The Destruction of Modernist Heritage: The Myth of Al-Sawaber

Critical nostalgia: Kuwait urban modernity and Alison and Peter Smithson's Kuwait Urban Study and Mat-Building

“…Kuwait City's demographic structure had altered when Kuwaitis moved to newly designed suburbs. 36 Historic quarters that had once held vibrant commercial and social activities had also disappeared and not much had come to replace them. According to Karim Jamal, the MSM Plan was the 'first mistake' 'that brought about a situation of grave concern'.…”

“…31 Kuwaitis, who were affected by the implementation of this plan, were generously compensated by a statesponsored land acquisition policy and many settled in newly developed suburbs, just outside the old wall. 32 An urban highway system of radial and concentric carriageways carved paths into and out of the city. The city as an iconic symbol of technological modernity suited the national vision at the time.…”

Negotiating the Politics of Exclusion: Georges Candilis, Housing and the Kuwaiti Welfare State

“…Some studies have revealed the extent to which land use policies and social housing laws have contributed to endless sprawl, housing application backlogs, rising property values and to the demise of the urbanization process (Al‐Khaiat, ; Al‐Shalfan, ). Other studies critique the social and political tensions generated by housing policies (Abdulla, ; Al‐Eisa, ; Al‐Zaher, ; Sadik, ; Al‐Ragam, ; Beaugrand, ). Some have pointed towards a causal relationship between state housing and social segregation (Al‐Moosa, ; Longva, ; Al‐Nakib, ).…”

“…It also draws attention to the instruments adopted by different political groups to further their own agendas (Pepper, ), to the debates on top‐down planning, as well as to longstanding cultural traditions and the struggle over the values of the modern city (Urban, ). It also explores the shifts in housing typologies in state planning institutions and resistance to or acceptance of these new forms (Al‐Ragam, ; Swenarton, ). This critique on state housing addresses ‘space' as a social product and ‘appropriation' as the method of engagement (Shields, ; Elden, ; Stanek, ; Merrifield, ).…”

“…However, all these studies glance only briefly at Candilis's projects in the Gulf. A few studies have examined his projects specifically in Kuwait (Al‐Ragam, ; Al‐Nakib, ; Al‐Ragam, ). This article investigates Candilis's lesser‐known projects and expands on the author's previous research on urban modernity through nation building, unsustainable state housing policies based on the single‐family house and citizens' dependency on the state for their housing needs (Al‐Ragam, ).…”