Future Aleppo: Syrian boy builds model of his hometown, now on display in Los Angeles

2017-08-11T09:00:00-04:00

A Syrian boy hand-built a model of what his hometown might look like after the country’s civil war, and now “Future Aleppo” is on display in Los Angeles. [...] As he watched his city get demolished, Mohammed carefully crafted his vision for a future Aleppo using paper, wood, colored pencils, and glue. He lovingly recreated destroyed landmarks, like the medieval Citadel and his favorite park, and added imaginary, forward-looking buildings and design features [...].

"While much of his model was destroyed when Mohammed and his family fled to Turkey, the surviving portion was brought to the U.S. by Alex Kalman, founder of Mmuseumm, a pop-up gallery in Manhattan."

KCRW's Design & Architecture host, Frances Anderton, talks to Kalman about the model's adventurous journey from Aleppo via Turkey to New York and how Mohammed's story represents both "the worst in humanity, as well as the best in humanity."

Anderton also interviews young Syrian architect Marwa Al-Sabouni (previously on Archinect), who's hometown Homs — the country's third largest city — suffered immense destruction and human suffering. Her book The Battle for Home: The Vision of a Young Architect in Syria will be out in September.

Turkey completes more than half of 317 mile-long Syrian border wall

2017-02-27T19:33:00-05:00

Seeking to stem migration to Europe, the EU has remained largely silent about the wall's impact on people seeking asylum

Welcome to the age of walls.

Turkey has completed more than half of a planned 511-kilometer wall along its border with Syria. The government says it will improve security, but rights groups warn refugees fleeing war will be stuck on the Syrian side.

Turkey has erected 290 kilometers (180 miles) of a planned 511-kilometer (317 miles) "security wall" along its border with war-torn Syria, local media reported on Sunday, quoting the head of the body building the structure.

Archinect - News

Future Aleppo: Syrian boy builds model of his hometown, now on display in Los Angeles

Turkey completes more than half of 317 mile-long Syrian border wall