traditional and volumes surrounding a series of small void spaces,
classical forms was criticized as too conservative each lined with concrete columns and rhythmic fa-
 TRADITION VS MODERNITY 201

çade components. Inspired by a typical courtyard ing (1994) and the Armita Tower (1997). During
plan of the Ottoman madrasa, the Turkish Histori- the last two decades of the century, civic buildings
cal Society Building (1966) by Turgut Cansever fea- and multi-family residential complexes also experi-
tures a large three-story atrium, around which oth- enced a reinterpretation of traditional principles of
er interior spaces are configured. In contrast to the design to promote a modern way of life.
exterior walls constructed in massive local stone
above pilotis, the interior consists of intricate trel- As a former colony of France, Egypt had a different
lis work that helps to poetically distribute natural story. With the growth of urban centers in the 1970s,
light to the interior spaces. The later decades of the one significant work in Cairo was Abdelbaki Ibrahim’s
twentieth century were significant in that it opened Center for Planning and Architectural Studies (1979).
up competitions and design opportunities for Turk- Ibrahim utilized modern construction technology and
ish universities and government-sponsored civic traditional building concepts (including scale, layer-
projects, such as Behruz Cinici’s (1932-) several ing of volumes, spatial organization around a central
buildings on the Middle East Technical University courtyard, and local materials) to convey a revival
campus (1980s) in Ankara, and the Public Relations of historic Islamic architectural traditions within a
Building of Parliament (1980). modern urban context. Although this building does
not feature signature historic components such as
The modernization process was almost synchro- arches, domes, or vaults, it embodies traditional val-
nized in Turkey and Iran, mainly because their ues in terms of scale, proportions, building methods,
rulers, Ataturk and Reza Shah, good friends and and a response to local environmental and cultural
close allies, shared similar ideas about the neces- needs. The last decade of the century witnessed ma-
sity of foundational reformations in their respective jor economic growth in urban centers, and there-
countries. The 1960s marked the turning point in fore created a demand for new expressions of the
the collaborative efforts between Iranian architects built environment by local and international archi-
who began to question and revive a sense of Ira- tects. Based on Western influences, numerous com-
nian identity for a modern way of life. They did this mercial projects experimented with visual dynamics
through numerous works including Tehran Muse- of the façade, as displayed by high-profile urban
um of Contemporary Art (1976), in which regional projects including the Factory and Exhibition Hall of
symbols and spatial organizations are embedded Oriental Weavers of Ramadan City (1994) and the
into the plan. While the Cultural Center in Kerman Headquarters of Faisal Bank of Cairo (2000). On the
(1984) by Darab Diba were variations upon the fa- other hand, public and residential projects such as
mous Safavid chaharbagh plan (fourfold garden), the Headquarters of Oriental Weavers (1994) and
Shushtar New Town Housing Complex (1974-1978) the Khan Commercial and Recreation Center (1999),
initiated a spatial dynamic between the living units employed an eclectic approach of traditional design
to the narrow, series of outdoor spaces and court- methods featuring the proportion of spatial organi-
yards, elements inherited from Iranian old cities. zation, arches, and motifs, along with concrete and
Mosques of the later twentieth century followed contemporary construction techniques. In addition,
references to the rich Safavid heritage but also in the 1990s, Western postmodernist trends were
combined new variations in terms of spatial layouts visible in major public works displaying historical re-
and material expression. Although some works fol- vival through the progress of ideologies and technol-
lowed earlier models, other key projects embodied ogy, such as in the case of the Nile Gallery (1997).
the harmony the rich historic prototypes with adap-
tations to modern construction materials and tech- In Syria, an increasing amount of local architecture
nologies, such as the Al-Ghadir Mosque (1988) in and engineering firms, new building typologies of
Tehran. This mosque used traditional brick as well multi-family housing, public, educational, sports,
as concrete and steel for the structure and foun- civic, and cultural buildings were introduced. Works
dations. The interplay of Postmodernist ideologies such as the Martyr Basil al-Asad Sport City in Aleppo
along with the revival of Iranian traditions contin- (1980) and Dar al-Asad Cultural Center in Raqqa
ued to be represented as the urge for simplicity (1983) opened doors to the building of modern ty-
and absence of decorative ornamentation in ur- pologies with new construction technologies. New
ban buildings throughout the later part of the late design approaches and construction methods were
1990s, such as the Tehran Communications Build- explored by famed Syrian architects including Mo-
202 LOCAL IDENTITIES GLOBAL CHALLENGES

staphia Hikmat Yazji and Abdel Munim Hirbli, who while catering to current functional needs. The Sau-
rejected traditional ornamentation methods and in- di Development Fund Building in Riyadh by Urbahn
stead followed Western design influences and con- and Coile (1976-1981) is one modernist work that
crete structural systems. Later buildings such as the features a large central internal atrium. Iterations of
Damascus School of Architecture (1982) and the courtyard-types were continued in numerous proj-
Latakia Sports Complex (1987) were constructed ects in the later twentieth century, including Henning
entirely out of reinforced concrete and followed Mod- Larsen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building (1985).
ernist trends of the adherence to geometric form. In addition to the large central indoor atrium, Lars-
Other large-scale public projects of the later half of en’s monumental project also referred to local archi-
the twentieth century, such as the Syrian General tectural traditions in terms of utilizing the massive
Insurance Company Building (1984), also featured volumes and the dynamic use of natural light within
modern formal sensibilities, materials, and structur- the interior spaces.
al systems. These, however, incorporated traditional
principles of central courtyards and gardens as an The use of traditional symbolism is somewhat pres-
inherent part of the spatial configurations. Syria’s ent in the design of high-rise buildings within dense
neighbor, Lebanon, followed almost the same chro- urban settings, such as the National Commercial
nology in its development of modernism. Through- Bank of Jeddah (1977-1984) by Gordon Bunshaft.
out various building typologies, projects like Pine This striking tower is comprised of three solid com-
Forest Mosque (1968) and Harissa Cathedral (1970) ponents that form a vertical triangle, marked by
marked decades of reflection on modernist principles three large punctured voids. Bunshaft’s expression
within the local context. These buildings featured the of the traditional courtyard typology is manifested
incorporation of regional traditional elements such in this tower’s distinct spatial configuration, which
as central courtyard plan configurations, solid-to- highlights groups of atria along the vertical height
void relationships, and arch components. Through with glass walls facing the internal courtyard. Con-
the foundation of various legislative agencies and structed of steel and pre-cast concrete with trav-
the growing need for implementation of urban infra- ertine finishing, this skyscraper is known for its
structure, the last three decades resulted in several use of pure geometric form to serve a functional
iterations of city planning for Beirut. Numerous top- purpose. However, the dominance of pure geom-
ics like public space, infrastructure, and residential etry and the use of reinforced concrete forms from
districts were reviewed through the city’s master Western influences were manifested in projects
plan in order to create a city filled with rich historical such as Rowlett and Scott’s University of Petroleum
traditions within a changing, progressive society. and Minerals in Dhahran (1969-1982) and Kenzo
Tange’s Royal Palace in Jeddah (1983). The Hajj
In Saudi Arabia, two modernist and classicist ap- Terminal (1982) designed by Skidmore Owings and
proaches proceeded around the same time. As part Merrill (SOM) in collaboration with Fazlur Rahman
of a commission to revitalize the New Jeddah in Khan, was another such example of a developing
Saudi Arabia, the Ruwais Mosque (1989) by local ar- building typology that resulted from an increasing
chitect Abdelwahed Al-Wakil was built to embody a economy and growing need for air travel. Marked
sense of contemporary style within a strict set tradi- by the distinct character tensile roof and structur-
tional vocabulary. While both were constructed using al components symbolizing ancient nomadic tent
traditional materials and methods, and comprised structures, the Hajj Terminal was another noted
of symbolic minarets, domes, and vaults, the strik- project that utilized the latest technological capaci-
ing asymmetrical plan and sculptural quality of the ties, while incorporating abstractions of local archi-
parabolic roof form mark the departure from the his- tectural heritage. These recent examples in Saudi
torical prototypes. Al-Wakil’s later mosque projects Arabia have not only become landmarks within the
in Jeddah, including the Suleiman Mosque (1988) modern urban context, but are architectural rein-
and Azizeyah Mosque (1988) were noted as becom- terpretations of traditional building components for
ing religious and monumental icons within a grow- a current building typology.5
ing modern Islamic city. In addition to the construc-
tion of mosques, several modern building typologies Like Saudi Arabia, architecture in the Persian Gulf
within Saudi Arabia’s urban centers have captured region suddenly developed after the growth of the
the essence of traditional architectural symbolism oil economy in the 1970s. In Kuwait, traditional
 TRADITION VS MODERNITY 203

architectural vocabulary (including spatial layout, for Industrial Consulting Building (1984) and the
formal elements, proportion, arches, dome, color, Doha Sheraton Hotel (1984-1985) explored innova-
and ornamental components of earlier regional tive vertical forms based on traditional structures
precedents) combined with geometric rhythm and and have become landmarks of the state.
contemporary materials (mainly reinforced con-
crete) in the Sief Palace (1983) and the Kuwait Marked by tall wind towers, courtyard plans, and
State Mosque (1983). Other civic projects such dense development along narrow streets, archi-
as National Parliament Building (1979-1984), and tectural components of traditional housing of the
the Headquarters for the Regional Arab Organiza- Middle East were constructed as a reaction to the
tion Building (1983-1987) exploited the capabili- local humid climate in the UAE. However, following
ties of modern materials and structural systems to the initial growth of the oil industry and importa-
express Arab traditional components. In addition tion of new materials such as cement, local forms
to the rising demand for these building typologies, and building traditions were replaced by cement
water towers held a significant physical, symbolic, block construction and modern forms. Follow-
economic, and architectural role in the desert land- ing offshore oil production in 1969, Dubai faced a
scape. The use of a modern distribution system, as surge in commercial buildings, housing, and urban
seen in Kuwait Water Towers by Sune Lindström infrastructure. The demand for international travel
and Maleneand Bjoern (1977) utilized contempo- resulted in the gradual construction of the Dubai
rary building technologies to become landmarks. International Airport (1970-1980). Projects such
The last two decades of the century featured the as the Rashid Hospital (1972), New Dubai Hos-
construction of several multi-story urban build- pital (1978), and the Town Hall Complex (1979),
ings by both native and foreign firms, including the not only marked the import of Western modernist
Al-Ahli Bank (1987) and the Audit Bureau (1989). ideas e.g., rigorous geometric proportions, modu-
New forms and contemporary technologies (pre- lar rhythms, functionalism, and structural expres-
fabricated components and curtain wall glass el- sion) and standardized construction methods but
ements) were continually explored through urban also initiated new building typologies that were
projects such as Al-Othman Center (1985-1994) required for a growing city. The 1980s continued
and the Oil Sector Complex (1998-2000). to experience urban growth, including infrastruc-
ture projects and buildings that referred to the
With a mixed history of British and Ottoman rule, social and cultural components of the traditional
Qatar claimed independence in 1971. Similar to city, including the Diwan of the Emir (1987), the
other countries in this region, projects built during Naif Market (1988), and the Jumeirah Beach Park
after 1970s in Qatar involved the challenge of ab- (1989). The steady financial success of the 1990s
stracting the historical architectural traditions (such led to a dynamic change in the skyline and over-
as rhythm, volumetric relationships, and conditions all cityscape through the construction of countless
of natural light) within the use of contemporary de- new towers and urban complexes. These buildings
sign language and material palette, as in the case combined postmodernist trends with references to
of the reconstruction of the Doha National Museum local traditions and accomplished new engineering
(1975) and the VIP Guest Palaces (1975). Other feats by using steel and reinforced concrete, such
religious buildings that also combined regional de- as evident in the Al Attar Tower (1997) and the
sign principles with modern approaches include the iconic Burj Al Arab Hotel Tower (1994-1999).
Um Said Mosque (1981) and the Oman ibn Affan
Mosque (1984). The campus plan of University of The pace of construction and development in the
Qatar (1983-1985) consisted of dominant Modern- late twentieth century raised concerns regarding
ist principles of the grid plan configurations, rigid the destruction of old urban fabrics and necessitat-
geometric order, and concrete construction. How- ed strategic major decisions to preserve the histor-
ever, the university’s architect, Kamal El-Kafrawi, ic heritage of the Middle East. Without any doubt,
also incorporated local historic forms (inspired by any development plan should apply a clear meth-
the ancient wind towers), courtyard plans, and the odology to preserve historical heritage.6 Although
controlled use of natural light as a response to the conservation and development seem to pursue dif-
cultural and climatic contexts. Other iconic buildings ferent paths, experience in the Islamic world has
built in the later 1900s such as the Gulf Organization shown that faster and more effective progress de-
204 LOCAL IDENTITIES GLOBAL CHALLENGES

pends on a partnership between these two.7 Cul- CONCLUSION

tural conservation in Muslim societies often relat-
ed to nationalist movements, especially after the After a wave of rapid economic growth resulting
1930s, when Western archeologists and historians from an increase oil prices, there were great oppor-
were hired by governments in the region to explore tunities for international architects and construc-
and rewrite national histories.8 The construction tion firms. However, this age is still characterized
of modernist boxes in these Middle Eastern cities, by discontinuity, irregularity, lack of hope for any
however, gradually threatened the life of old urban type of utopia, and impermanence. Such sense
fabrics and historic buildings, many of which were of temporariness became much more evident af-
destroyed or harmed as a consequence of careless ter the recent financial crisis in the construction
decision making. Islamic scholar, Mohammed Ar- industry in cities such as Dubai. Nowadays, the
koun, explained that the damages to several pre- market seems to be the most determining factor
cious parts of the vast cultural patrimony confirm in the development of architecture. The homogeni-
that new tools were needed to correctly address zation of architecture in the Middle East has been
the question of conservation in Muslim societies. in conflict with the diversity of cultures and societ-
Before considering technical or historical aspects of ies. This tension between capitalism’s global logic
restoration and conservation, mechanisms and col- of similarity and the national logic of difference has
lective forces should be defined to operate conser- been complicated in the field of architecture. The
vation as a cultural activity.9 Three levels of efforts growth of economy, commercialism, consumerism,
that could hugely impact conservation projects in- and global capitalism of the recent decades has
clude: public cultural development and education, made this region a perfect place for architects to
the leadership of an educated minority, and the test their creativity. In such chaotic environment,
pressure of the world community.10 many architects react arrogantly to the contextual
issues in an attempt to define their own profes-
Conservation is a cultural enterprise, which needs sional identities. Without established building tradi-
to be evaluated through the perspectives of tradi- tions, architects must take advantage of the oppor-
tion and community, as well as a universal concern tunity to rebuild everything in new cities like Dubai
for aesthetic messages delivered by monuments or or Qatar. The absence of influential planning and
landscapes.11 Michael Welbank, in his analysis of the brutality of capitalist speculation have made
the conservation projects in Cairo, mentioned two oil cities collections of eclectic buildings that had
problems: the absence of priorities for the Antiqui- no relationship with local cultures. This trend was
ties Organization and the lack of coordination of ac- exacerbated without any systematic consideration
tion between conservationists and local authorities. of environmental concerns which are taken more
In his critique of Sana’a conservation projects, he seriously in recent years. Nevertheless, now the
stressed the importance of finding a middle course problem lies in the depth of the environmentalist
and give and take policy. What distinguishes the movement, which appears to become more and
conservation of urban areas from the conservation more dominant in the next decades.
of monuments is that the urban areas are inhab-
ited and used by people. Because of the population ENDNOTES
of urban areas and their dynamism, these spaces
cannot be viewed as physical objects and, as the 1 Stuart Hall and Paul du Gay (ed.), Questions of
Cultural Identity, (New York: Sage Publishers, 1996), p.
intermixtures of activity and setting, they cannot be
17.
preserved without the motivation and support of the 2 Ibid., p. 25-26.
society.12 If the reasons behind urban development 3 Ibid., p. 251.
are more material, the reasons for conservation are 4 Ibid., p. 252.
5 Mohammad Gharipour and Anitha
more ideological. Buildings as reflections of national
Deshamudra, “Contemporary Architecture in the Middle
glory can carry pride and unity within their com- East (1900 - 2000),” Cultural Sociology of the Middle
munities or nations.13 Insufficient public awareness, East, Asia, and Africa, edited by Orlando Patterson (New
a lack of focus among local governments, alien and York: Sage Publishers, to be published in 2011).
6 Michael Welbank, (1983). “Conservation and
elite sources which make conservation external to
Development,” Development and Urban Metamorphosis,
the area, and the dearth of funds all present a chal- Volume 1: Yemen at the Cross-Roads. Evin, Ahmet
lenge to conserving urban environments. (ed.), (Singapore: Concept Media/The Aga Khan Award
 TRADITION VS MODERNITY 205

for Architecture, 1983), p.10.

7 Michael Welbank, p.16.
8 Mohammed Arkoun, “The Meaning of Cultural
Conservation in Muslim Societies,” Architectural and
Urban Conservation in the Islamic World. Abu H.
Imamuddin and Karen R. Longeteig (eds.), (Geneva:
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 1990), p.25.
9 Mohammed Arkoun, p.26.
10 Michael Welbank, p.11.
11 Mohammed Arkoun, p.29.
12 Michael Welbank, p.9.
13 Mohammed Arkoun, ibid.