By Ali Al Yousifi
In a
recent interview with T-Square members in Men’s Passion Magazine (Read it here)
we were asked: “Which project
(complete or currently planned) do you feel best exemplifies the modern Kuwait
of the 21st century?” The only project that I
could think of was Souq Al Mubarakiya and the surrounding souqs. I’ve only been
there a few times since entering architecture school, and it’s already one of my
favorite places in Kuwait.
What’s most impressive about the
shaded souqs is that they have a unique sense of vibrancy; the atmosphere is fully
saturated. Products of every shape and size and color imaginable spill out from
the small shops into the crowded walkways. Sometimes there is music filling the
air, and sometimes the air is filled with a strong aroma (mostly food). Most importantly
though, is that there are people walking around what is essentially, despite
the shading, an outdoor area. The space feels truly public, and walking around
there gave me a rarely stimulated feeling of actually being part of community
of real people.
I will emphasize the word real,
because as beautiful as some of the newer malls can be, they are undeniably artificial
(a nice way of saying fake). The souqs have an urban rawness to them that
walking down an air-conditioned, marble-covered, fast food-smelling boulevard
of a mall will never have. Yes, some aspects of the souqs are sub-par when it
comes to design, cleanliness, and even safety, but that’s how real urban
spaces can be.
These souqs create a successful
outdoor public space while at the same time emphasizing Kuwait’s architectural
heritage. This is what we need more of.
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| part of the new additions |
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| part of the new additions |
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