Somalia 50+ years from now

[KEYNAN22]

Will it ever look something similar to this..

 

 

 

 

Or will our kids also inherent what our generation has inherited, the status quo somali architecture...

 

 

blessed with these productive human resource

 

 

It all depends on us..

[- Femme -]

I would be royally pissed if somalia looked like that 50 yrs from now - I would be too old to enjoy it! :mad: :mad: :mad:

 

Get working lazy bums!

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

loool. Nice post K.

 

That says plenty.

[Jacpher]

Nice pictures.

 

In a fantasy world, it can happen right at this moment but in real life, chances are slim to none. The grandchildren of our grandchildren may live to see this happen in 250 years or so.

[me]

Nahhh Keynan22, Somalia will look better in 50 years time. No high rises like that and no imitation of western architecture.

 

We should make our own distinct Somali style of building. What better way to rebuild our nation then with a new design. A statement of the New Somalia, a new, wiser and more confident nation. A nation that no longer imitates, but sets the trend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you see the resemblance?

 

It would be a way of rhyming our past and traditions with our future. It would be the 'evolution' of Somali culture. Instead of following the 'standard' maybe we should be bold and brave and look into our own culture for inspiration and create something that is truly ours.

 

The ones who have been to the South Coast of Somalia also know the Swahili architecture and designs of old Kismayo. That is also our culture and we can do wonderful things with it.

 

Imagine all houses in Somalia being round, while the rest of the world has 4 walls. That would be some statement. It would say.

 

Welcome to Somalia, we do things our own way!

[me]

Jimcaale don’t despair man, this war gives us an opportunity to rebuild our land in a way we could have only dreamt of. In 1991 a the beginning of the war an old man told me that our nation was build on the wrong foundations and that we will destroy it and rebuild it again and when we rebuild it we will make sure that we have the right foundations. Now we are still discussing what kind of a foundation but when we Somalis have figured it out, we will have a nation that is fair and just and it willshow in everything.

 

The Lebanese Civil War lasted 1975-1990, they killed each other just like we are doing now and they made peace at the end. And they decided to rebuild their nation. Check out the following before and after pics. They will show you, that rebuilding is not a problem. We will do it in the blink of an eye. So no 250 years, we will be explaining to our children what happened and our grand children won’t know and won’t care and we will have to bore them todeath on how bad it was.

 

 

 

http://mybookofrai.typepad.com/photos/lebanon_june_05/beirut.jpg

 

So you see people can overcome destruction. Lebanon did it, Vietnam did it, Croatia did it, Bosnia did it and Somalia can do it. We can do it in as little as 10 years and if you don’t believe it, check out the prices of land in the country, they keep rising and rising and rising and why is that? Because everybody is preparing for building a new house or rebuilding their old one.

 

[ August 17, 2006, 03:37: Message edited by: Admin ]

[TenaciousSoul]

KEYNAN22, great thread

>

>

 

ME.. On the point, I must say

 

 

u know something , i too have the same optimistic views as u do mr/miss me … I believe that Somali will be the ultimate example of THE recovered state. And I predict that Somali will be some day.. The superpower of the whole continent of africa

As for the design of our motherland… well as a student of architecture... I certainly do not version or hope for Somali to have any high-raise buildings. it certainly does not compliment our environment nor does it compliment our culture.

[N.O.R.F]

^architect student ey? hows the Autocad?

 

hhmmm, certainly not a fan of stacking them high with a glass envelope. A little tradition should do the trick. But what is a somali design? or east African design? or even an african design?

[me]

^^^ Design that reflects our culture and identity. Northerner if you have been to Mogadisho's old city, Marka, Barawe or Kismayo you will see the old Somali/Swahili ways of building. Every nation has its own design.

 

All that we said here is that when rebuilding we shouldnot just build a building but buildbuildings that say something. Buildings with history. Buildings that reflect our culture. Most of us are the decandants of nomads after all and through our achtitecture we can show our roots.

 

All this is about one thing and that is IDENTITY.

Its about claiming Somali's place on earth. Its about our contribution to the beauty of this world. We need to showing our culture and add beauty to the world.

[Ms DD]

Salaam aleykum

 

Before we start building these skyscarpers, let us start clearing up the roads.

 

 

We have many educated people around the globe, why are we still backwards?

[N.O.R.F]

Me, never got the opportunity, do you have any pics? Although i suspect many of the designs to have originated elsewhere.

 

I smell a new SOL competition

[me]

Northerner architecture is an evolution of building styles, everything originated somewhere else that’s why Tenacious and I where talking about distinctly Somali designs that have their roots in Somalia.

 

I will get few pictures for you to show you my point.

 

Look at the way that European nations (especially the British) have many buildings that have been built in a Greco-Roman style. Why do they do that? Why have they done that? I have my answer, you think of one for yourself.

 

In Somalia especially the Southern coast many of the buildings are inspired by Arabic architecture, after all the Swahili culture is a mix of African cultures and Arabic culture. But these buildings are Somali designs because of few things. 1. The design is different from that of Arabia or elsewhere in Africa so it is unique. 2. These buildings have been built by local Somalis. 3. These buildings & designs can be found nowhere else.

 

So although these designs have been inspired by others we have made them our own by adding our own interpretations to it.

 

By using local Somali materials, Somali labour, Somali interpretation.

 

Just like one can not deny that the Britishness of the Greco-Roman inspired buildings of Britain, No one can deny the Somaliness of the Somali/Swahili architecture of the Somali South coast.

 

 

Greco-Roman in Britain

 

 

Somali/Swahili designs in Xamar (I can’t find any pictures of Kismayo and Barawe, I am in love with the Kismayo ones)

 

 

Nomadic Somali designs

 

 

 

The nomadic ‘Aqal Somali’ can be the departure points for the new Somali building designs.

 

‘Modern Aqal Somali’ could be the result of all this. A building with allot of symbolism. A building that has its roots in the Horn of Africa. It would be our contribution to the world. Instead of following other designs we can start our own trend. It would say that Somalia is no longer denying its roots, it is proud of its nomadic culture and ‘Modern Aqal Somalis’ would be a way of celebrating our culture.

[N.O.R.F]

Me a fan of Arab originated design? :eek: Saxib, i dont see any Somaliness in the designs, they look as arab as the buildings in Muscat. I cant see where/how they have been adopted to show a Somali aspect. I think a continuation of the Arab inspired designs are impossible today.

 

The building will most likely be dark and will therefore require more lighting (costs more money). The Aqal Somali is also not possible with bricks and mortar. Again it will boil down to cost of building and cost to the life of the building.

 

I'm talking of buildings with a degree of natural lighting, limited mechnical ventilation (plenty of natural) with atriums, high ceilings etc.

 

Eco freindly and little cost is whats important these days.

 

Design development on SOL :cool:

[me]

Northerner I will not argue with you on the Arab inspired Somali buildings. I am not a fan of Arab designs but I can not deny that the design was inspired by Arabs and executed by Somalis so it is a Somali building. Just like you can not call the British Museum a Roman building.

 

Butttt I am willing to talk about the Aqal Somali.

 

I have thought about it and I think it can be done. Lighting is a matter of adding windows. The building will have light weight materials such as aluminium frame.

 

The concept of self sufficiency should also be central to it.

 

This modern aqal Somali should be easily built in a short period. And it should be self contained & Eco friendly. With today’s technology we can build buildings like that at a relatively low cost.

 

Why I want this is because I want to be able to live in the 'MIYI'. Under a qudhac three and enjoy my country.

[N.O.R.F]

Fair point

 

Openable sky lights and solar panels will make it a free living experience.

 

In the meantime, i propose this for the displaced masses