2024-12-22T07:23:26-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/52098583/some-thoughts-on-international-architectural-competitions-in-the-21st-century Nam Henderson 2012-06-20T19:22:00-04:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/ug/ug97tsr32ndi1tdh.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>There is, however, a problem: the good intentions McEwan's column irradiates with almost blinding intensity conceal a series of assumptions that struggle to stand up under closer scrutiny.</p></em><br /><br /><p> A few days ago in an essay published by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.klatmagazine.com/about" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">klat magazine</a> Mitch McEwen, reflecting on the <a href="http://www.moc.gov.bh/en/babcompetition/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bab al Bahrain Open Ideas Competition</a>, contended that <a href="http://www.klatmagazine.com/architecture/urban-design-serves-as-tool-of-repression-in-bahrain/6091" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Urban Design Serves as Tool of Repression in Bahrain</a>. Joseph Grima provided an immediate response via Twitter suggesting that Mitch's article was a "<a href="http://twitter.com/joseph_grima/status/213620158080630784" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Well-written, well-intentioned but simplistic and self-righteous critique of Bab El Bahrain competition</a>". Today Mr. Grima took the opportunity to publish a more in depth response in an op-ed for domus, in which he concluded "<em>There is value in this debate around the moral duties of the architectural profession in a globalised 21st century, so long as we recognise that the issue is a complex one: we won't find the answers in silver bullets or blacklists, but in dialogue and gradual reform</em>".</p>