Kul 'am Wa Antum Bikhair - Gott Nytt År - Onnellista Uutta Vuotta - Happy New Year...

Happy New Year Everyone... May the coming year be a merry one, and tomorrow, may your morning after the night before be like the day before the night before...

The Extraordinary Ordinary - Dry Mud (Sharjah)...

There are those who claim that watching paint dry is, at best, an acquired taste. There's something to be said though, for pictures of dry or drying mud. The patterns that result from this dehydrating process are a sight for, at least some, sore eyes, forming indigenous/ regional incarnations of Tapies...

The pictures were taken during a recent trip to Sharjah a day or two after some heavy rains.

Season's Greetings...

An illustration of a 'Snow Bird' (Avis Nix in pseudo-Latin), done with the aid of my daughters...

Season's greetings to you all... May the coming year bring you fortune, friendship and fun...

SAM Street Proposal - Let's Start by Bringing a Tram line to Kuwait...

Before the metro, before even the train line, we should introduce a tram-line to Kuwait. Not all of Al-Kuwait, but initially only a very select section of the city – SAM Street (Salem Al-Mubarak Street in Salmiya)...

A tram line would not only encourage, usually full-time, drivers to become (part-time) pedestrians by alleviating finding a parking spot, as it would be easy to park at one location and take the tram to another. It would also be a faster means of getting around as it would mostly be the sole occupant of the central, currently more or less unused, central island separating the lanes. Using this space would entail that some of the trees which reside in this space would need to be removed, but hopefully this could be achieved by simply relocating them to an adjacent pavement. Developing a tram line would also, as infrastructure projects go, be a undertaking that in scale wouldn't, economically nor effort wise, be too insurmountable a task and would provide both an initial incentive and test-ground to explore the value, the do's & don'ts, for similar or other alternative means of transport in Kuwait. It would also furnish SAM Street with a unique character that's distinct from any other locales in Kuwait and would befit and support it as a pedestrianized district. It could also easily be expanded or integrated into other complementary transport systems. Perhaps it's the type of catalyst the city needs to begin doing something instead of just talking (about doing something).

Above and below - Two mappings proposing the potential routes of the tram-line along SAM Street. Proposal A would mainly occupy the central island between the street's two lanes, whereas Proposal B snakes and loops around a bit more, providing a slightly less confrontational approach to both the street's pedestrian and vehicular traffic...

There's been some very constructive debates and proposals going on between this and the re:kuwait blog regarding how the implementation and detailing of Kuwait's urban plan could be improved. Much of it has focused on how to lessen our dependence on the car in everything we do in Kuwait.

A chart exploring the approximate speed a tram could advance along SAM Street. It also provides a suggestion for stops along the street...

I think some of the points made in recent re:kuwait posts by Barrak (click here and here to access these) regarding only concentrating on the development of SAM Street's narrower western end are valid ones, and the most viable place to begin such an endeavour. Supporting this, however, it can be argued that to simultaneously also keep in mind the surrounding and related areas down east from 'Old Salmiya', which currently is the more populous and active end of the street, needs to be considered, if only for the sake of balance. Connecting these two ends, through a tram or some other means, would strengthen the character of the area as a whole, and allow it to develop and hopefully thrive as a continuous collective rather than the set of separate piecemeal entities it presently reads as. Currently few people realize how close some of the key nodes are along SAM Street. Walking from the 4^th Ring Road end to the little junction point plaza by the U-turns takes about five minutes; walking from there to the Al-Salam building end takes another five minutes; continuing onwards it's only a five minute walk to Marina Mall (a stretch of road which could be even shorter if crossing the Hamad Al-Mubarak Street junction was made easier). From the Marina Mall down to the next large intersection, Qatar Street, takes about five minutes, and again it's only about a five minute stroll down to the Al-Fanar Mall. The last stretch of SAM Street from the Al Fanar to AUK requires again only an approximately five minute amble. Placing tram stops at about these nodes and junctions would allow one to reach all of the key locations along SAM Street within a few minutes stroll...

An illustration showing some of the key nodes along SAM Street, and approximate walking distances/ times between them...

Non-Shopping to Happiness (Expanding the Remit of SAM Street)...

Spending Money is not an Activity...

“...shopping should never be the main reason for coming into the city.”

These wise words were stated by the Danish architect and urbanist Jan Gehl who is credited with transforming Copenhagen into one of the most 'livable cities' and aiding in making its people amongst the happiest. Some of the greatest pleasures in visiting a new city is just meandering, walking around almost at random, making decisions on the spot and 'following ones nose' according to various interesting features that catch ones fancy – let (the corner of) one's eyes, ears, nose lead the way... 'Doing nothing' is a valid urban activity – chatting with friends, daydreaming, strolling, people watching... Shopping can be 'a' reason, but shouldn't necessarily be 'the' reason for visiting a city.

An analysis of existing and potential future locations for parking, something which would become relevant when transforming parts of SAM Street into a pedestrian zone...

Most mall designs in Kuwait seem to be based on the same business template – build a large shed filled with retail spaces, find one or two anchor tenants (think Sultan Centre and Debenhams at Souq Sherq, or Ikea and Carrefour at Avenues Mall), place them at each end of the design (or occasionally below, as in the 360 Mall), include plenty of parking, and 'Bob's your uncle' – things will take care of themselves... That's not the case anymore, as Kuwait has by now become 'out-malled' – the ratio between potential consumers and malls have reached, even for a shopper's haven like Kuwait, a point of supersaturation beyond which there simply aren't enough consumers to frequent them all. The result is, as can be witnessed by the row of more or less abandoned malls around the western end of SAM Street (Galleria 2000, Mariam Shopping Mall, Al Bustan, to mention a few)...

By re-designing this section of SAM Street the balance and intensity of the area would be changed - this would be needed to take into account in the development of the neighbourhood...

The formulae for an enterprising business cluster needs to expand and begin including a more enriched, multi-dimensional and varied recipe of urban elements into its design.

It also has to be emphasized, in response to a comment by 'Mark' who lives at SAM Street, left in response to earlier posts, that the aim with this exercise is not to necessarily demolishing the street's buildings, but to retain the qualities that make it special and unique in Kuwait - the scale, proportions, heights of its buildings and the varying width of the street (a version of 'Pimp-my-Street', if you will) only here applied with perhaps a bit more forethought, care, practicality and, hopefully, elegance and style... The idea is not to change the area, as it's exactly the inherent qualities of SAM Street which make it so appealing, but to, call it, 'update' it, to retain its idiosyncrasies whilst expanding its idiom.

Nooks & Crannies...

It's important that there are things to discover, things that surprise you, when walking about. A bit further down the road from the 'Old Salmiya' end of SAM Street, opposite the M&S store, there are a myriad alleyways filled with privately owned women's shoe-shops, jewellers, bakalas, clothing-shops and other bric-a-brac stores selling everything and anything that one might fancy. The casual richness and value of such places should not be underestimated. It is this type of a locale that should be emulated on some of the currently empty back lots adjacent to SAM Street. They should be made up of pedestrian alleyways with smallish shops, ranging in size from, say, 5 square meter kiosks up to 70 square meter workshop-shops – the idea being that it would built upon an encourage the development of SAM Street into a, as mentioned in some of the previous posts, 'creative neighbourhood', that, in conjunction with the proposed university/ design school (as discussed in a previous post - see link above), would allow for a whole support network for related activities to develop in this area. Small galleries specializing in displaying anything from experimental jewellery to performance spaces for theatre, dance, video art or any other more experimental public presentations. Small stores and stands displaying anything from mint & chili honey to various types of 'darabil' (cinnamon). Shops selling hand-made paper and hand-bound books. Coffee-shops with galleries in their back – galleries with workshops in their back – workshops with stores in their back – book stores with 'speak-easys' in the back... The place should include stores that exist only for a weekend, and shops which become permanent landmarks in their own right (think Collette in Paris, Rough Trade in London, or the Strand Book Store in New York). A place where new ideas can be tested, old ideas wilfully ignored, mediocre concepts improved, poor conceptions failed, and great endeavours expanded. SAM Street should be allowed to evolve into a real, multi-functional and inspirational, neighbourhood.

An illustration showing how an existing typology of 'alleyway' retail shops, located opposite the M&S store, could be appropriated and used as a template down East on some of the demolished plots adjacent to SAM Street in Old Salmiya...

Why not begin here with the, often talked about but seldom explained, revitalization of Kuwait as a cultural, social as well as commercial hub? Developing something multi-faceted such as this would benefit all stratum and paradigms of, both commercial and cultural, life in Kuwait. As nation building goes it's a minute step, but these types of endeavours need to be evolved one step at a time. It's a project that needs to be given time to bloom and prosper - gradual maturation and transformation of the SAM Street neighbourhood where worthy idiosyncrasies are allowed to thrive – unique things, regardless of purpose or context, are allowed to flourish and materialize...

The proposal takes advantage of the, already a while back, demolished plots adjacent to SAM Street to expand the remit of the urban brief, creating support areas in character aligned with the creation of Kuwait's first 'Creative Neighbourhood'...

Cultural Promotion in Kuwait..?!

A detail from a painting by the Kuwaiti artist Ghadah Al Kandari...

Are there any formal/ governmental institutions in Kuwait promoting Kuwaiti culture? This query was at least partly triggered by a short snippet of a piece in one of the local English newspapers which informed us that Kuwait University was planning to sponsor Cultural Attaches at select embassies, and the somewhat seemingly unspecified role such an attache might need to fulfil (click here for a related article). It seems like here the role of a cultural attache is 'merely' to act as a liaison between Kuwait and its students abroad, a role which in itself is a worthy one, but not one necessarily affiliated with the term 'cultural attache' (click here for for the link to the Kuwait Cultural Office). Are there any governmental, or government sponsored, organizations promoting and fulfilling the role of Kuwaiti 'soft power' abroad? This practice, which aims to heighten the awareness and improve the impression of the home country through an act of 'gentle persuasion' - a more diplomatic, subtle, and benign form of conviction - has an extended history in countries such as Germany, and the Scandinavian countries, and a method of diplomacy more recently also applied by countries such as China. This practice, which usually entails promoting different cultural activities relating to the various arts, such as fine arts, design, architecture, literature, music, theatre, etcetera, as well as language and education, in a host country. It is something that Kuwait is in dire need of if it wishes to be known for more than just its oil. The British Council, the Goethe Institute, Confucius Institute, Finnish Institute, to mention a few, are all examples of related endeavours. There are, of course, organizations such as the Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyyah, but this is a privately set up and funded organization which functions, to my knowledge, without any governmental support.

For a nation that prides itself on its heritage and unique character it wouldn't do much harm to begin defining, developing and promoting such pursuits, and what the term 'culture' (be it in a historical or contemporary context) actually means, both in and outside Kuwait. For, and I sincerely believe this, it is only through different cultural activities - the exploration and testing of various ideas through various mediums - that this nation can capture and begin defining itself a role and identity that reverberates both within and beyond its sandy borders...

The Extraordinary Ordinary - Airport Reflections...

It's interesting what one gets up to (and begins noticing) when a bit bored... Included are a few images taken during a recent stop-over at the Emirates Terminal in Dubai. All the images are of reflections 'bounced off' various surfaces, both vertical and horizontal - plane and curvy, around the terminal.

Above and below - Reflections of a cylindrical steel column...


Transit passengers viewed on the side of a black car...

Polished granite floor adjacent to triangular windows...

Low voltage lights immersed in vertical glass partitions, amongst other reflected airport paraphernalia...

Dot matrix light-board reflected off a red granite floor...

Opaque glass floor...

Above and below - Reflections off striped cylindrical columns...

The Extraordinary Ordinary - Shadows in Kuwait...

Morning shadow of a bridge in Raas Al-Salmiya...

Here in Kuwait we spend most of our time in the shade. This avoidance of direct sunlight extends beyond just an insistence on spending time indoors for reasons of comfort (within the direct ambit of AC), but has also transcended into a cultural and social realm - a phenomena that has infiltrated the local dress sense, the duration and way exterior space is perceived and used, the way the region designs and constructs its buildings and cities. Beyond the more enveloping sartorial choices suggested by various canonical dictums (which includes wearing gloves during the Summer months), this also entails that the choreography according to which we occupy and interact with each other is at least partly guided by an, usually intuitive, retreat into shadows. Very few things in Kuwait are done in sunlight, as the city we occupy today is designed in a manner which minimises any direct exposure. This notion can also be applied to various analogous intimations, as illustrated by some of the photos included below...

Shadow of street side palm...

Overlapping shadows, produced by crossed reflections from car headlights and a street light...

Bridge ramp...

Building facade by Gulf Road...

Stretched shadows of a clothes-line...

Afternoon reflections off an irregular window (Salwa)...

Translucent curtain in front of a class door...

Shadow of a tricycle on stained asphalt...

At least five shady cats...

Rain, Glorious Rain...

Something quite remarkable has been taking place here in Kuwait - we've had rain! There's been a proper, constant, drizzle for the last two days or so of bona-fide water coming from the sky... The weather's almost Scandinavian in character (well, late Summer in Scandinavia) with mist, not dust, blurring the horizon. We've even been wearing sweaters of late...

It's been fun, and a bit nostalgic, and it will probably 'drizzle out' soon. But it's been unique...

The Extraordinary Ordinary - Public Seating...

A throne in Salwa...

They're everywhere, yet, most of the time one hardly notices them. They come in all shapes and sizes, colours and conditions. They can be found in residential neighbourhoods as well as in various commercial areas and retail settings. And almost all of them seem to be examples of recycled and readopted seating from somewhere else. These chairs, benches and sofas have been given a second chance, a second life, to fulfil their intended purpose, each moved to, and marking a locale (usually a shady spot by a gate or entrance or a position with a clear sight-line over a particular area) where such a lingering conveniences are needed. Often missing an arm-rest of perhaps a section of their back, these seats, nevertheless, being devoid of the more 'cosmetic' roles performed by newer and more manicured chairs, achieve their objectives perhaps even better than some of their more recently purchased counterparts...

Above and below - public seating in Bneid Al-Gar...

A 'tree-chair' in SAM Street in Salmiya...

A chair with a splinted leg in Salmiya...

Above and below - Lounging in Bneid Al-Gar...


Siamese Sofas...

Strike a pose - skewed stripes...

Multiple choice chair(s)...

Group lounge (a flock/ school of sofas)...

Bench amongst columns...