Original featureSharjah Architecture Triennial Presents "A Journey into Architecture Archives" Focused on Baghdad, Damascus, and TunisArchDaily · 28 September 2026 →

The Curatorial Framework of Urban Archives

Understanding the built environment requires looking beyond finished structures into the paper trails, blueprints, and administrative records that brought them to life. Curated by George Arbid, the Sharjah Architecture Triennial’s research initiative focuses on safeguarding perishable documents that trace the physical transformation of major regional capitals.

The resulting documentary series avoids superficial aesthetic appreciation, instead employing a combination of rigorous archival research, on-site fieldwork, and oral histories. This methodology constructs a comprehensive narrative of how twentieth-century urban planning responded to shifting political, social, and economic demands across different territories.

Mid-Century Modernism in Baghdad, Damascus, and Tunis

Each of the three cities featured in the films presents a distinct trajectory of architectural modernization. Baghdad’s mid-century expansion saw international masters and local practitioners collaborate on civic and educational infrastructure, creating a unique regional idiom of tropical and desert modernism.

Meanwhile, Damascus and Tunis reveal complex dialogues between historic urban fabrics and colonial or post-independence interventions. The archives captured in the project illustrate how local architects negotiated traditional courtyard typologies, climate-responsive masonry, and reinforced concrete technologies during periods of rapid demographic change.

The Value of Safeguarding Built Heritage

Architectural archives serve as vital diagnostic tools for contemporary designers and developers working within historic contexts. Without accessible blueprints, zoning notes, and structural diagrams, the rationale behind mid-century interventions risks being lost to demolition or unsympathetic alterations.

By bringing these documents into the public sphere, the Triennial highlights the fragility of architectural memory. For contemporary practitioners, engaging with these archives provides critical insight into how structural design historically accounted for local microclimates, spatial privacy, and community integration.

Sources & credits

• Feature: Sharjah Architecture Triennial Presents "A Journey into Architecture Archives" Focused on Baghdad, Damascus, and Tunis — ArchDaily. Linked, not reproduced.
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