Proposal for Bamiyan Cultural Centre (competition by UNESCO and Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan), designed by Lázaro, aims to be, more than a cultural centre, a space where the Hazaras’ everyday activities could take place.
The proposal for Bamiyan Cultural Centre (competition by UNESCO and Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan), designed by Arrigoni Architetti, blends traditional Afghan architecture with modern design, featuring sustainable materials and local craftsmanship.
The proposed runner-up proposal for Bamiyan Cultural Centre (competition by UNESCO and Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan), designed by Ahmet Balkan Architects, is an open landscape building with the idea of unity enhanced by simplicity and silence.
The Bamiyan Cultural Centre is a space for exhibitions and training, that celebrates the wonderful history of Afghanistan, its heritage, local art and craft, knowledge and techniques. UNESCO, in association with the the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture and the Republic of Korea hosted an architectural competition, the idea behind which is that culture also makes a valuable contribution to socio -economic development, and in the case of Bamiyan, it will pave the way towards future tourism, and encourage the participation of local communities, in not only protecting and preserving their own cultural heritage, but also sharing it.
Bamiyan Culture Centre, at Afghanistan, by MayaPraxis
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Rupali Gupte is an architect and urbanist based in Mumbai, Professor at the School of Environment and Architecture (SEA) and a partner at BARDStudio. Her work often crosses disciplinary boundaries and takes different forms – writings, drawings, mixed-media works, story telling, teaching, curation, walks and spatial interventions.
Her works include extensive research on contemporary Indian urbanism with a focus on architecture and built environment; tactical practices; housing; and urban form. In 2013, she co-founded the School of Environment and Architecture (sea.edu.in). SEA is envisaged as an experimental academic space for research and education in architecture and urbanism. She has a wide range of publications, has delivered lectures and been on juries across the world. Her works in collaboration with her partner Prasad Shetty, have been shown in several exhibitions including the 56th Venice Biennale, X Sao Paolo Architecture Biennale, Seoul Biennale of Art and Architecture, at Manifesta 7 in Bolzano, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona and at galleries such as Project 88, Devi Art Foundation and the Mumbai Art Room. She has recently curated an exhibition involving artists and architects titled ‘When is Space? Conversations in Contemporary Architecture’ at the Jawahar Kala Kendra.
