MEA speaks with curator Adrian Lahoud, who says the
triennial is an invitation to ‘radically rethink’ questions
about architecture and address climate change – ‘the most
urgent challenge facing humanity today’Sharjah Architecture
Triennial
Written by Rima Alsammarae
Images courtesy of Sharjah Architecture TriennialT
he coastal emirate of Sharjah is the third
largest city in the United Arab Emirates- and it’s considered the cultural capital
of the country. Among the many cultural
centres, government institutions that support art-led
initiatives, and the ongoing regeneration of heritage
spaces, the emirate’s creative realm is further defined
by the upcoming Sharjah Architecture Triennial.
The latest move in connecting the city’s motiva-
tions with its architectural past and future, as well
as a step towards rethinking its urban and environ-
mental footprint, in addition to that of the wider Mid-
dle East, North Africa and South Asia, the triennial
was launched as a non-profit initiative and is legally
housed under the Sharjah Urban Planning Council
and funded by the Government of Sharjah. Chaired
by Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, the team behind the
initiative is formed by its partners including the Di-
rectorate of Town Planning and Survey; the American
University of Sharjah’s College of Architecture, Art
& Design (CAAD); the Sharjah Art Foundation; and
Bee’ah.
The curator of the triennial, Adrian Lahoud, ar-
chitect, urban designer and dean of the School of
Architecture at London’s Royal College of Art, spoke
to MEA about the event ahead of its launch in Novem-
ber 2019.
According to Lahoud, the theme ‘Rights of Future
Generations’ is an invitation to “radically rethink”
fundamental questions about architecture and its
power to create and sustain alternative modes of
existence.
“The theme prompts us to interrogate the fact that,
while individual rights have expanded over the past
few decades, collective rights, such as rights of na-
ture and environmental rights have been neglected,”
he said.
“Following various lines of enquiry around housing,
education and the environment, the triennial seeks
to question and decolonise architectural discourse;
it uses architectural design as an opportunity to re-
alise these alternative modes of living, including new
concepts of buildings, cities, landscapes and territo-
ries, and to consider how these may be better adapted
and understood as part of contemporary life and pos-
sible futures.”COVER STORY / 27