Day 51



Teddy wishes he could turn back time...





Many people say that Oil has been a blessing for Kuwait. I on the other hand believe it is a mixed blessing. Sudden progression in this country didn't only change the way we built, or lived... It also changed what the word progress should actually mean. I will not sit and rant about how we no longer really have neighborhoods, nor will I complain about the horrible architecture that has loomed around us. I will only show you two images. One before, and one after. 


Maybe you will share my views, or not. 


But this country is losing its essence. 


We need to stop and think. 







11 comments:

BruTus | October 19, 2009 at 1:57 AM

100% agree with you Teddy..
BTW, I like the new extra comments in which it shares your views..
Creative, Easy to interact with & Discussing an important issue "Kuwait's Identity"..
As usual, you are in the right way :)
God bless Kuwait

Bu Yousif | October 19, 2009 at 4:52 AM

Teddy from where did you get all these feelings for the old neighborhood,, wow you really sounds emotional but i am with you all the way, i mean why do we have to erase our identity in order to approve for others that we became a civilized and development country we may be civilized but development ,,, i don't think so...

Just A Bunch | October 19, 2009 at 7:28 AM

they should leave some of the historic old placed untouched, but alas... they're tearing them down one by one...

Anonymous | October 19, 2009 at 9:24 AM

I salute u and totally agree...its not just Kuwait tho, its the whole region. The word 'Arab' lost what it once stood for, and although am not a fan of traditions, some were not that bad to keep. Thats why I respect nations in the far east of this globe: they're westernized, but still far-eastern in terms of action,s habits and norms… We kinda lost our identity.
DK

Budour | October 19, 2009 at 12:53 PM

The first shot is lovely.

Where was it taken?

Teddy B. | October 19, 2009 at 12:59 PM

Budour, this is an old deserted house in Bide'e (how do u spell this area in english?) it's just before SAS hotel if you're coming from the ring road.

Not sure who it belongs to but there were signs that whoever owns it wanted to renovate it. But it looks like it hasn't been touched for a while. Maybe it's the recession.

Pyyth4 | October 19, 2009 at 2:06 PM

this photo is soooooo lovely....

they should have left some of the old architectures alone....that would have shown the architectural history of kuwait.

the demolition of umm al aish is one example - even though it was defunct, it was the largest and and I guess the first satellite dish of kuwait in that time.

Pyyth4 | October 19, 2009 at 9:16 PM

they shouldn't have demolished it........ thats what I mean.

AphRodiTe | October 19, 2009 at 9:59 PM

Teddy... you tackled a very sensitive issue
I really think that the demolition of the old urban fabric of Kuwait city destroyed the essence of kuwaitis their identity and even some of their moral aspects...
Architecture is not just buildings,,,it is who we are

Anonymous | October 19, 2009 at 10:29 PM

you speak much wisdom teddy ;)

Anonymous | November 8, 2009 at 6:51 PM

Unfortunately the last picture has only half or less of the current number of existent skyscrapers...unfortunately that picture doesn't have more than 2 years...what to do now? Why i don't find any of the people who share the feelings and thoughts that i see in this or other blogs in the chairs where the decisions are taken? why the generation of the people who are now in their fifties who i ADMIRE devotedly as last link with the old Kuwait, when oil wasn't still blowing some people's mind, they are already assuming that the future of the country is a never ending curtain wall and a enormous copy/paste of anonymous buildings in a more and more anonymous country?

I encourage YOU all to do something! Expats come and go, me, as an expat and architect, can be committed, even worried or sad about what happened with the Kuwait of the second picture...but one day i will also leave and Kuwait won't be my country anymore...the place i work in, the place i eat in, the streets i walk along...so our voice is limited, expires, whereas this is your country, your place and your children's place...

I guess it's not easy, but i have met already a good bunch of kuwaiti friends who i wish they were the decision makers in this country! I hope it's not too late when they get it!

Viva Kuwait

Post a Comment