Architecture is often the most visible casualty of time, political upheaval, and urban neglect. In an effort to arrest this cultural erosion, the Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT) has announced a new exhibition, *A Journey into Architecture Archives: Baghdad, Damascus, Tunis*. Curated by George Arbid, the show serves as a critical intervention in how the built history of the Arab world is documented and understood.
Opening in May 2026 at the Al Qasimiyah School, the exhibition is the latest output of SAT’s long-term research program dedicated to safeguarding regional architectural legacies. The project moves beyond the traditional display of blueprints, instead weaving together archival materials, physical models, and newly commissioned films. These elements aim to reconstruct the narrative of cities like Tunis—exemplified by the striking, inverted form of Raffaele Contigiani’s 1973 Hotel du Lac—and the modernist layers of Baghdad and Damascus.
The exhibition functions as more than a retrospective; it is an inquiry into the mechanics of memory. By focusing on these three specific urban centers, Arbid examines how architectural histories are constructed and revisited over decades. In doing so, the Triennial positions the archive not as a static repository of the past, but as a vital, living tool for navigating the future of the region’s urban landscapes.
With reporting from ArchDaily.
Source · ArchDaily
