BILLOW

Finalist
Baghdad Design Center 
Baghdad, Iraq
​​​2018

Collaboration: Pietro Paolo Speziale​

Contemporary cities are aiming to deal with architectural and urban heritage as a vital entity that can adapt to the modern life style and needs without sacrificing the region’s identity and uniqueness, especially those cities that are historically and culturally profound, which has resulted in the possession of the architectural and urban heritage. Many Islamic cities worldwide are proud of their traditional markets. The market in Islamic cities has revived the city through its presence, while the city has formed the market according to its needs. The building does not want to be a cumbersome presence in the city, rather it wants to be a center where people can meet, exchange ideas and opinions on the most modern design themes.

The goal is to allow a gradual transition between a city so rich in traditions, history, culture and customs with the most modern technologies and design that could be exhibited inside. Mainly using as a vernacular element of the project the tent often used in the markets, as a shelter to mitigate the intensity of the sun.

A special prerogative is to allow people to use, as it is still used, the space delimited by the walls of the building as a meeting point for citizens. The building detaches from the ground a few meters to leave the ground floor a large open space where there may be exhibitions, events or simply where you can laze and stop from the intense rhythms of the city.