Traditional Domestic Architecture of the Arab Region
Author: Friedrich Ragette
Axel Menges
ISBN 3-932565-30-4
For probably the first time, Friedrich Ragette’s book systematically pre-sents the traditional residential architecture of the Arab world from the Atlantic to the Persian Gulf. The author, who was employed as an architect in the Arab world for more than 30 years, analyses the climatic and cultural factors which influence construction in the Arab world and presents the designs for residential buildings from nomadic tents to densely-built cities. In addition to the analytical part of the book, Ragette presents a collection of more than 200 examples of traditional architecture from all 13 countries in the Arab region.
Beirut City Center Recovery
Author: Robert Saliba
Steidl
ISBN 3-882243-978-5
In his picture book, Robert Saliba describes the reconstruction of two of the most popular quarters in the Lebanese capital after the Civil War from 1975 to 1990. The real estate company ‘Solidere’, founded by the late Lebanese Prime Minister and building developer Rafik Hariri, played a key role. At the end of the Civil War, it drew a master plan for the reconstruction of the devastated and divided city centre. The book takes on an unexpected current political meaning due to the recent assassination of the ‘inventor’ of modern-day Beirut. However, even without this, the book brings the Beirut City Center Recovery into discussions about future town construction in the Middle East.
Living under the Crescent Moon:
Domestic Culture in the Arab
Authors: Alexander von Vegesack and Mateo Kries
Vitra Design Museum
ISBN 3-931936-41-1
Living under the Crescent Moon – Domestic Culture in the Arab World depicts residential cultures in the Arab world: Nomadic tents of the Tuareg and the Bedouins, Moroccan Kasbahs, magnificent houses with courtyards in towns like Marrakesh, Damascus or Cairo and 20th century buildings by the architects Hassan Fathy, Elie Mouyal and Abdelwahed El-Wakil. The Arab habits and ways of life are imparted to the reader using ceramics, textiles, tool and architectural elements. With numerous internal photos of private houses, the book offers a portrayal of the spheres of the Arab world which is rarely seen as they are generally robustly protected from outsiders.