The Course
For the fall of 2020, the Space & Technique Guest Studio has been asked to work with the Bahrain Pearling Path, a Unesco World Heritage serial site in Muharraq, Bahrain. For centuries, the pearl economy was the driving force in the Arabian Gulf, and Muharraq was its epicenter. Until the development of artificially cultured pearls in the 1920’s, pearls were more valuable than even diamonds, and exceptional pearls were highly prized. In the city of Muharraq, almost everyone was involved in the trade, and its culture defined the city. In contrast to many other Arabian pearling cities, such as Dubai where buildings were mainly temporary structures built of palm wood, Muharraq was built largely of coral stone, which ensured the preservation of the historical city. 

The Bahrain Pearling Path is a passage through the historical city, dotted by such historical monuments. Social gathering places during this period included coffees houses, lounges for socializing (Majils), as well as houses of music. Siyadi Majlis, Murad Majlis, Al-Jalahma House, Nukhidhah House are among the properties where the social gatherings took place. Murad Majlis still preserves its function as of today.

During the last decade, Noura Al Sayeh Holtrop, Head of Architectural Affairs, Bahrain, has led the rejuvenation of the town of Muharraq through the invitation of select international architects to build along the path. The buildings realized are of a refined but basic form of contemporary architecture, by architects such as Christian Kerez, Valerio Olgiati, Anne Holtrop and Office KGDVS. This mixture of the traditional urban fabric and its vernacular building with a clearly defined contemporary attitude to architecture has created an entirely new condition, in which the beauty of the dense old city is opened to contemporary life. The pearling path leads you through the town, along it historical moments and contemporary architectural ideas. 

The semester task is to further develop the project of the pearling path as established by the department of urban conservation.  Each student will be asked to work with a building along this path, whether new construction or rehabilitation of an existing structure, and to develop an urban space in connection with this building. Special attention will be paid to the concept of _sufficiency_: in other words, what is the appropriate scope of intervention to realize an architectural idea — in spatial, material, technological and environmental terms

This semester, we will collaborate with Noura Al Sayeh Holtrop, Head of Architectural Affairs. As a practicing architect and administrative leader, she has led the development of an architectural  position for the nation of Bahrain, working both with international exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale and Expo Milan, and with the rejuvenation of the town of Muharraq, its historical capital. 

An excurison or longer visit to Muharraq is planned, but in these times of COVID19, this is subject to change.