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Cultural Sustainability and Identity: The Case of Kuwait

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The International
Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL,
CULTURAL, ECONOMIC
& SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Volume 3, Number 1

Cultural Sustainability and Identity: The Case of

Kuwait

Yasser Mahgoub

www.sustainability-journal.com
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Cultural Sustainability and Identity: The Case of Kuwait
Yasser Mahgoub, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait

Abstract: This paper investigates the relationship between sustainability and the expression of cultural identity in architecture.
It argues that the expression of identity in architecture observed in many countries is an attempt to create architecture that
sustains and supports the continuity of cultural and social values. An understanding of this phenomenon is required in order
to comprehend its impact on the cultural sustainability of the built environment. Architecture in Kuwait has passed through
dramatic changes during the second half of the 20th century as a result of rapid planning and development. This paper ex-
amines how identity is being expressed in architecture in the context of Kuwait as an attempt to create a more culturally
sustainable environment. The aim of this study was to compare the views of the architects and non-architects regarding the
relationship between architecture and cultural identity. The research included a survey of the views of practicing architects
in Kuwait using standardized questionnaire and focused interviews and another survey was conducted using a more visual
standardized questionnaire to understand the views of non-architects. The comparative analysis of data revealed several
differences and commonalities between architects and non-architects views. The study is useful for practitioners and critics
to understand the current trend towards achieving cultural identity in contemporary architecture and its impact on the
cultural sustainability of the built environment in Kuwait and other Gulf countries.

Keywords: Architecture, Culture, Sustainability, Identity, Kuwait

Introduction as fast evolving cultures, values and lifestyles. (Lim,

2004:19) Ogura et al attempted to clarify the charac-
HIS PAPER INVESTIGATES the relation-

T ship between sustainability and the expres-

sion of cultural identity in architecture. It ar-
gues that the expression of identity in archi-
tecture is an attempt to create architecture that sus-
tains and supports the continuity of cultural and so-
cial values. It is a conscious practice by architects
and individuals to create a built environment that
express ownership, belonging and continuity in a
place. Our understanding of cultural identity expres-
sion in the built environment is indispensable for
achieving sustainability. As Bechhoefer put it, “what
people expect from their buildings and cities can be
drastically at odds with principles of sustainable
design.” (Bechhoefer, 2005) Eric Pol asserts that
sustainability is not possible without a well estab-
lished social fabric that allows people to recognize
themselves as a group or as community sharing pro-
totypical features and having achieved certain levels
of social cohesion. (Pol, 2002:9)
The phenomenon of expressing cultural identity
in architecture is observed in many parts of the
world. In Europe, Gospondini argues that “in the
process of economic and cultural globalization,
European integration and the blur of national identit-
ies in Europe, place identity emerges as a central
concern of both scholars and other people.” (Gos-
podini, 2004:225) In Singapore, Lim observed that
architects vigorously adopted, transformed and integ-
rated traditions to reflect contemporary realities such
teristics of the modern Filipino style which was in-
troduced by leading architects following World War
II. They discovered that one of the most comprehens-
ible expressions of domestic style is the direct quota-
tion of traditional shape. (Ogura et al, 2002:238)
In the Arab region, the phenomenon of expressing
cultural identity in architecture became significant
during the seventies as the influence of moderniza-
tion started to be more apparent in creating com-
pletely different architecture than the traditional Arab
city architecture. Salama argues that, “in the Arab
region, issues that pertain to identity, character, and
architectural trends of the built environment have
been in debate for two or three decades, more so
because of this region’s cultural uniqueness and
plurality. However, it is this cultural uniqueness that
has made it a tough quest and has – in many cases,
culminated into sacred symbolism that is painful to
behold or comprehend.” (Salama, 2006) Saleh points
out that climatic, social, topographic and economical
aspects were important factors in the formulation of
regionalism in Saudi Arabian cities. He argues that
these factors are now weakened by two controversial
trends in planning and design of place known as the
traditionalism and modernism. He asserts that the
professionals use their skill in the incorporation of
historical as well as new images of the physical place
and structures to enhance their identifiability and
recognition in the city. The image represents a cul-

THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY,

VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1, 2007
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138 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY, VOLUME 3
tural significance which tie it to culture. (Saleh,
1998)
Al-Naim explains the cultural hybridity that char-
acterizes built environment in the Gulf countries as
a product of two main ideological views: the futurist-
ic and traditionalist, “while the first group rejects
historical heritage, the second considers the past as
the only valid evidence that should be considered to
shape the present. They both accept the use of tech-
nology as a necessity that cannot be avoided.” (Al-
Naim., 2005:105) He concludes that “when a local
culture borrows shapes and ideas to be utilized in
the built environment, several processes occur to
‘resist’ the ‘new’.” He calls it “the mechanism of
cultural resistance in the built environment.”(Al-
Naim., 2005:116) El-Sheshtawy et al argue that third
world cities - especially those which have witnessed
rapid growth within the last two decades - are moving
towards a "co-existence" model which takes into
account forces of modernization and change (global-
ization) while at the same time responding to the
preservation of traditional elements within the soci-
ety. They concluded that an examination of the viab-
ility of this model and its suitability for other cities
is recommended and they argued that in a world
dominated by forces of globalization the current
discourse on the "loss of identity" needs to be recon-
sidered. (El-Sheshtawy et al, 2000)
This paper examines how cultural identity is being
expressed in architecture in the context of Kuwait.
It focuses on the actors; the architects, and the
strategies they use in expressing cultural identity in
architecture. An understanding of this phenomenon
is required in order to comprehend its impact on the
cultural sustainability of the built environment. The
paper compares the views of the architects with the
views of non-architects in order to understand the
commonalities and differences between the views
of the architects and the non-architects and how the
message sent by the architects is received by the
public.
The case of Kuwait represents a significant devel-
opments taking place in other Gulf and Arab coun-
tries. In Kuwait, architecture has passed through
dramatic transformations during the second half of
the 20th century that were the result of economic,
regional and global changes. Starting with the discov-
ery of oil during the 1940’s and the economic wealth
generated by its sale, the execution of the first master
plan for the country during the 1950’s and 1960’s,
the economic boom during the 1970’s following the
dramatic increase of oil prices in 1973, the economic
depression during the 1980’s following the stock
market crash, and finally the second Gulf war and
the experience of invasion and liberation by foreign
countries during the 1990’s. Architecture reflected
all these layers of rapid political, economic, and
cultural changes.
Cultural Sustainability and Identity
The increasing impact of globalization is polarizing
the expression of cultural identity in Kuwaiti archi-
tecture in two opposing directions. While the first
direction follows global trends, the second direction
attempts to resist this trend by introducing a local
cultural identity in architecture. Kuwait has passed
through rapid changes during the second half or the
twentieth century made these developments more
noticeable. It helps clarifies how aspects relating to
cultural identity are being reflected in contemporary
architecture using images borrowed from traditional
architecture.
The challenge of sustainability is more a matter
of local interpretation than of the setting of ob-
jective or universal goals. (Guy and Moore,
2005:1)
Pol et al deduced that “in standard and precarious
urban social situations, if we aim to promote sustain-
ability, the collective identity must be strengthened
by promoting actions that increase social cohesion.”
(Pol et al, 2002:78) They found it “reasonable to as-
sume that identity has an important role in the
achievement of sustainability.” (Pol et al, 2002:79)
Farmer and Guy argue that we can begin to view in-
dividual buildings as complex hybrids – situationally
specific responses to the challenges of sustainability
shaped by the widely differing motivations and
competing social commitments of the actors involved
in particular design and development processes.
(Farmer and Guy, 2005:15)
The fact of heredity is itself a major dimension
of community. Our inheritance from the past
and our bequest to the future each consists of
two parts: the genetic and the cultural. Both
the gene pool and the cultural patrimony are
common property resources. (Daly and Cobb,
1994:183)
Neil Leach challenges the whole notion of identity
as some fixed and stable condition. He argues that,
“identities must be perceived in the plural, as mul-
tiple and often seemingly contradictory modes of
personal expression.” (Leach, 2003, p. 78) In the
Fourth Pillar of Sustainability, Jon Hawkes (2001)
argues that culture represents many of the intangible
aspects of our values, customs and patterns of life
that are often ignored in government thinking and
action. Since a society’s values are the basis upon
which everything is built, these values and the ways
in which they are expressed form a society’s culture.

The quest for identity should be applied on all
levels. As Silva put it, “it is usually the whole
building fabric, rather than individual buildings that
matters most to the identity and of a setting. The
character of a town reside in the sum of its multiple
and often fragmented inter-relationships in space
between buildings themselves, the social mix of
people, its activities and events, and the wider geo-
graphical setting of the town." (Silva, 2001) For Hall
and Gay (1996), “cultural identity is a matter of
‘becoming’ as well as of ‘being’ and it belongs to
the future as much as to the past.” According to Hall
and Gay there are two major ways of thinking about
cultural identity: The first position defines cultural
identity in terms of one shared culture reflecting
cultural heritage and cultural codes shared in com-
mon. Cultural identity is viewed as stable over time
since as an inheritance it has been selected and rein-
forced by many generations. The second position
thinks of cultural identity as framed by two axes or
vectors, simultaneously operative: the vector of
similarity and continuity, and the vector of difference
and rupture. (Hall and Gay, 1996:113) For Song
cultural identity is “not a fixed and unchanged es-
sence that transcends time and space, or a true and
authentic origin, to which we can ultimately return,
cultural identity undergoes constant transformation.”
(Song, 2005)
The beginning of the 21st century is marked by
increasing globalization and the affirmation of a
singular identity that is in constant tension with tra-
ditional local identities. This trend has started after
the spread of the international style, during the
second half of the 20th century, and intensified as a
result of the spread of globalization as a dominating
world view at the end of the century. As a reaction
to this sweeping trend, the phenomenon of expressing
local cultural identities in architecture is observed
in many parts of the world. There are those who ex-
press cultural identity by borrowing from traditional
architecture believing that the sources of cultural
identity are derived from the past, and there are those
who express a cultural identity that relates to today’s
prosperity and future ambitions. Identity is always
pluralistic, fluid and unstable. It is continuously
constructed and reproduced by the collective imagin-
ation of the community. As Castells put it, “cultural
identity is the process by which social actors build
their own meaning according to cultural attributes.”
(Castells, 2004)
YASSER MAHGOUB 139
These theoretical perspectives help us understand
the link between identity and cultural sustainability.
Because identity is a product of human activities
according to cultural values and beliefs, it is changing
with time and reflects different stages of development
and progress. A culturally sustainability environment
aims at providing a meaningful environment for
current and future generations. As culture influences
the creation of the built environment, it is also influ-
enced by the built environment that surrounds it.
This dialectic relationship between culture and the
built environment is the essence of sustainability. In
order to perceive an environment as sustainable, the
inhabitants need to identify this environment as their
“own” through its past, present and future.
Researching the Case of Kuwait
Reviewing the recent practices and searching
the recent debates reveal that we still seem to
be at odds with the issue of identity. Images and
image making processes do not often address
the issue of meaning in relation to the public.
This mandates looking at the built environment
as a two-way mirror. One way can be seen in
the sense that it conveys and transmits non-
verbal messages that reflect inner life, activities,
and social conceptions of those who live and
use the environment. The other way is seen in
terms of how it is actually perceived and com-
prehended by a certain society at a certain time;
simply how it evokes certain image for that so-
ciety. (Salama, 2006)
The movement towards expressing cultural identity
in Kuwaiti architecture is not new. It started with
attempts by foreign architects who participated in
the design of buildings after the implementation of
the first master plan in Kuwait during the 1960’s.
(Shiber, 1964) For example, the work of Jorn Utzon
in the design of the Parliament Building and the work
of Reima Pietilae in the design of the new Sief Palace
are examples of landmarks designed by foreign ar-
chitects expressing a cultural identity. (See Gardiner,
1983, Vale, 1992 and Kultermann, 1999) While these
attempts were made by foreign architects who were
commissioned to design projects in Kuwait due to
the lack of Kuwaiti architects, the appearance of ar-
chitecture that attempts to reflect cultural identity by
Kuwaiti architects is a different phenomenon.
140 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY, VOLUME 3

Figure 1: Examples of Projects in Kuwait Designed by Foreign Architects

Figure 2: Examples of Projects in Kuwait Designed by Kuwaiti Architects

As described by Khattab, "particularly in the case of

Kuwait, reasserting the local identity has lately be-
come a matter of great importance especially after
Iraq's claims in Kuwait and the Second Gulf War."
(Khattab, 2001) This was reflected on the architec-
ture being produced in Kuwait by local and Kuwaiti
architects in their attempts to recognize and acknow-
ledge the heritage of traditional Kuwaiti architecture
during the 1990s. The famous Kuwaiti architect
Hamed Shuaib reiterated the question posed by many
conferences and seminars held in the Gulf area:
“When will we, in Kuwait and other Gulf countries,
have modern architecture suitable for our community,
environment and heritage?” (Shuaib, 1999) Several
practicing architects expressed the same view in a
documentary titled: Kuwaiti Architecture: A Lost
Identity. While this question is paused by practicing
architects, it is also paused by academic researchers
in the field.
Research Aim and Method
This research study is based on the observation that
in recent years the issue of cultural identity in con-
temporary architecture has become essential in creat-
ing uniqueness and local identity in a competitive
environment on a global level. Industrialized and
developing countries have started to re-examine their
traditions in search for their own values and prin-
ciples. This process has had an impact on the produc-
tion of contemporary architecture and eventually
triggered an intense discussion about how local
identity should be created other than copying frag-
ments from the past. The aim of the research is to
understand the current efforts for achieving cultural
identity in architecture in Kuwait. Their attempts to
express cultural identity influence the development
of architecture in Kuwait. While these efforts are
currently individualistic, they are gaining momentum
and popularity as they claim to answer pressing cul-
tural and social problems generated by the applica-

tion of modern architecture principles during the
second half of the 20th century.
A survey of the views of a sample of 127 practi-
cing architects in Kuwait was conducted using a
standardized questionnaire. Several leading architects
were selected for the purpose of an in depth study
using focused interviews method. The questionnaire
responses of the architects were statistically analyzed
and the in depth interviews were thematically ana-
lyzed to reveal the commonalities and differences of
the views of the Kuwaiti architects. Examples of
their projects were analyzed to illustrate their views
and ways of thinking. Another research study was
conducted to understand and compare the views of
the architects with the views of non-architects. A
random sample of 186 non-architects were selected
for the purpose of this comparative study. A stand-
ardized questionnaire was developed and distributed
to compare the differences and commonalities of the
meaning and importance of expressing a cultural
identity in architecture between architects and non-
architects. The goal was to compare the understand-
ing of non-architects of the expression of cultural
identity in architecture with the intentions of the ar-
chitects.
Findings
Regarding Kuwaiti architecture identity, 88% of the
respondents agree that there is currently no identity
in Kuwaiti architecture while 12% agree that there
is an identity expressed in contemporary Kuwaiti
architecture. 94% believe that there should be an
identity in Kuwaiti architecture and 6% disagree.
94% of the respondents believe that there is a need
to develop building regulations to impose Kuwaiti
identity on architecture. 32% of the respondents
agreed that there was a clear architecture identity
before 1950 while 5% of the respondents believe
that there is identity in Kuwaiti architecture after
2000.
The factors that affect the generation of identity
in architecture are; climatic conditions 94%, culture
of the society 88%, building codes and regulations
87%, client 81%, and building technology 47%.
100% of the respondents believe that traditional
Kuwaiti architecture should be the source, desert ar-
chitecture 94%, Arab architecture 92%, Gulf archi-
tecture 88%, Islamic architecture 87% and lastly In-
ternational architecture 71%. 100% of the respond-
ents agreed that climate, region and culture should
be the sources of identity, while only 75% agree re-
ligion is a source of architecture identity.
As for the elements of Kuwaiti architecture, 94%
of the respondents believe that al-housh (the court-
yard) and the traditional colors should be used to
reflect the Kuwaiti identity in architecture, 88% be-
YASSER MAHGOUB 141
lieve that the dareehz (the entrance), the diwaniyah
(the men’s receiving room), and the liwan (the
colonnade) should be used to reflect Kuwaiti identity,
and only 50% of the respondents believe that the
columns should be used to reflect identity. 81% of
the respondents believe that more than one traditional
element should be used at the same time to reflect a
cultural identity in architecture. 69% of the respond-
ents believe that Kuwaiti architects are contributing
positively to identity in Kuwaiti architecture, while
73% believe that Kuwait Municipality is contributing
negatively. 94% believe that local consulting offices
and the awareness of the society will contribute
positively in the future to Kuwaiti identity. 100% of
the respondents believe that public buildings should
reflect Kuwaiti identity, while 94 % believe that
governmental buildings and private villas should re-
flect cultural identity. 94% believe that the new Sief
palace, Souq Al-Mubarkiah and Souq Al-Zul Wa
Al-Bishut reflect Kuwaiti identity. Only 13% believe
that the Liberation Tower reflect Kuwaiti cultural
identity, and only 40% believe that Kuwait towers -
the national symbol of Kuwait - reflects Kuwaiti
identity.
The interviews were useful for gaining in-depth
understanding of the views of Kuwaiti architects.
While there were many common themes between
the views of the architects, each architect empathized
a particular factor. Collectively, the interviews rep-
resented a wide range of strategies and approaches
to the subject. Due to the absence of an architecture
education in Kuwait until 1996, all the architects
graduated from schools of architecture in the US
during the eighties. All of them were employed in
governmental agencies for several years before
starting their private professional practice. The fol-
lowing are samples representing the views of some
the Kuwaiti architects interviewed for the purpose
of this study followed by common themes analysis.
They will be referred to by their first names initials.
MK believes that, “there are some attempts to ex-
press identity in Kuwaiti architecture, but no present
building is available that clearly represents the dis-
tinctive architectural identity of Kuwait.” He stated
that “before oil was discovered buildings were con-
structed using local materials and workers, depending
mainly on family’s needs. After oil was discovered,
architecture reflects individualism architecture made
by foreign architects with good construction.” For
him, the expression of family needs in architecture
is an important element in the expression of local
identity. He asserts that “the traditional desert archi-
tecture, characterized by its courtyards and adobe-
style construction, should be the source of architec-
tural identity in Kuwait.” He recognizes that “there
is some interest towards reflecting traditional archi-
tecture by the public, but for the purpose of being
142 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY, VOLUME 3
recognized only.” “Kuwait Municipality should have
an important role in educating the public and organ-
izing some regulation for general architectural style,
but unfortunately the municipality is concerned more
about commercial regulations than architectural
concerns”, he added.
FA thinks that there is no special architectural
identity in Kuwait because many buildings are fol-
lowing the international style. He also thinks that
there shouldn’t necessarily be an identity but instead
there should be an environmental response to the
climate, and thus emphasizing the significance of
the region as a whole. He believes that, “the only
time where Kuwait had an identity was during the
pre oil period; 1950s and before, when architecture
represented the society's environment and its social
identity.” In his opinion the factors that affect the
Kuwaiti architectural identity are natural, cultural,
behavioral, economical, material, and technical
factors. He believes that, “the Arab culture is a re-
sponse to the desert climate and nature, and also ar-
chitecture should represent the environment and our
values.” In his opinion, “Islam is also an important
factor because it is an innate and inborn religion that
is related to nature, and is in harmony with nature in
its best form.” He thinks that “the more we assume
environmental solutions, the more we come closer
to our identity.” He believes that “obligatory guid-
ance restrictions should be provided in order as to
maintain a special architectural identity, but not laws
that are too limiting and restricting so that there
would be room for creativity.”
SA believes that, “identity is lost, but I am trying
to follow it in all of my projects in order to revive
it.” He believes that having an identity in Kuwaiti
architecture is like having a “character and soul of
the country which should not be denied or changed.”
He believes that the era that represents Kuwaiti archi-
tecture was before 1940 and that the elements that
affects Kuwaiti architecture are: vocabularies, pro-
portion, and materials. For him the sources of
Kuwaiti architecture are “Islamic architecture and
desert architecture.” He believes that “there should
be some incentive for those who try to do Kuwaiti
architecture, such as more FAR, etc.”
QA defines Kuwaiti identity as “the vernacular
architecture of a country because it have been created
with a special concern to the environment and the
culture. This architecture have been tested, tried, and
proven in the past.” He believes that “it is important
to have a distinguished identity in Kuwait, just like
some areas in Oman and Jordan where colour and
material gives a great character to the place.” In his
opinion the economic crisis during the 1980s attrib-
uted to the sense of lost identity in Kuwait. “Unfor-
tunately the clients either from the public or govern-
ment can affect negatively on creating a character to
the architecture”, he asserted.
On the other hand, other Kuwaiti architects are
against the idea of having a distinctive Kuwaiti
identity in architecture. For example, AJ believes
that the absence of identity in contemporary Kuwaiti
architecture is positive quality because “the world
is moving towards globalization and we should fol-
low this development and not be left out.” He be-
lieves that there “shouldn’t be” a special identity in
Kuwaiti architecture. “It should follow the interna-
tional trends”, he asserted.
SQ believes that “in the past, Kuwaiti architecture
was shaped by the activities and characteristics of
the society, i.e. privacy and community gatherings.
But, in our age the most important factor is the eco-
nomic factor that is forming the architectural identity
in our country.” He does not consider that the ab-
sence of Kuwaiti identity in architecture is a “prob-
lem.” “The events that we are facing are natural and
should not be altered or changed.” He criticizes the
use of architectural elements from traditional archi-
tecture in contemporary buildings. He does not be-
lieve that there should be a special identity for
Kuwaiti architecture.
The results indicated that there were important
differences between the views of architects and non-
architects regarding the meaning and importance of
expressing a cultural identity in Kuwaiti architecture.
There was a significant difference between architects
and non-architects views regarding the expression
of cultural identity in contemporary architecture and
environment. While architects considered that archi-
tecture is always an expression of contemporary
culture and life style, non architects believe that
cultural identity is only expressed in traditional
buildings and environments. Architects considered
cultural identity to be expressed mainly through the
urban context while non-architects considered that
cultural identity to be expressed mainly through in-
dividual buildings.
Another important difference was found between
the views of the architects and the non-architects re-
garding the role of the client in positively contribut-
ing to the establishment of a cultural identity. While
architects considered the client as an important con-
tributor in encouraging the architect to design
buildings that reflect a local cultural identity, non-
architects considered the architect as the sole respons-
ible entity for the promotion of cultural identity in
architecture.
The study revealed that there are commonalities
and differences between the views of the Kuwaiti
architects regarding the sources of Kuwaiti cultural
identity. There is a general agreement that the climate
and the environment have a major influence on the
culture of the people and the identity of architecture.

Environmental response to the climate is a key factor
in reflecting the identity of the country. Located in
a harsh desert region, Kuwait suffers from long hot
summer months that dominate the image of the
weather of the country, overshadowing the moderate
weather of the winter months.
Kuwait’s location on the tip of the Arabian Gulf
makes it one of the Gulf architecture representatives.
Its history of sea trading, pearl catching, fishing is
part of its traditional cultural identity. Many archi-
tects employ the metaphors of the pearl shells and
boats making in their buildings. The impact of the
religion on the culture is very significant and essen-
tial for understanding the needs of the individual for
privacy, family members interaction, and space
configuration and orientation. These needs are cur-
rently being modified under the influence of higher
economic standards and globalization. The religion
is also viewed as a unifying force of the individual
with nature and society, a notion opposite to the
current trend towards individualism and show-off.
There is an agreement among architects that there
are elements, vocabularies, proportions, and materials
that distinguish traditional Kuwaiti architecture, but
there is no agreement on whether they should be used
again or not. Some architects think that the reuse of
these elements and vocabulary is essential to achieve
a distinctive architectural Kuwaiti architectural
identity that relates contemporary architecture to
traditional architecture. Others believe that it is not
a necessity to use these elements and vocabularies
but it is essential to respond to the climatic conditions
and the specific needs of the Kuwaiti people.
There is recognition among Kuwaiti architects
that buildings alone are not sufficient to convey the
cultural identity. The context of architecture provides
an important background against which architecture
is understood. The traditional city spaces provided
an important dimension to the experience and
provided a meaningful reading of traditional archi-
tecture buildings. When placed against modern
streets and buildings, traditional elements and
vocabularies read more like Disney World than au-
thentic architecture.
Conclusions
This study investigated the views of Kuwaiti archi-
tects who are participating in the production of cul-
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YASSER MAHGOUB 143
tural identity in their architecture. This understanding
is required in order to create culturally sustainable
environments. The case of Kuwait is relevant to the
understanding of the same phenomenon recognized
in other parts of the world that share many aspects
of this experience. It helps us understand the impact
of globalization on local identities and the efforts to
express a local identity as practiced in Kuwait. Future
research could investigate the same phenomenon by
applying the same method in different countries and
compare results systematically. Another research
could focus on the comparison between developing
and industrialized countries in terms of architects’
views regarding the representation of cultural identity
in architecture. It is worthy to recognize that this is
a new trend that is just starting and is changing with
more and more Kuwaiti architects joining this
movement and new building types being erected.
The study concludes that there were several
strategies employed by Kuwaiti architects to express
a Kuwaiti cultural identity in their work. It also
highlighted several differences and commonalities
between architects and non-architects regarding the
meaning of cultural identity in architecture. The
study is useful for practitioners and critics to under-
stand the current trend towards achieving cultural
identity in contemporary architecture and it impact
on the cultural sustainability of the built environment
in Kuwait and other Gulf countries.
There is always a cultural identity expressed in
architecture. The expression might differ from one
architect to the other and from one building to the
other. The collective image of these identities con-
veys the degree of agreement or disagreement,
commonalities and differences, harmony and contrast
between the members of the society at any given
period of time. It reflects the shared or non-shared
view of past, present and future of the world.
Acknowledgement
The research work utilized in this paper was suppor-
ted by Kuwait University, Research Grant No
[A02/04]. The author would like to thank Kuwait
University Office of the President for Research for
the academic and financial support provided for the
research study that lead to this research paper.
144 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITY, VOLUME 3

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About the Author

Dr. Yasser Mahgoub
Received B.Sc. in Architecture from Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt in 1978. Practiced and taught archi-
tecture from 1978 to 1984 in Cairo, Egypt. Received Doctorate of Architecture degree from the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA in 1990. Practiced and taught architecture from 1990 to 1993 in Cairo,
Egypt. Assistant professor of architecture at the United Arab Emirates University from 1993 to 1999. Associate
professor of architecture at Ain Shams University in 1999. Assistant Professor of Architecture at Kuwait Uni-
versity from 1999 to date. Conducted research and published papers in regional and international journals fo-
cusing on architecture in Egypt, UAE and Kuwait. Perceiving architecture as a social and cultural phenomenon
allows a comprehensive understanding and interpretation that relates architecture to people and context. See
CV for details. Internet homepage address: http://members.fortunecity.com/ymahgou/
 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL,
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

EDITORS
Amareswar Galla, Australian National University, Australia.
Mary Kalantzis, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Dang Van Bai, Ministry of Culture and Information, Vietnam.
Diane Bell, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.
Richard M. Clugston, Center for the Respect of Life and the Environment, and
University Leaders for a Sustainable Future, Washington DC, USA.
Bill Cope, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.
John Dryzek, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
Robyn Eckersley, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Steven Engelsman, Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, The Netherlands.
John Fien, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.
Steve Hemnett, University of South Australia, Australia.
Paul James, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.
Lily Kong, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Thangavelu Vasantha Kumaran, University of Madras, India.
Jim McAllister, Central Queensland University, Australia.
Helena Norberg-Hodge, The International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC).
Peter Phipps, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.
Koteswara Prasad, University of Madras, India.
Judy Spokes, Cultural Development Network, Melbourne, Australia.
Manfred Steger, Illinois State University, USA and RMIT University, Australia.
David Wood, University of Waterloo, Canada.
Lyuba Zarsky, RMIT University, Australia, and Tufts University, USA.

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