Not Bothered to Read? Then Just Listen!

By Abdullah Ali

There is an epidemic occurring in Kuwait. An epidemic of “I’m not bothered to read.” To be quite frank, even us university students, most of the time don’t bother reading. I’ve honestly passed through a few classes without even opening a book.

That is the sad truth, we don’t read. Personally, I have countless books that I wish to get through, intrigued to read; a whole stack on my desk. But even so, with all the university work piled up on our shoulders and other things I wish to do (mainly drawing and learning digital art), I seem to barely find any time to simply sit down and read. And when it happens, oh boy, do I savor the moment. A rare occurrence indeed.

Something enlightening happened the past summer though. Being stuck in traffic or spending most of my precious time on the road, I got tired of my music having heard everything possibly 10 times in the car. That was the opportunity to listen to some radio for a change, a podcast actually. Since I’m an architecture student, it was a given that I’d be drawn to a podcast that stated the words ‘design’ and ‘architecture’ in the description. Since then, 99% Invisible has been my best friend in the car, and even while working.

In an age where technology seems to be dominating, even books becoming entirely digital, there is really no excuse for someone to not educate themselves, or enjoy an intriguing read (perhaps I should say ‘enjoy a good listen’ in the case of audiobooks). Listening to this specific podcast has opened my eyes to the fact that technology has given us alternatives to reading physical books, while preserving the same experience.

99% invisible is truly one heck of an amazing radio show where Roman Mars, the creator and host, brings in guests and engages in some really interesting and wonderful topics of the design world. Not all are related to architecture, but you do learn a lot! Personally, I’ve learned so many motivating and inspiring things about this world from listening to this podcast.

Have you heard of a blind architect? Ever thought about the design of the periodic table? Heard of a simple design consisting of a painted line that saved human lives? What is the story behind the Teddy Bear? Ever heard of a building designed specifically to cater for deaf people? And these are just a few of the amazing bits of information I’ve acquired from listening to the 70+ episodes of this podcast.

In all honesty, I actually look forward to some of my car rides now just because I know I’ll be listening to a new episode of 99% invisible. I do highly recommend it to everyone, especially my fellow architecture students and instructors. No matter how much I talk about it, you won’t experience it unless you give it a listen. And this is just one of the myriad of podcasts, radio shows and audiobooks out there which would definitely cater to your taste. Can’t find the time to read? Not bothered? Then just download a podcast on your smartphone and give it a listen on those tormenting car rides! You’ll be glad you did.

To download specific episodes of 99% invisible, or enjoy a free subscription just visit the itunes store. You can also check out the 99% invisible website here.

The Secret House

By Hessa Al Habshi

Design by AGI Architects

Photographs by Nelson Garrido

I  still  don’t  know  how  I  first  stumbled  upon  the  news  of  the  Secret  House,  but  somehow  I  ended  up  on  Wallpaper’s  blog.  It  was  the  name  that  caught  my  attention: “The  Secret  House”. I  was  immediately  intrigued,  was  this  one  of  those  houses  that  appears  magically  once  the  visitor  reads  off  the address  from  a  piece  of  parchment  à  la  Harry  Potter  style?  To  my  disappointment,  there  was  no  shield  of  invisibility  or  anything  of  the  sort,  but  that  was  as  far  as  my  disappointment  had  gone  once  I  saw  the  photos.  I  must  admit,  the  house  created  by  the  Spain  and  Kuwait  based  practice  AGI  Architects  was  beautifully  designed.

Traditional  houses  in  Kuwait  were  designed  to  adapt to  the  desert  climate,  so  the  distance  between  the built  volumes  were  minimal,  which  would  result  in shaded  walkways  between  houses.  The  spaces between  these  volumes  worked  well  as  temperature regulators,  but  as  a  result,  these  houses  had  privacy  but  limited  views.  The Secret House, on the other hand, used tightly spaced volumes to create a sense of privacy while also providing views of the surrounding city.

Due  to  the  dry  and  hot  climate  of  Kuwait City,  mist cools  the  courtyard  of  this  house  while  shielding  it from  nosy  neighbours.  This  mist  operates  at  a  timer,  heaving  up  and  around  the  house  to  keep  it  cool. The  living  areas  and  bedrooms  are  located  in  the  ground  and  first  floors,  whilst  the  garage  is  situated  in  the  basement.  Passages  and  hidden  areas  aimed  at  seclusion  is  what  gave  the  house  the  name:  ‘The  Secret  House’.

AGI  Architects  stated  that  “This  house  was  a  very  peculiar  request.  Typically  the  client  has  a  specific  program  and  an  actual  site,  and  our  job  is  to  make  the  two  complement  one  another.  In  the  case  of  the  Secret  House,  the  client  was  occupying  the  given  site  in  a  house  that  neither  met  their  aesthetic  desires,  nor  their  programmatic  needs.  This   design  becomes  a  personal  expression  of  their  present  conditions,  and  at  the  same  time  creates  a  space  capable  of  holding  their  hopes  for  the  future.

“It  is  a  place  with  great  potential,  with  wonderful  views  of  the  city,  and  a  family  who  wants  privacy.  We  plan  to  design  a  system  that  would  unify  these  requirements:  a  house  that  looks  towards  the  inside  and  only  at  the  top  level  opens  up  to  views  towards  the  skyline  of  the  city.”

The  ‘Secret  House’  is  one  of  AGI  Architects’  impressive  projects.  Click  here  for  more  of  their  projects  and  designs.

COMIC: Students’ Perspective

Artwork and text by Abdullah Ali

(click on the image to enlarge)

Basically, this is what some of our classes are downgraded to here at Kuwait University’s College of Architecture. I really do wonder what it is like from the Instructor’s point of view…

Artist of the Day: Interview with Amani Al Thuwaini

By Sara Al Sayegh

Art by Amani Al Thuwaini

Date of Birth: 1st of July, 1989

Interests: When I'm not working on an art project, I like playing sports including basketball and swimming, I also practice yoga, and I like reading about psychology, theory and history of art and architecture, as well as art criticism.

What inspires you?

Everything inspires me, but most of the time I get inspired by other artists’ work (both contemporary and old artists). I believe that learning from others’ work is crucial for every artist/architect or designer. Landscapes and nature inspire me as well; I focus on the social aspect of an environment. I enjoy studying and observing the interactivity from human to human, and from human to the surrounding landscape/environment.

What medium do you feel most comfortable exploring?

I enjoy exploring different mediums. I think it depends on each project/work. The means of representation must serve the concept/subject of the artwork. My work ranges from drawing to interactive installation. Among my many interests is researching how to combine a natural intrigue for aesthetics with function.

Do you have any preferences or specific subjects you enjoy using as sources of inspiration for your art?

I enjoy concepts of spirituality, humanity, emotions and the relationship between people and their surrounding environment. I always keep a sketchbook, so I sketch wherever I go. It's important for me to document events, thoughts, feelings, and ideas using photographs and sketches. This helps me a lot in the process of design/art making.

Where do you see yourself in five years? 

It’s a difficult question to answer, but the most important thing is to develop and grow as an artist, in terms of knowledge and experience. My father always says that life is a never-ending learning process. It's important for me to spread the knowledge I have as well, and be a part of creating a better Kuwait.

How has studying architecture changed your perspective on art? 

Exploring spatial design has helped me develop a personal artistic language; art, I believe, must send a certain message to the public and find solutions to problems in order for change and transformation to happen, just like architecture. Architecture taught me a lot of other things, like discipline, hard work and attention to every detail. The process of design starts with a process of rigorous research, which taught me the importance of research in art making as well.

How has art changed your life as a whole? 

Art was a major part of my life since I was 5. I always try to follow my feelings and intuition in the art making process; these are inseparable from function and meaning, this has helped me get in touch with my subconscious mind and inner self. Art has taught me the importance of creative collaboration, conversation and communication. Art has changed my idea of beauty. Art is a lifestyle and it's a way of viewing the inner self, others and the world around us.

This is some of Amani's work:

Beyond The Fall - 3

By Ali Al Yousifi

This is the final part of a three-part story. Click here to view part one and part two.

POST-APOCALYPTIC PARADISE (3 of 3) 

The first fusion reactor started generating power for Kuwait in 2042. Since the United Nations banned all fossil fuel power plants, Kuwait invested all its remaining international assets to create an alternative source of energy. After years of struggling to power its newly walled city, the Japanese-built fusion reactor provided all the power Kuwait needed and more.

With clean electricity came clean water. On the day that was set to start working, a crowd gathered around the new desalination plant built on The Green Island. The plant’s head operator stood in front of the crowd next to a metal tap protruding from the ground. He slowly turned the tap’s handle; the crowd cheered as clean clear water streamed out of the tap’s nozzle. The water splashed its way through a path dug in the ground until it flooded a small vegetable garden planted especially for the occasion.

With clean water came agriculture. Easy access to fresh water made Kuwait City green very quickly. Barren empty stretches of sand that used to act as parking lots back when there were cars, became lush parks. When all those spaces were planted, unused roofs started becoming green roofs and windowless walls became green walls. Then the asphalt of the roads and highways was removed. It was replaced with long strips of farming fields flanked by paths for pedestrians, cyclists, and small electrical vehicles. Organic fruits and vegetables became plenty.

After some years where the inhabitants of Kuwait City lived in the concrete and steel towers of the pre-Fall era, new construction started to rise. The first of these was an apartment building with some retail space, completed in 2043. The building was ten floors tall, with walls, columns, and roofs made of mud bricks and corrugated metal. Most new construction was of this mid-rise height, always using mud as their dominant material. Soon, a unique skyline started to develop, a bizarre mix of pre-Fall steel and post-Fall mud.

With the hostile desert around Kuwait City’s wall infested with armed conflicts and sensitive borders, Kuwait turned to the sea. There was a global demand for trading ships and Kuwait worked hard of provide the supply. An impressive fleet of ships was acquired, some built locally and some bought from struggling neighbors. Being strictly neutral in all world conflicts, Kuwaiti ships were almost always given safe passage, allowing them to create an expansive network of trading routes. In 2048, Kuwait’s port became the largest in the Middle East.

In 2050, the first group of Kuwaiti citizens that had left after the Fall, seeing that Kuwait had survived its challenges better than most other countries, returned. Week by week, ships arrived at Kuwait’s shores carrying people hoping for a better life. In that same year talks started about building another fusion reactor in anticipation of rising energy demands. An extension of the wall was also discussed. Even plans for the forgotten Silk City were resurrected, but were quickly put down as a terrible idea.

All in all, Kuwait prospered, and all was well.

The end.

Beyond The Fall - 2

By Ali Al Yousifi

This is part two of a three-part story. Click here to view part one.

THE NEW OLD CITY (2 of 3) 

Once the idea of having a great gathering was decided, finding the right location was easy: the open green area (not green anymore) in front of the parliament building. The need for this great gathering, where all those remaining in Kuwait can come together and decide on their future, arose due to several dangerous developments that took place in 2032.

The Kuwaiti government’s inability to satisfy its people’s basic needs lead to the formation of many radical opposition groups, calling for a complete change of leadership. Then, due to further governmental incompetence in dealing with these groups, several of them became openly armed.

Four months of clashing between the government and the opposition groups only caused further damage to the country’s infrastructure. Telecommunications lines were cut, TV/ Radio signals were jammed, and all main roads and highways were obstructed. Word of mouth became the only way to distribute information, and walking/ bicycling became the easiest way to travel. Then, people heard of the great gathering, and on the decided date everybody walked towards the parliament building.

The great gathering had no shortage of chaos, but with the aid many megaphones, countless voting booths, and three days of nonstop heated debates, three decisions were made:

First: a 5m high wall will be built along the curve of the Third Ring Road, from coast to coast.

Second: a governmental organization will be established to relocate all the people of Kuwait to existing buildings within the wall.

Third: everything manmade outside the wall will be sold to international recycling companies.

The purpose of the new wall was to protect against the attacks of the radical armed groups. After several months of delays due to crippling shortages in building materials, construction started in the summer of 2033. Finally, it was decided that it was most efficient to create the wall out of piles of concrete rubble, while using mud as both mortar and protective coating.

Although many objected to leaving their homes that happened to be outside the planned wall, the newly established governmental organization was surprisingly effective in convincing the population to move within the wall. Because constructing new housing projects was economically unfeasible, most incomers had to be housed in existing building. The need to retrofit many structures to become suitable homes forced the subject of architecture to surface and become the focus of a public discourse.

The third decision was the most controversial, but it eventually became clear to everyone that it was necessary. Kuwait was in dire need for a source of income, and due to new United Nations restrictions on mining, the world was in need of construction materials.  Kuwait was one of the first countries in the world to offer its abandoned suburbs as recyclable construction materials.

Despite initial interference from the radical armed groups, the international recycling companies were so ruthlessly skillful that by 2039 most suburbs outside the wall had disappeared without a trace. Like urban loggers felling a concrete forest, these companies reinvited the desert to crawl back and retake its place, reaching the gates of the newly constructed mud wall.

To be continued…

Events: January

Calligraffiti Workshop
When: January 10- 22
Location: Contemporary Art Platform

Shida Azari Exhibition
When: January 15- 24
Location: FA Gallery

Ali Al Noman Exhibition
When: January 20- 31
Location: Gallery Tilal

3rd Affordable Art Show
When: January 21
Location: Dar Al Funoon Gallery

3D Max Beginners Workshop
When: January 19- 24
Location: Arabana Warehouse

Beyond The Fall - 1

By Ali Al Yousifi

             This post was inspired by Elizabeth Farrelly’s essay in Monument magazine (August/ September 2012). As opposed to the now common writings warning that the world is heading towards an environmental disaster, Farrelly’s essay is a beautiful and uplifting description of Australia post a hypothetical environmental catastrophe, or what she calls “the Great Change”. The year is 2050, and Farrelly optimistically sees Australia as a sustainable and vibrant urban utopia amidst a world in ruin.

             But if global warming does turn out to be the devastating monster it’s being advertised as, what would Kuwait look like in 2050? Can it possibly be a bright future?

THE FALL (part 1 of 3)

The first fusion reactor started generating power for the Euro-region’s shared electricity grid in 2024. Finally, a truly sustainable alternative power source to fossil-fuel was found. The world celebrated. The price of oil fell from 186$/ barrel to 33$/ barrel in two weeks. Kuwait’s economy collapsed.

But the rapid building of clean fusion power stations around the world came too late to stop the growing horror of global warming. Climates that have been stable for millennia shifted, seas rose, and desertification became uncontrollable. Although some hot and arid regions, due to changing wind patterns, became more hospitable, Kuwait’s climate shriveled to become hotter and drier. In the summer of 2029, temperatures hit 67^oC.

Dwindling arable land, reduced rainfall, and failing crops lead food stocks to become priceless. Countries unable to produce their own food failed to convince breadbasket neighbors to sell their produce. Nearly all worldwide food production was consumed locally. Kuwait used all its meager resources to import food from regional countries such as Iraq, Iran, Jordon, Syria, and Lebanon, but imports decreased with every passing year. Even the wealthiest Kuwaiti families often slept with empty stomachs.

Although political and social unrest never ceased in Kuwait since 2012, 2030 brought new levels of internal turmoil when the United Nations, desperately trying to reverse the effects of global warming, banned all trading in petroleum-based products. Kuwait lost its only export.

Struggling to find food, water, and basic amenities, Kuwaitis started looking to more suitable places to live outside Kuwait. Mass immigration, first of expatriates and then of Kuwaitis, left many parts of country’s urban landscape empty. The population fell from 3.5 million to just under 400 thousand. Most towns were ghost towns.

Many thought Kuwait’s population would continue to fall until there would be nothing but vacant concrete boxes, but it didn’t. And although things looked gloomy for the remaining few, there was still hope.

To be continued…

!أخيرا... الأبواب مفتوحة

كتابة علي اليوسفي

يوم الأربعاء الماضي مررت بمبنى كثيرا ما جذب انتباهي لأنه يذكرني بمتحف كمبل للمعماري الأمريكي لووي كان، ولكنني لم أقف يوما لمعرفة طبيعة عمل المبنى او حتى اسمه، ما كنت أعرفه أن الأبواب الخشبية لذلك المبنى دائما ما تكون موصدة و واجهته المقوسة دائما ما تكون مظلمة، لكن في ذالك اليوم كانت الأنوار مشعلة و الأبواب مفتوحة.

          اكتشفت بعد أن أوقفت سيارتي بجانبه و مضيت لدخوله أن المبنى هو قاعة أحمد العدواني للفنون التابعة للمجلس الوطني للثقافة و الفنون و الآداب الواقعة وسط منطقة ضاحية عبدالله السالم على شارع صنعاء، و أن سبب شق تلاحم الأبواب المتواصل هو لإستقبال الحضور لإفتتاح معرض الفنانة البحرينية عائشة حافظ. أغلب قطع المعرض كانت من المنحوتات الحجرية و الخشبية مع بعض اللوحات المطبوعة، هذه بعض أعمال الفنانة:

العنوان: سرب طيور

العنوان: حورية

العنوان: وطن 1

العنوان: أرى الموسيقى

          أكثر ما أعجبني في زيارتي للمعرض هو كونه وسط منطقة سكنية، دائما ما تعودت أن تكون المناطق السكنية في الكويت للسكن فقط و أن تكون فقيرة من الأنشطة الثقافية التي بقدرتها دفع اهتمامات الناس الى مجالات أوسع من السياسة و الرياضة. فمن الجميل أن يشعر الفرد و هو في بيته أنه على مسافة دقائق قليلة سيرا على الأقدام من معرض فني أو ندوة شعرية أو حفلة موسيقية أو مناظرة أدبية أو مسرحية درامية أو محاضرة علمية، من الجميل و الدافع لإحياء المجتمع من خموله الحالي أن يشعر الفرد أن بيئته المباشرة مليئه بالأنشطة الحيوية، حتى و إن لم يحضر أو لم يكن مهتما بنشاط معين، معرفة الفرد أنه جزء من مجتمع حي من خلال رؤيته دور الثقافة بأنوار مشعلة و أبواب مفتوحة كافية لإيقاظ و لو جزئيا الرغبة في الإطلاع و توسعة الآفاق.

Marina Courts: Essential Renovation

By  Hessa  Al  Habshi

There  are  probably  a  lot  of  football fields, volleyball nets  and  basketball  courts  in  Kuwait;  I  wouldn’t  know  really,  I’m  not  much  of a  sports fan.  I  tried,  but  that  phase  stuck  around  for  less than a year when I dabbled with  every  sport  in  school,  I  even  tried  playing  a  little  baseball.  It’s  safe  to  say  that  that  chapter  of  life  is  over:  my  basketball  has  lost  all  of  its  air,  I  don’t  know  where  my  football  is  gone  and  my  baseball  glove  is  safely  stashed  away  behind  my  PSP  and  Monopoly  board  game.  A  friend  of  mine  however,  tried  to  convince  me  to  accompany  her  to  the  basketball  courts;  I  didn’t  go.

Once  she  was  back,  she  complained  incessantly  about  how  bad  the  courts  by  Marina  Mall  were.  I  didn’t  think  much  of  it,  until  my  older  sister  asked  if  I  wanted  to  go  with  her  to  the  courts,  she  needed  inspiration  for  a  project,  or  something  of  the  sort.  I  jumped  at  the  opportunity;  I  wanted  to  see  what  my  friend  was  on  about.

The  place  was  in  bad  shape. The  steps  were  spray  painted  with  awful  graffiti,  as  well  as  the  seats.  There  were  a  number  of  entrances,  but  only  two  of  them  were  ajar.  Most  were  tightly  locked,  and  the  top  of  one  of  the  doors  was  broken  so  it  was  hanging  off  its  hinges.  The  chain-linked  fences  were  bent,  probably  by  the  wind  and  now  remain  in  a  permanent  concave  shape.  The  fence  was  also  rusting,  and  not  in  a  good  way.  I  want  to  say  that  at  least  the  hoops  were  all  in  good  form,  but  not  all  of  them  had  nets…

It’s  quite  a  shame  that  the  courts,  which  are  actually a popular spot among  foreigners  and  locals  alike,  are  becoming  unpleasant.  It’s  an  area  that  will  need  renovation  sometime  in  the  near  future,  I  don’t  understand  why  we  don’t  start  now.