Drawing on the author''s personal experience of living and working as an architect in Syria, this book offers an eyewitness perspective on the country''s bitter conflict through the lens of architecture, showing how the built environment offers a mirror to the community that inhabits it. Marwa al-Sabouni chronicles the breakdown of social cohesion in Syria''s cities, exploring how the lack of shared public spaces has intensified divisions within the community, and how corrupt officials have interfered in town planning for their own gain - actions symptomatic of wider abuses of power. With first-hand accounts of mortar attacks and stories of refugees struggling to find a home, this compelling and original book explores the personal impact of the conflict and offers hope for how architecture can play a role in rebuilding a sense of identity within a damaged society.

Autorentext
Marwa al-Sabouni has a PhD in Islamic Architecture and runs a private architectural studio in Homs, Syria. She is co-owner of the first and only online media site dedicated to architectural news in Arabic: www.arch-news.net.

Klappentext

Drawing on the author's personal experience of living and working as an architect in Syria, this book offers an eyewitness perspective on the country's bitter conflict through the lens of architecture, showing how the built environment offers a mirror to the community that inhabits it. Marwa al-Sabouni chronicles the breakdown of social cohesion in Syria's cities, exploring how the lack of shared public spaces has intensified divisions within the community, and how corrupt officials have interfered in town planning for their own gain - actions symptomatic of wider abuses of power. With first-hand accounts of mortar attacks and stories of refugees struggling to find a home, this compelling and original book explores the personal impact of the conflict and offers hope for how architecture can play a role in rebuilding a sense of identity within a damaged society.

Zusammenfassung
The 'visionary memoir' (Observer) of a young female architect in war-torn Syria, and the role architecture plays in whether a community crumbles or comes together, now available in B-format paperback.

Inhalt

1. The Battle of Freedom . 2. The Battle of Old Homs . 3. The Battle of Mortar . 4. The Battle of Baba Amr . 5. The Battle of Finding a Home . 6. The Battle of Continuation