The Shifting Sands of Architectural Identity in Times of Tragedy
I wanted to talk about truth in Architecture and related it to my previous Essay title of Architectural Identity in Times of War. But yesterday a very tragic event occurred in my birth city of Nineveh. This tragedy really broke my heart and for the first time in my life, I deeply comprehend how important our role is as future Architects. No words can describe the amount of grief and pain and Architect can inflict upon civilians if he does not enforce safety measures in his design and if he is not truthful.
On 26 September 2023 a fire spread in a banquet hall during a wedding celebration of our community in my homeland. The wedding was turned into an inferno within seconds, killing over a 100 people, many of them children, elderly and women, the tragic scene are haunting my mind and I can’t help but to share this with the class. So many innocent live parished yesterday at this wedding and the news shook the world. The cause was a building frame with highly flammable materials and no fire rating systems The building accepted a capacity of hundreds of people but had only one exit.
The truth in Architecture in the wake of such tragedy, reveals the profound responsibility we as architects bear in shaping spaces for human interaction. This tragic event underscores several aspects of Architectural truth.
The first and most important is safety and functionality. Neglecting these aspects can lead to dire consequences The truth in Architecture lies in designing structures that protect and serve their occupants, Safety is the most important measure and it must define form and function.
We as future Architects have a crucial ethical responsibility to create spaces that enhance the well being of those who use them. Here in the west, we must adhere by codes and laws. But what if we were in a country that had no codes? The truth is we have to be firm leaders and decision makers and put safety first. We can’t allow politicians, contractors and other entities to pick materials that are not fire rated and pick designs that can kill people in the long run, just because we are told to by the clients. It’s very important that we lead the design process in truth to ensure safety. Deception in Architecture turns a building into a gravesite and a wedding celebration into crucial our role is in this world and how we must be have truth.
References:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/26/world/iraq-wedding-fire-intl/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/least-100-dead-150-injured-fire-wedding-hall-iraq-rcna117526
Title: The Shifting Sands of Architectural Identity in Times of Tragedy Module: Identity Vian Raikany
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-fire-wedding-dance-deaths-b2419296.html
