Urban Modernity in the Contemporary Gulf: Obsolescence and Opportunities

This panel delves into the 20th century architectural production in the modernization era of the Arabian Gulf and its impact on the notions of locality, cosmopolitanism, and modernity. The speakers will examine the initiatives that have re-engaged with the ville moderne and reflect on the role of the urban fabric in narrating social growth, East–West dynamics, and citizens’ memories. The panel explores the concept of modern heritage in the context of the contemporary city, interrogate the value of modern architecture in the non-West, and discusses the expanding academic research on Gulf urbanism. Speakers Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, Founder of Barjeel Art Foundation Roberto Fabbri, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises, Zayed University In conversation with Nelida Fuccaro, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Professor of Middle Eastern History, NYUAD