Sharjah Architecture Triennial Opens a Collection Room Dedicated to Baghdad, Damascus and Tunis
Sharjah Architecture Triennial (SAT) has announced A Journey into Architecture Archives: Baghdad, Damascus, Tunis, a new exhibition on view from 2 May to 12 July 2026 at Al Qasimiyah School in Sharjah. Curated by Lebanese architect and Arab Center for Architecture founding director George Arbid, the project is the second iteration of SAT’s long-term research initiative dedicated to architectural archives across the Arab world, following a 2023 edition focused on Beirut, Cairo and Rabat.
Abdelsattar Al-Ayash Architect at the office of Kahtan Awni, Baghdad, 1960s Credit: Mohammad H.H. Al-Hassani
This edition marks a deliberate shift in format, from conventional exhibition display to a Collection Room, a quieter mode of engagement designed to reflect the political precarity surrounding the featured cities. The room brings together reproductions of architectural drawings, documents and physical models drawn largely from the period between 1930 and 1980, sourced from private collections and institutional archives. Among the highlights are materials related to the Hôtel du Lac in Tunis, designed by Raffaele Contigiani and currently under threat of demolition, alongside documentation of experimental cinemas in Damascus and modernist civic projects in Baghdad, including the Mayoralty Building by Iraqi architect Hisham Munir.
Complementing the archival display, SAT has commissioned three documentary films directed by Arbid, filmed on location across the three cities. The works weave material discoveries with oral histories from architects, archivists, residents and historians, and will be made available as a permanent online resource following the exhibition’s close.
Al-Mehdi Bldg, Cité Al-Moizz, Al_Menzah, Tunis, 1960-62 Jason Kyriakopoulos and Simon Taieb. Drawings. Credit: Narjes Ben Abdelghani
“This project has a long-term vision of contributing to a comprehensive and accessible architectural archive for the region. It fosters education, research and personal discovery, offering a layered understanding of the past, present and possible futures of the built environment across these three cities. In moments of conflict, our role extends beyond presenting history to caring for the stories we hold. It is great that this archive is preserved, but more importantly, it should be used.” – George Arbid – curator, architect and founding director of the Arab Center for Architecture in Beirut
George Arbid Credit Farah Kassab
To mark the opening on Saturday 2 May, Arbid will present an online lecture from 3–4pm, followed by a moderated panel discussion from 4–5:30pm featuring Salma Gharbi, Zaid Issam, Ahmad Salah and Ola Seif.
A Journey into Architecture Archives: Baghdad, Damascus, Tunis is on view at Al Qasimiyah School, Sharjah, from 2 May to 12 July 2026. Guided and independent tours can be booked online.
