DOC The Battle for Home: The Vision of a Young Architect in Syria by Marwa al-Sabouni in History

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Vital New Perspective on SyriaBy Owen HodgeHow many of us know of a city that we love; that makes us feel like we belong there; and where it means something unique and satisfying to say that you live there? Doesn’t have to be a famous place or a tourist destination. It does have to be home. When that happens; people will identify as citizens of the city; rather than as members of a particular ethnicity; national origin; or religion. This is how Marwa al-Sabouni experienced living in the Syrian city of Homs. This is what has been lost in the raging Syrian civil war. And this is what Marwa al-Sabouni would reclaim. She describes the horrific consequence of bombing and the terror of traveling across town through unpredictable checkpoints. She writes with beautiful persuasive power that the future of Homs depends on a vision of locally grounded urban planning that matches the needs of people rather than corrupt government bureaucrats; developers and landlords. Her passions are family; architecture; Homs; truth … and courage. This is an important book from a number of perspectives. In this time of desperate brutal conflict she calmly insists that her skill as an architect is relevant. As far as I am concerned; Marwa al-Sabouni definitely makes the case.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Syria from the insideBy brianna2949Great read! We carry out our entire lives in architectural structures and naturally feel different in well-designed; beautiful and functional places .. but I had never really thought about this in depth before reading this book. I think the author has some really creative and progressive ideas about how architecture can influence social dynamics. There are of course so many factors behind the crisis in Syria; but her ideas are convincing. And beyond the actual topic of the book; just hearing a first hand account of someone living through all of this is reason enough to read the book. What I actually found most moving were her descriptions of the every day drudgery; frustrations; and limitations of living in such a corrupt and totalitarian state (long before the current crisis). Will make you think differently about immigrants and the freedoms we have. Highly recommend.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Architectural observations were good; but hard to see the possibilities with the ...By ELAEnlightening inside view of Syria. Architectural observations were good; but hard to see the possibilities with the current situation.