- Exhibition in Jeddah focused on the architectural heritage that shapes the city’s modern identity.
- The exhibition highlighted the importance of preserving buildings from the 1970s to the 2000s due to their cultural significance.
Updated 8 min 56 sec ago
October 17, 2026 16:40
JEDDAH — Visitors explored the buildings and urban spaces that shaped Jeddah’s modern identity at the “Built Memories: Where Time Settles” exhibition, which highlighted the importance of preserving the city’s architectural heritage as it continues to develop.
The exhibition, which recently concluded, was organized by Jeddah Architecture in collaboration with MNWR. It examined how architecture, materials, and everyday spaces have influenced the city’s collective memory.
Focusing on the period from the 1970s to the 2000s, the event brought together architects, artists, designers, and researchers through diverse mediums, including photography, painting, sculpture, film, installations, and architectural models. The exhibition was structured into three distinct chapters: “Tracing the City,” which examined the forces behind Jeddah’s development; “The Language of Buildings,” exploring its architectural features and materials; and “Continuity,” which considered how existing structures could be preserved and adapted for the future.
Wiam Kafyah, an architect and co-founder of Jeddah Architecture, explained that the concept originated in 2014. While studying architecture in the city, she noticed that little attention was paid to its rich architectural history. “Ten years later, my co-founder, Fatemah Al-Madani, and I began documenting Jeddah through photographs, research, and stories,” Kafyah stated. “Seeing how people connected with these buildings and shared their memories inspired us to go further.”
Kafyah emphasized that the exhibition aimed to bridge art and architecture, highlighting the cultural significance of buildings that are frequently overlooked in rapid urban expansion.
Al-Madani, an interior designer and co-founder of the initiative, shared research revealing the staggering scale of Jeddah’s expansion during the 1970s oil boom. “In less than 10 years, the city grew to around five times its size, driven by rapid urban development,” she noted. She also highlighted the visionary influence of former Jeddah Mayor Mohammed Said Farsi, whose goal was to transform the city into an open-air museum where residents and visitors could engage with art in public spaces.
“What makes this period so special is how architecture and public art grew together, shaping the identity of the Jeddah we know today,” Al-Madani remarked. She believes that buildings constructed between the 1970s and 2000s deserve greater recognition, particularly those blending international architectural styles with Hijazi influences and local identity. “Some of these buildings are now nearly 50 years old, making it especially important to recognize and document their significance,” she added, noting that the initiative is actively working to register these structures as modern heritage.
Architect Franco Audrito, whose diverse portfolio spans residential, industrial, office, leisure, and educational projects, presented a selection of his work alongside a conference on architecture and quality of life. Audrito cited Jeddah’s Corniche and the architectural heritage of its historic center as key influences, but emphasized that the people of Jeddah left the strongest impression: “The most profound influence came from the people of Jeddah, who, over the centuries, arrived from diverse cultures through pilgrimage, bringing with them the values and experiences of their cultures of origin.” He expressed hope that his contributions would inspire younger generations to view architecture as a medium for expressing values, responding to the present, and imagining the future.
Jeddah Architecture’s exhibition contribution featured rare books, historic maps, drawings of the Corniche, research papers, and 3D-printed models of notable buildings. Additionally, physical samples of granite, patterned glass, and glass blocks illustrated the materials used in the city’s built environment.
Abdulmohsen Adas, an architect on the exhibition team, and Samah Al-Sharif, a multidisciplinary urban designer, presented architectural models at a 1:700 scale, depicting buildings that helped define Jeddah’s skyline. Adas explained that the city’s modern architecture reflects a unique combination of international modernism, traditional Hijazi influences, and experimentation. He pointed to geometric facades, expressive concrete structures, shading elements, and locally inspired materials as key characteristics, citing the National Commercial Bank headquarters, commercial towers, and residential buildings as prime examples of the era.
Al-Sharif, who relocated to Jeddah from Madinah in 2023, described her evolving perspective on the city: “At first, I saw Jeddah through maps and plans. Over time, I began to walk its streets and notice the details those plans could not show me.” She expressed a deep appreciation for both the historic houses of Al-Balad and the modern buildings from the 1970s to the early 2000s, including villas and small commercial properties that often go unnoticed. “Jeddah is not the city where I grew up, but it is the city that taught me to look more closely,” she said.
Seba Al-Darmsi, an interior designer on the exhibition team, noted that the combination of archival materials, architectural models, and building samples offered visitors a tangible and immersive way to explore the city’s development.
Mayadah Al-Sawaf, an interior architect and team member, shared her hope that the exhibition would encourage the public to pay closer attention to their surroundings. “We get so used to the buildings we grew up around that we don’t stop to take a real look at them,” she observed. Al-Sawaf highlighted that the architecture of the 1970s through the 1990s represents a distinctive transitional period, and she expressed hope that younger generations would recognize the links between earlier designs and contemporary architecture.
Artist and designer Raghad Al-Ahmad presented “The Architecture of Belonging,” an artwork inspired by Jeddah’s historic architecture and the stories behind its details. She noted that the city’s older buildings, Roshan windows, and traditional patterns continue to influence her creative work. She hopes visitors will view architectural heritage not as a legacy confined to the past, but as a vital source of inspiration that can inform contemporary art and design.
The exhibition also featured an extensive public program of talks, panels, and guided tours involving architects, researchers, and other contributors, including members of City Lab.