Libya’s Architecture on the Brink

March 7, 2011 | Maryam Eskandari

featured in NYC Elan magazine

In the past couple of years, Libya has been on the forefront on cutting edge architecture. Competing with other Middle Eastern countries, such as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, Libya has been able to keep up with the “architecture boom” that has been on the rise in that region. However, several days ago, when the Security Council of the United Nation slapped a 15-0 vote sanctions on Libya in hopes to send a strong message to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi; many of the architectural firms stepped up to support the United Nation decision. The international firms that have on-going projects have all vowed that they would never work in Libya, under Gaddafi’s regime and have suspended all projects.

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Redesigning Mecca

November 18, 2010 | Maryam Eskandari

Featured in New York's Elan Magazine

This last week, roughly between two to four million Muslims were honorary guests at the “House of the Divine” to fulfill a spiritual cleansing. Millions of people come each year to visit this architectural wonder, built by the father of the three monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They get to witness the foundation that Abraham laid, in order to build his Ummah or the society of the “Abrahamic Faiths.” This year Muslims visited the Ka’aba, before it goes under heavy renovation by two of Britain’s “starchitects”: Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid.

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Sand Dunes of China

Oct 10, 2010| Maryam Eskandari

featured in New York's Elan Magazine

This year, Aladdin and his 1001 night’s stories somehow ended up looking for the genie’s lamp in the heart of one of the most architecturally congested cities of the world, Shanghai. Unless, you where busy trying to get your three wishes, you know that this summer was one of the most hyper active summers, where the whole world got together. Despite the fact that Hollywood tried to do us a favor and take us to Iran, with the Prince of Persia, to Abu Dhabi with Sex and the City or the whole world watching South Africa for the World Cup; China just decided to bring the whole world to its back yard with the World Expo. Of which, United Arab Emirates (UAE) audaciously gave a big pile of sand to be displayed.

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