Brief

Buildings have long evolved and transformed over the years to respond to people’s behaviour, needs and uses. Buildings that were once a destination, have consequently become urban backdrops to some cities, often undiscovered by many of the country’s residents. Hawally is a prime example of such a city. Home to many structures and spaces that date back to the modernization of Kuwait as a whole, Hawalli has become an urban backdrop, often overlooked by scholars and researchers in favor to the capital.

The workshop sheds light on two of the city’s architectural landmarks [North & South Nugra Complexes]. Through descriptive narration of each of the landmarks, participants were tasked to draw their own perception of the buildings described, each bringing forth their experience of these landmarks. The workshop touched upon skills of experiential diagramming, observation and block-printing.

Outcome

Participants created block prints based on specific architectural elements from their diagrams of each of the buildings. Each block-print is a representation of the landmark as per the participants perception & experience. The findings were printed on two strands of fabric, one depicting the dreamed up structures drawn during the descriptive narration while the other highlights actual observations drawn from archival and site photos of both buildings.