The article discusses how local architects in the Middle East are creating culturally embedded architectural institutions by focusing on historical context and community engagement. While international architects have shaped the region's skyline with monumental structures, local practices emphasize continuity and transformation. Key themes include adaptive reuse, as seen in projects like the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, and public engagement, exemplified by the House for Architectural Heritage, which integrates everyday life with cultural spaces. This approach ensures architecture remains a dynamic part of the cultural landscape.
While many cultural institutions in the Middle East are shaped by international architects, local architects focus on historical contexts and lived environments for deeper cultural integration.
Projects like Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa preserve pre-oil modernism, demonstrating a commitment to historical continuity and cultural memory within local architectural practices.
The Diriyah Biennale Foundation and the Royal Academy for Nature Conservation show how industrial remnants can create meaningful cultural spaces through adaptive reuse.
Public engagement is amplified in projects like the House for Architectural Heritage, which aim to dissolve the boundaries between cultural institutions and everyday life.
#middle-east-architecture #cultural-institutions #local-vs-international-design #historical-context #public-engagement
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