Marwa Al-Sabouni
Syrian Architect | Rebuilding Cities with Empathy
About
Marwa Al-Sabouni is a Syrian architect who has pioneered an empathetic approach to urban design and reconstruction. As the author of the acclaimed book 'The Battle for Home', she has provided a powerful firsthand account of how the built environment can either fuel or heal societal divisions.
Al-Sabouni has led reconstruction efforts in her hometown of Homs, using architecture to bridge communities and restore a sense of shared identity. Her keynotes challenge audiences to rethink the social role of design, showing how thoughtful city planning can promote unity, justice, and human flourishing.
Talks1
How Syria's architecture laid the foundation for brutal war
What caused the war in Syria? Oppression, drought and religious differences all played key roles, but Marwa Al-Sabouni suggests another reason: architecture. Speaking to us over the Internet from Homs, where for the last six years she has watched the war tear her city apart, Al-Sabouni suggests that Syria's architecture divided its once tolerant and multicultural society into single-identity enclaves defined by class and religion. The country's future now depends on how it chooses to rebuild.
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