Rethink Aleppo: The City Always Wins

Aleppo is one of the oldest cities in the world and has been rebuilt many times before. We will dive into history and the elements that make Aleppo, a distinct city with AlHakam Shaar from The Aleppo Project and Dutch Historian Geert Mak. Then we look into historical examples of rebuilding cities from Afghanistan to Macedonia. After that, young Syrian designers will share their sense of design of Syrian homes. We are then ready to imagine future scenarios for Aleppo. You can choose one of three workshops on future city making. Join us and contribute to cutting edge ideas, disruptive innovations, out of the box efforts, hardcore research and diverse networks about place making and building future cities. Naturally, exercises in hopeful futures include music, films, beauty and dinner!

With, among others Geert Mak, Historian; AlHakam Shaar, Holbrooke Fellow for The Aleppo Project, Shattuck CCNR (Syria/Hungary); Mari Farwy, Designer, Rethink (Syria/Netherlands); Michael Barchini, Designer, Rethink (Syria/Netherlands), Biljana Volcevska, PhD student at the Institute for Cultural Inquiry at Utrecht University; Jan Willem Petersen, Founder Specialist Operations; Yasser Almaamoun, Architect, Foreign Minister of the Center for Political Beauty (Syria/Germany); Nour Harastani, Architect and Urban Researcher (Syria/Germany), Edwar Hanna, Urban Practitioner (Syria/Austria); Arto Sivonen, Creative Urban Activist (Finland); Wasim Arslan, Singer from Aleppo; Jawa Manla, Aleppine Ud Musician.

Talks: What is Aleppo?

• Historian Geert Mak (skype): How are Amsterdam and Aleppo related? The Second World War has shaped our present and the Syrian refugees shape our future.
•  AlHakam Shaar is Holbrooke Fellow for The Aleppo Project at the Shattuck Center on Conflict, Negotiations, and Recovery at Central European University in Budapest. He studies Aleppians’ narratives of the war and the rebuilding of the city. He will give us an insight into a 7000-year-old city. A city on the borders of Turkey and Syria. A city used to connect the Silk Road with Europe. Aleppo has always had a distinct identity, similar to a state city, resembling Venice and Amsterdam. What are the elements that make Aleppo, Aleppo?
• Panel discussion on rebuilding cities after a conflict with Biljana Volcevska, AlHakam Shaar and Jan Willem Petersen. What can we learn from examples from Afghanistan to Macedonia?
• Syrian designers Mari Farwy and Michael Barchini will share images and impressions of ‘The sense of home for Syrians’. 

Workshops

After setting the context we imagine a city of the future by city making workshops:

A - Heritage and the future: How does the past relate to the future? 

During war, heritage is used as a weapon dividing communities. How can old heritage and a changing future be bridged in the construction of the city? How can heritage be a conscious part of bridging post-war communities? How can the new physical space be a facilitator for new heritage? With amongst others AlHakam Shaar (The Aleppo Project) & Lilet Breddels (Archis Foundation). Moderator: Biljana Volcevska (Utrecht University).

B - From ashes to cities: What can we do with Aleppo’s infrastructure?

In this workshop, we zoom into the ideas and principles for a sustainable city of the future. We look at water, energy systems and mobility. How would these ideas work in Aleppo? With amongst others Syrian architect Yasser Almaamoun, prof. Ad van Wijk (Future Energy Systems, TU Delft), Jos de Sonneville (WATERWYS) and Emile van Rinsum (DakAkkers). Moderator: Jan Heijns (Pakhuis de Zwijger).

C - From Space to place: The city and its homes

Aleppo has been a story of two cities. Eastern Aleppo has experienced near total destruction, while life 'goes on' in the western part. How do we build the destroyed part and yet make a wholesome city? What does the city need to heal, in the terms of urban planning and architecture? What elements can we use from the local, old, inventions and global elements to turn the place into 'home'? With amongst others Syrian architect and urban designer Nour Harastani, Syrian urban practitioner Edwar Hanna and Gerard Steijn (The Mobile Factory). Moderator: Quirine Winkler (Pakhuis de Zwijger).

Aleppo Movie theatre

Come and watch hopeful, beautiful hand picked and curated footage and films:
Rare historical footage, Humans of Aleppo collection, animation, films and the most famous Syrian comedy from the 70s and 80s. Popcorn, children and a happy soul are welcome.