Architectural Future of the Gulf: Out With the New In With the Old | Civil Architecture

This afikra podcast episode with Hamed Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi of Civil Architecture delves into the architectural, geographic, cultural, and historic fabric of "the Gulf". We ask what and where is the Gulf? Is it a concrete geography or an abstract entity? Ali and Hamed reflect on what it means to be of and from this region and how this has evolved over time. Through an economic and political lens, they talk about the branding of the Gulf, the intellectual project behind it, and the impact of neoliberal policies on its present and future. Finally, we ask them both to compare and contrast their home cities of Kuwait (for Hamed) and Bahrain (for Ali) — and explain why some people consider highways to be public spaces.