Architecture and the expression of cultural identity in Kuwait

Transcription

1 The Journal of Architecture ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: Architecture and the expression of cultural To cite this article: (2007) Architecture and the expression of cultural identity in Kuwait, The Journal of Architecture, 12:2, , DOI: / To link to this article: Published online: 16 May Submit your article to this journal Article views: Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at

2 Architecture and the expression of cultural 165 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Department of Architecture, College of Engineering and Petroleum, Kuwait University, PO Box 9569 Safat, Kuwait. The phenomenon of expressing cultural identity in architecture is apparent in many parts of the world: this paper examines it in the context of Kuwait. It focuses on architects, and the strategies they use in expressing cultural identity. The aim is to understand their views and current efforts in this context. In Kuwait, architecture has passed through dramatic transformations during the second half of the twentieth century that were the result of economic, regional and global changes. A survey of the views of eighteen Kuwaiti architects was conducted using focused interviews and a standardised questionnaire. Examples of their projects were analysed to illustrate their views and ways of thinking. The study concluded that there were several strategies employed by Kuwaiti architects to express a Kuwaiti cultural identity in their work. A three- dimensional matrix was developed to illustrate the relationship between the ranges of these strategies and architecture in Kuwait. It is hoped that this matrix will be useful for practitioners and critics of contemporary architecture in Kuwait interested in understanding current trends in achieving a cultural identity in architecture. Introduction The beginning of the twenty first century is marked by increasing globalisation and the affirmation of a singular identity that is in constant tension with traditional local identities. This trend has followed the spread of the international style during the second half of the twentieth century and has intensified as a result of the spread of globalisation as a dominating world view from the end of that century. As a reaction to this sweeping trend, the phenomenon of expressing local cultural identities in architecture is observed in many parts of the world. As Castells put it: cultural identity is the process by which social actors build their own meaning according to cultural attributes. (Castells, 2004.) This paper investigates how cultural identity is being expressed in contemporary architecture in the context of Kuwait. It focuses on the architects, and the strategies, mechanisms, tools, and media they use in expressing cultural identity in their work. The aim of this paper is to understand the views and roles of Kuwaiti architects participating in current efforts to achieve a localised cultural identity in architecture. Their attempts influence the making and development of contemporary architecture in Kuwait. While these efforts are currently individualistic, they are gaining momentum and popularity as they lay claim to answering the pressing cultural and social problems generated by the application of modern architectural principles during the second half of the twentieth century. # 2007 The Journal of Architecture DOI: /

3 166 Architecture and the expression of cultural They are also relevant to other countries, especially those Gulf, Arab, and developing countries that share experiences with Kuwait. Background In Kuwait, architecture passed through dramatic transformations during the second half of the twentieth century that were the result of economic, regional and global changes. Starting with the discovery of oil during the 1940s and the economic wealth generated by its sale, the implementation of the first master plan for the country during the 1950s and 1960s, the economic boom during the 1970s following the dramatic increase in oil prices in 1973 and the economic depression during the 1980s following the stock market crash, they culminated, finally, with the first Gulf war and the experience of invasion and liberation by foreign countries during the 1990s. Architecture reflected all these layers of rapid political, economic, and cultural changes. The movement towards expressing cultural identity in Kuwaiti architecture is not new. It started with attempts by foreign architects who participated in the design of buildings after the implementation of the first master plan in Kuwait during the 1960s (Shiber, 1964). Jorn Utzon s Parliament Building and Reima Pietilae s new Sief Palace are landmarks designed by foreign architects expressing a cultural identity (Gardiner, 1983; Vale, 1992; Kultermann, 1999) (Fig. 1). These are examples of foreign architects commissioned to design projects in Kuwait because of a lack of Kuwaiti architects, but the appearance of architecture by Kuwaiti architects that attempts to reflect cultural identity is a different phenomenon. Literature review What is identity? Firstly, it is a process, and not a found object. It may be likened to the trail left by civilization as it moves through history. The trail is the culture, or identity, of that civilization.... Secondly, being a process, identity cannot be fabricated. We develop our identity by tackling what we perceive to be our real problems.... Thirdly, identity is not a self-conscious thing. (Correa, 1983.) This study is based on the observation that in recent years the issue of cultural identity in contemporary architecture has become essential to creating uniqueness and local identity in a competitive environment on a global level. Industrialised and developing countries have started to re-examine their traditions in a search for their own values and principles. Delanty and Jones (2002) observed that in Europe architecture has become an important discourse for new expression of post-national identity in general and in particular for the emergence of a spatial European identity. No longer tied to the state to the same degree as in the period of nation-building, architecture has become a significant cultural expression of post-national identities within and beyond nation-state. (Delanty and Jones, 2002.) This process has had an impact on the production of contemporary architecture and eventually triggered an intense discussion about how local identity should be created other than by copying fragments from the past.

4 167 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Figure 1. Attempts by foreign architects to express cultural identity in architecture. (Photographs by the Author.) a. The Parliament Building by Jorn Utzon. b. The Scientific Centre by C7. c. Banks Complex by SOM. d. Kuwait Towers by Marlene Bjoern. The question of whether architecture should express a cultural identity is being investigated by many researchers in many parts of the world. Gospondini argues that in the process of economic and cultural globalisation, European integration and the blur of national identities in Europe, place-identity emerges as a central concern of both scholars and other people. (Gospodini, 2004, p. 225.) In Singapore, architects vigorously adopted transformed and integrated traditions to reflect contemporary realities such as fast-evolving cultures, values and lifestyles. The notion of contemporary vernacular was developed. This can be defined as a conscious commitment to uncover a particular tradition s unique responses to spatial arrangements, place and climate and thereafter exteriorise these established and symbolic identities into creative forms (Lim, 2004, p.19). Ogura et al. attempted to clarify the characteristics of the modern Filipino style which was introduced by leading architects following World War II. They discovered that one of the most comprehensible expressions of domestic

5 168 Architecture and the expression of cultural style is the direct quotation of traditional shape. The pursuit of architecture as the product of the Filipino culture to enrich Filipino culture is an ongoing problem for architects seeking to realise a Filipino style while designing for present-day expectations (Ogura et al., 2002, p. 238). El-Sheshtawy et al. argue that Third World cities especially those which have witnessed rapid growth within the last two decades are moving towards a co-existence model which takes into account the forces of modernisation and change (globalisation) whilst at the same time responding to the preservation of traditional elements within the society. They concluded that an examination of the viability of this model and its suitability for other cities is recommended and they argued that in a world dominated by forces of globalisation the current discourse on the loss of identity needs to be reconsidered (El-Sheshtawy et al., 2000). Kanna concluded that far from experiencing change and modernity as an homogeneous dystopia, the inhabitants of Dubai have developed ways of culturally absorbing these changes. (Kanna, 2005, p. 60.) Saleh presents an analytical study of the major factors inherent to place-identity which have a bearing on the development of visual images to Saudi Arabian cities. He points out that climatic, social, topographic and economic aspects were important factors in the formulation of regionalism. He argues that these factors are now weakened by two controversial trends in the planning and design of place known as traditionalism and modernism. He asserts that professionals use their skill in the incorporation of historical as well as new images of the physical place and structures to enhance their identifiability and recognition in the city. The image represents a cultural significance which ties it to culture. For him, the forces exerted by commercialism seem to dominate image attachment for contemporary cities (Saleh, 1998). As described by Khattab, particularly in the case of Kuwait, reasserting the local identity has lately become a matter of great importance especially after Iraq s claims in Kuwait and the Second Gulf War. (Khattab, 2001.) This was reflected in the architecture being produced in Kuwait by local and Kuwaiti architects in their attempts to recognise and to acknowledge the heritage of traditional Kuwaiti architecture during the 1990s. The famous Kuwaiti architect Hamed Shuaib reiterated the question posed by many conferences and seminars held in the Gulf area: When will we, in Kuwait and other Gulf countries, have modern architecture suitable for our community, environment and heritage? (Shuaib, 1999.) Several practising architects expressed the same view in a documentary entitled: Kuwaiti Architecture: A Lost Identity. Their concerns find articulation in Paul Ricouer s questions how to become modern and to return to sources; how to revive an old, dormant civilization and take part in universal civilization. (Ricoeur, 1965.) Such questions are posed by practising architects and also investigated by academic researchers in the field. Some Arab societies, such as Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, went through the process of modernisation earlier and at a slower pace than the Gulf countries which underwent the same experience much later and at an extremely rapid pace. Commenting on the process of change that

6 169 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Egypt went through during the nineteenth century, Khaled Asfour states that: For the first time in the Arab world, a process of cutting and pasting was introduced as a cultural mechanism. The process involves cutting ideas from an original cultural field, the European, and pasting it with its logic into the new field. In the process, there is the assumption that the new field has similar cultural predicaments and would yield to similar results upon this transfer of ideas. (Asfour, 2004, p. 3.) The cities of Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Riyadh and so on, were planned during the middle of the twentieth century by western planners, who applied the city planning theories of that time and did not respect the socio-cultural characteristics of the community that were evident in traditional settlements. As Asfour (2004) put it, During the fifties and sixties of image transfer, the traveling theory was codified as a simplistic version of Modernism, and was practised by Arab cultures with great excitement, for it gave them a fresh visual start after their independence from 19th century colonial powers. But it was the late sixties and early seventies that witnessed the greatest practice of Modern imaging. It was the time of the gigantic rise of Arab Gulf cultures that were getting rich because of oil revenues. (Asfour, 2004, p. 6.) In his book Architecture and Culture: Critical Studies of Arab Architecture, Al-Naim argues that the rapid urbanisation of Arab societies during the second half of the twentieth century has produced the phenomenon of Cultural Resistance (Al-Naim, 2005, p. 96.) Al-Naim explains the cultural hybridity that characterises the built environment in the Gulf countries as a product of two main ideological views: the futurist and the traditionalist, while the first group rejects historical heritage, the second considers the past as the only valid evidence that should be considered to shape the present. They both accept the use of technology as a necessity that cannot be avoided. (Al-Naim, 2005, p. 105.) He concludes that when a local culture borrows shapes and ideas to be utilized in the built environment, several processes occur to resist the new. He calls this the mechanism of cultural resistance in the built environment. (Al-Naim, 2005, p. 116.) To live life out of resistance, as Mules argues, is to live life other than what it must be. (Mules, 2005.) From regionalism to critical regionalism in the Gulf Region This paper argues that architecture in the Gulf countries is approaching a critical regionalism stage. Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre (1981) and Kenneth Frampton (1985) used the term critical regionalism to describe a contemporary architecture which could neither be characterised as internationalism nor as a folkloric or historical concept of region and architecture. By the 1990s, this concept had become the key theme of an intense debate on local, modern architecture. Critical regionalism is interested in specific elements from the region, those that have acted as agent of contact and community, the placedefining elements, and incorporates them strangely, rather than familiarly, it makes them appear strange, distant, difficult even

7 170 Architecture and the expression of cultural disturbing. It disrupts the sentimental embracing between buildings and their consumers and instead makes an attempt at pricking the conscience...a critical approach reintroduces meaning in addition to feeling in people s view of the world. (Lefaivre et al., 2001, p. 9.) Lefaivre et al. (2001) noted that Vitruvius was the first to point to the differences in buildings around the world and referred to this phenomenon as regional architecture, concluding that the arrangement of buildings should be guided by locality and climate. (Lefaivre et al., 2001, p. 3.) They traced the development of the forms of regionalism in architecture from picturesque, romantic and over-familiarising regionalism into Lewis Mumford s critical regionalism (Lefaivre et al., 2001, pp. 3 6). Kenneth Frampton s concept of regionalism mainly focuses on the relationship of a building to its site and location in a sociological context. He states that the fundamental strategy of Critical Regionalism is to mediate the impact of universal civilisation with elements derived indirectly from the peculiarities of a particular place. (Frampton, 1985, p. 20.) Regionalism received much attention as it seemed particularly relevant to developing countries faced with the onslaught of Western media, commodification and globalisation. Chris Abel suggested that it is in the countries of the Third World, where the effects of Modernism s break with the past have been compounded by a drastically speeded-up rate of development, that regionalism has a special meaning. (Abel, 1986.) Khan argued that perhaps regionalism, in cultural and technological terms, is stronger in the Third World because the latter has not yet reached the advanced stages of the West in terms of political stability, communications or technology, all of which permit greater universality. (Khan, 1987.) On the other hand, the concept of critical regionalism has been challenged by many critics, particularly those who question its relevance for more advanced economies. The concept of regionality depends on it being possible to correlate cultural codes with geographical regions. In modern societies these regional differences are largely obliterated, or as I would add, hybridised. (Lim, 2004.) It overlooks fundamental differences and neglects important factors underlying the postcolonial development of architecture in these countries and superimposes a rather static and narrow notion of local versus universal, traditional versus modern concepts. As an analytical approach it seems inadequate to capture the products of local architecture and their perception by theorists and the general public (Tzonis et al., 2003). Specifically, it does not reflect the diverse and dynamic nature of the emergence of local identities. In many developing countries identities can hardly be localised and many places show composite patterns with more than one identity. In addition, the works of architects labeled as contributions to promoting local identity seem to have more in common with developments in other countries than with the characteristics of the place where they have been erected. Method of inquiry This study focuses on the views of architects contributing to the production of cultural identity in architecture in Kuwait and analyses examples of their

8 171 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 projects. For the purpose of this study, a sample of eighteen architects was selected from a group of Kuwaiti architects expressing cultural identity in their projects. The methods used for data collection included: a survey using a standardised questionnaire; focused interviews; and the analysis of examples of contemporary Kuwaiti architecture that represent the expression of cultural identity. The questionnaire contained several sections covering different enquiries including: the views of architects producing this architecture in order to understand how they perceive what they are doing, what are their references, and how they are influenced by the client, the context and the history of the country. An interview guide was used to shape the in-depth interviews with selected architects. Findings The questionnaire responses were statistically analysed and the in-depth interviews were thematically analysed to reveal the commonalities and differences in the views of the Kuwaiti architects. The questionnaire analysis produced the following results (Fig. 2).. Regarding Kuwaiti architectural identity, 88% of the respondents agreed that there is currently no i architecture, while 12% agreed that there is an identity expressed in contemporary Kuwaiti architecture. 94% believed that there should be an i architecture and 6% disagreed. 94% of the respondents believed that there is a need to develop building regulations to impose Kuwaiti identity on architecture. 32% of the respondents agreed that there was a clear architectural identity before 1950, while 5% of the respondents believed that there is i architecture after The factors that affect the generation of identity in architecture were perceived as: climatic conditions 94%, culture of the society 88%, building codes and regulations 87%, client 81%, and building technology 47%. 100% of the respondents believed that traditional Kuwaiti architecture should be the source, desert architecture 94%, Arab architecture 92%, Gulf architecture 88%, Islamic architecture 87% and, lastly, International architecture 71%. 100% of the respondents agreed that climate, region and culture should be the sources of identity, while 75% agreed that religion is a source of architecture identity.. As for the elements of Kuwaiti architecture, 94% of the respondents believed that al-housh (the courtyard) and traditional colours should be used to reflect Kuwaiti identity in architecture, 88% believed that the dareehz (the entrance), the diwaniyah (the men s receiving room), and the liwan (the colonnade) should be used to reflect Kuwaiti identity, and only 50% of the respondents believed that columns should be used to reflect identity. 81% of the respondents believed that more than one traditional element should be used at the same time to reflect a cultural identity in architecture (Fig. 3).. 69% of the respondents believed that Kuwaiti architects are contributing positively to identity in Kuwaiti architecture, while 73% believed that

9 172 Architecture and the expression of cultural Figure 2. Questionnaire responses analysis. (# the Author.) Kuwait Municipality was contributing negatively. 94% believed that local consulting offices and the awareness of society will contribute positively in the future to Kuwaiti identity. 100% of the respondents believed that public buildings should reflect Kuwaiti identity, while 94% believed that governmental buildings and private villas should reflect cultural identity. 94% believed that the new Seif Palace, Souq Al-Mubarkiah and Souq Al-Zul Wa Al-Bishut reflect Kuwaiti identity. Only 13% believed that the Liberation Tower reflected Kuwaiti cultural identity, and only 40% believed that Kuwait Towers the national symbol of Kuwait reflects Kuwaiti identity.. The respondents selected the most important examples representing Kuwaiti architecture from

10 173 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Figure 3. Elements of traditional Kuwaiti architecture. (Photographs by the Author.) a. Entrance (dahreez). b. Courtyard (housh). c. Men s reception (diwaniya). d. Sitting bench (mastaba). e. Colonnade (liwan). f. Wooden roof (chandal). traditional and contemporary. Traditional examples included: the old Seif Palace, old houses, diwaniyas, schools, mosques, neighbourhoods, and souqs. Contemporary examples included: water towers, Kuwait Towers, Parliament buildings, Souq Sharq, Souq Al-Zul Wa Al-Bishut, the Arab Organisations Headquarters, and the New Seif palace (Fig. 4). The interviews were useful for gaining in-depth understanding of the views of Kuwaiti architects. While there were many common themes between the views of the architects, each architect emphasised a particular factor. Collectively, the interviews represented a wide range of strategies and approaches to the subject. Due to the absence of architectural education in Kuwait until 1996, all

11 174 Architecture and the expression of cultural Figure 4. Examples of contemporary Kuwaiti architecture. a. The Great Mosque. (Photograph from: architecture.org/ architecture/i/ mosques/kuwait/ i107.jpg) b. Seif Palace. (Photograph from Abdullah Qabazard, architect.) c. Chamber of Commerce. (Photograph by the Author.) d. Souq Sharq. (Photograph by the Author.) the architects graduated from schools of architecture in the USA during the 1980s. All of them were employed in governmental agencies for several years before starting their private professional practice (Fig. 5). Below are thematic portraits representing the views of some of the Kuwaiti architects interviewed for the purpose of this study followed by a common themes analysis. Muhamad Al-Khedr graduated from Wisconsin School of Architecture, USA, in He practised as an architect in the Kuwait Ministry of Public Works, then worked in private architectural firms. He established his own architectural practice, MAC, in He stated that before oil was discovered buildings were constructed using local materials and workers, depending mainly on family needs. After oil was discovered, architecture reflected individualism, architecture made by foreign architects with high-quality construction methods and materials.

12 175 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Figure 5. Attempts by Kuwaiti architects to express cultural identity in architecture. a. Salah Al-Farisi Villa by Muhamad Al-Khedr. (Photograph from M. Al-Khedr, architect.) b. Al-Najjar House by Fareed Abdal. (Photograph from F. Abdal, architect.) c. Salmeya Palace by Saleh Al-Mutawa. (Photograph by the Author.) d. Al-Farisi Villa by Jamal Al-Hajji. (Photograph from Jamal Al-Hajji, architect.) For him, the expression of family needs in architecture is an important element in the reflection of local identity. He asserts that traditional desert architecture, characterised by its courtyards and adobe-style construction, should be the source of architectural. The impact of climatic conditions is another factor that reflects a true architectural identity. The harsh weather conditions during the long summer months is an important driving force. He recognises that there is some interest towards reflecting traditional architecture by the public, but for the purpose of being individual only. He believes that: There are some attempts to express identity in Kuwaiti architecture, but no present structure is available that clearly represents the

13 176 Architecture and the expression of cultural distinctive architectural identity of Kuwait. Kuwait Municipality should have an important role in educating the public and organizing some regulation for general architectural style, but unfortunately the municipality is concerned more about commercial regulations than architectural concerns. Fareed Abdal received his MArch from the University of Wisconsin, USA, in He has worked in governmental, military, and private sectors. He has published several studies and papers on architecture in Kuwait. He thinks that there is no special architectural because many buildings follow the international style. He also thinks that there should not necessarily be an identity but instead there should be an environmental response to the climate, thus emphasising the significance of the region as a whole. He believes that the only time when Kuwait had an identity was during the pre-oil period; the 1950s and before, when architecture represented the society s environment and its social identity. In his opinion the factors that affect Kuwaiti architectural identity are natural, cultural, behavioural, economical, material, and technical. He believes that Arab culture is a response to the desert climate and nature; and also architecture should represent the environment and our values. In his opinion Islam is also an important factor because it is an innate and inborn religion that is related to nature, and is in harmony with nature in its best form. He thinks that the more we assume environmental solutions, the more we come closer to our identity. He believes that: Obligatory guidance restrictions should be given so as to maintain a special architectural identity, but not laws that are too limiting and restricting to allow room for creativity. Saleh Al-Mutawa received his BArch from the University of Miami, Florida, in 1980 and his MArch in solar passive cooling and heating and architectural renovation in Saleh published his book, History of Architecture in Old Kuwait City, in 1994 (Al-Mutawa, 1994). In 1994 His Highness the Ameer of Kuwait awarded him a prize for his distinguished work on preserving traditional Kuwait Architecture. In 1997 Godfrey Goodwin wrote a book about him entitled Saleh Al-Mutawa: A new Vision in Kuwait (Goodwin, 1997). When asked if there is an i architecture today, he replied No, it s lost, but I am trying to follow it in all of my projects in order to revive it. He believes that having an i architecture is like having a character and soul of the country which should not be denied or changed. He considers that the era that represents Kuwaiti architecture was before 1940 and that the principles affecting Kuwaiti architectural identity are: vocabularies, proportion, and materials. For him the sources of Kuwaiti architecture are Islamic architecture and desert architecture. He believes that there should be some incentive for those who try to do Kuwaiti architecture, such as more FAR, etc. Jamal Al-Hajji graduated in the USA in He has worked in governmental and private agencies. He believes that Kuwait really had its identity before 1960 and this began to disappear from 1950, the year of the demolition of the old Kuwait Wall. Currently, Kuwait really doesn t have any identity. In his opinion:

14 177 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Kuwait identity is more than the elements used in old Kuwaiti houses, which are used by some architects today in an attempt to reach an identity. Nobody denies that the elements have a great effect in creating identity, but the real essence of Kuwait identity lies in the architecture of the traditional city. It is primarily an experience of spaces defined by continuous walls of buildings which are arranged in a way that emphasises the building volumes. He believes that we are going through the figural buildings stage. They are functionally successful, yet they waste energy and cause pollution in a very bad way. We are very connected to these buildings because of our ideology that these buildings are the symbol of Kuwait modernity. From his practical experience, the first pressure on the architect is the client: Very rarely do you find a client who has an appreciation for identity. There is a group of clients that have a wrong understanding of identity and it needs many sessions to put the client in the right track. He thinks that every situation in every project is different from one to another in its approach to local identity. Tariq Al-Saqabi graduated in the USA in 1984 with a BSc in Architectural Engineering. He worked in several government agencies before becoming a member of the academic staff in the department of architecture at Kuwait University. In his opinion, there is nothing identifiable as Kuwaiti architecture. What we have is Gulf architecture, which is a mixture of Egyptian, Roman, Babylonian and other architectures. What is called Kuwaiti architecture is existing architecture influenced by traditions and cultures. So there is no Kuwaiti architecture but there are architectural elements. When asked if there should be an identity for a Kuwaiti architecture, he replied it is not necessary to have an identity that is applied to every building. He believes that there is no specific period of time that had a Kuwaiti architectural identity. Yes, there is Najdi, Hijazii, Iraqi architecture, but in Kuwait there is a mixture of these architectures. In his opinion, the factors that affect the identity of Kuwaiti architecture are environmental, religious and social, and what should be the source of Kuwaiti architecture are traditional Kuwaiti architecture, Islamic, Gulf, but not desert and Arabic architecture. He agrees that there should be building codes that help in finding a Kuwaiti architecture. Outcomes The study revealed that there are commonalities and differences between the views of Kuwaiti architects regarding the sources of Kuwaiti cultural identity. There is a general agreement that the climate and the environment have a major influence on the culture of the people and the identity of architecture. Environmental response to the climate is a key factor in reflecting the identity of the country. Located in a harsh desert region, Kuwait suffers from long hot summers that dominate the image of the weather of the country, overshadowing the moderate weather of the winter months. Kuwait s location on the tip of the Arabian Gulf makes it a representative of Gulf architecture. Its history of sea trading, pearl harvesting and fishing is part of its traditional cultural identity. Many architects employ simplistic metaphors of pearl

15 178 Architecture and the expression of cultural shells and fishing boats in their buildings. The impact of religion on culture is very significant, and essential for understanding the needs of the individual for privacy, family interaction, and space configuration and orientation. These needs are currently being modified under the influence of higher economic standards and global consumerist trends. Religion is also viewed as a unifying force that integrates the individual with nature and society, a notion opposite to the current trend towards individualism and the display of wealth. There is an agreement among architects that there are elements, vocabularies, proportions, and materials that distinguish traditional Kuwaiti architecture, but there is no agreement on whether they should be used again or not. Some architects think that the reuse of these elements and vocabulary is essential to achieve a distinctive Kuwaiti architectural identity that relates contemporary architecture to traditional architecture. Others believe that it is not necessary to use these elements and vocabularies but it is essential to respond to climatic conditions and to the specific needs of Kuwaitis. There is recognition among Kuwaiti architects that buildings alone are not sufficient to convey cultural identity. The context of architecture provides an important background against which architecture is understood. Traditional city spaces provided an important dimension to experience and provided a meaningful reading of traditional architecture. When located amongst modern streets and buildings, traditional elements and vocabularies read more like Disney World than authentic architecture. Discussion The analysis of several examples of Kuwaiti architects projects concluded that there are several strategies employed by Kuwaiti architects to express a Kuwaiti cultural identity in their work. A three-dimensional matrix was developed to illustrate the relationship between the ranges of these strategies, use of precedent and building types. The matrix utilises the four design strategies suggested by Broadbent to categorise the examples (Broadbent, 1973). They are identified as pragmatic, iconic, analogical and canonic. Two more strategies were added to complete the range of the identified strategies; symbolic and metaphoric. They are utilised in the matrix according to the following definitions. 1. Pragmatic design strategy utilises the inherited features of traditional architecture and strives to reproduce them as they were in the past. It applies direct copy and paste practices to use complete examples or elements from traditional architecture. 2. Iconic design strategy strives to reproduce the image of traditional architecture by using its elements and vocabularies to produce new building types and functions. 3. Analogic design strategy aims to produce architecture that resembles traditional architecture without direct copying and pasting of its elements. 4. Canonic design strategy endeavours to form cultural identity by applying the principles of traditional architecture without copying its elements and shapes.

16 179 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 Figure 6. A matrix illustrating strategies of expressing cultural identity in architecture. (#the Author.) 5. Symbolic design strategy focuses on reinterpreting the principles and elements of traditional architecture and avoids any copying and pasting of elements and shapes. 6. Metaphoric design strategy attempts intentionally to depart from being associated with traditional architecture and to create dramatic experiences of contemporary cultural identity. The matrix (Fig. 6) represents the relationship between these design strategies, sources of identity and building types and scales. Several examples are

17 180 Architecture and the expression of cultural used to illustrate the commonalities and differences between strategies. The results of this study support Greig Crysler s view that a paradigm shift is underway, in which discourses that define traditional environments as socially and geographically isolated, non-urban, pre-modern spaces (and often located in the so-called Third World) are giving way to those which constitute tradition as a contested site of power relations in a global context. He suggests that this represents an important shift of emphasis away from idealist conceptions of tradition, to those which explore how it is grounded in asymmetrical relations of power that shape, and are shaped by, among others, the state, the global economy, the built environment professions, and writing on tradition itself (Crysler, 2000). Applicability to field and further research So this search for identity could give us a much greater sensitivity not only to our environment, but to ourselves and to the society in which we live. It is a by-product of looking at our real problems, rather than self-consciously trying to find identity as an end in itself, without worrying about the issues we face. (Correa, 1983.) This study investigated the views of Kuwaiti architects who attempted to produce cultural identity in their architecture. It analysed examples of their work, developing a matrix to relate their work to each other s and to sources of cultural identity. The case of Kuwait is relevant to understanding the same phenomenon recognisable in other parts of the world that share many aspects of this experience. It helps us to understand the contradictory relationship between globalisation and identity as practised in Kuwait. Future research could investigate the same phenomenon by applying the same method in different countries and comparing the results systematically. Additionally, research could focus on the comparison between developing and industrialised countries in terms of architects views regarding the representation of cultural identity in architecture. The matrix developed by this study is useful for practitioners and observers of contemporary architecture in Kuwait for understanding the current trend towards achieving a cultural identity in architecture. Further research could include expatriate architects currently practising in Kuwait, to compare their views with those of local Kuwaiti architects. It is important to recognise that this is a new trend that is just starting and is changing, with more and more Kuwaiti architects joining this movement and new building types being constructed. As in the case of Singapore, local architects now have better opportunities to produce original innovative work, and to actively contribute towards Singapore s architectural manifestation and new directions in the evolving urban environment. Their intellectual energy must range beyond the restrictive boundaries of architecture and urbanism to include participating in the theoretical discourse of cultural studies, which has now recognized the essentiality of meaningful local inputs to achieve viable globalization. (Lim, 2004.) The expression of cultural identity is manifested in many ways. Neil Leach challenged the whole notion of identity as some fixed and stable condition: identities must be perceived in the plural,

18 181 The Journal of Architecture Volume 12 Number 2 as multiple and often seemingly contradictory modes of personal expression. (Leach, 2003, p. 78.) There are those who express cultural identity by borrowing from traditional architecture, believing that the sources of cultural identity are derived from the past, and there are those who express a cultural identity that relates to today s prosperity and future ambitions. Identity is always pluralistic, fluid and unstable. It is continuously constructed and reproduced by the collective imagination of the community. The study suggests the following starting points for action.. Building codes and regulations should be revised and incorporate lessons from the traditional architecture of the country.. Architectural education should include in its curriculum approaches to understanding globalisation and localisation processes.. Professional practice should encourage architects who express cultural identity in their work through competitions and awards.. Public awareness should be fostered by public lectures, professional writings and the media.. Sustainable architecture and urban development responsive to and expressive of the geographical and climatic situation should be encouraged and become common practice.. The quest for identity should be applied on all levels. As Silva states it is usually the whole building fabric, rather than individual buildings that matters most to the identity of a setting. The character of a town resides in the sum of its multiple and often fragmented inter-relationships in space between buildings themselves, the social mix of people, its activities and events, and the wider geographical setting of the town. (Silva, 2001.) There is always a cultural identity expressed in architecture. The expression might differ from one architect to the other and from one building to the other. The collective image of these identities conveys the degree of agreement or disagreement, commonalities and differences, harmony and contrast between the members of the society at any given period of time. It reflects the shared or non-shared view of the past, present and future of the world. Bibliography C. Abel, Architecture and Identity: Responses to Cultural and Technological Change (Architectural Press, 1986). S. Al-Mutawa, History of Architecture in Old Kuwait City (Kuwait, Al-Khat, 1994). M. Al-Naim, Architecture and Culture: Critical Studies on Arab Architecture, Saudi Arabia, Al-Riyadh Book, Vol. 137 (nal-yamama Publishing Inc., 2005). K. Asfour, Identity in the Arab Region (Architecture and Identity Research Project Sponsored by Volkswagen- Stiftung and Berlin University of Technology, 2004: :// identity.de/). G. Broadbent, Design in Architecture: Architecture and the Human Sciences (John Wiley and Sons, 1973). M. Castells, The Relationship between Globalization and Cultural Identity in the early 21st Century (Barcelona, Forum, 2004). C. Correa, Quest for Identity, in R. Powell, ed., Architecture and Identity (Singapore, Concept Media/The Aga Khan Award for Architecture, 1983). G. Crysler, Writing Spaces: Cultural Translation and critical Reflexivity, Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review, 11/11 (2000).

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