Archnet > Publication > Workplaces: The Transformation of Places of Production. Industrialization and the Built Environment in the Islamic World

Mohammad al-Asad - <div>A large part of the world’s population, including increasing <span style="font-size: 13px;">numbers of people in the Muslim world, </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">spend a majority of their time in places of production, </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">such as factories, workshops, and industrial facilities. In most </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">cases, industrial facilities are built with only economic performance </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">in mind; the welfare of those who work in these </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">buildings has not been a major a concern.</span></div><div><br></div><div><div>One of the numerous themes that the seminar, which was <span style="font-size: 13px;">entitled “Workplaces: The Transformation of Places of Production,” </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">explored, was the rapidly-changing nature of many </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">industries and their modes of production. The old sheds that </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">contained traditional production lines are becoming obsolete, </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">and at the same time, the overwhelming growth of cities </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">in many Muslim countries has meant that what were peripheral </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">industrial sites are now located within dense urban </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">areas. The transformation of these sites to accommodate </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">new urban realities has become a major challenge for authorities. </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">Many old industrial spaces were considered liabilities </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">for their surroundings, but, with imaginative programming, </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">some of them have been transformed into assets that </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">support a healthy urban life. Also, while older industrial facilities </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">are being reconfigured to accommodate new functions. </span></div></div>

Type

book

Year

2010

A large part of the world’s population, including increasing numbers of people in the Muslim world, spend a majority of their time in places of production, such as factories, workshops, and industrial facilities. In most cases, industrial facilities are built with only economic performance in mind; the welfare of those who work in these buildings has not been a major a concern.

One of the numerous themes that the seminar, which was entitled “Workplaces: The Transformation of Places of Production,” explored, was the rapidly-changing nature of many industries and their modes of production. The old sheds that contained traditional production lines are becoming obsolete, and at the same time, the overwhelming growth of cities in many Muslim countries has meant that what were peripheral industrial sites are now located within dense urban areas. The transformation of these sites to accommodate new urban realities has become a major challenge for authorities. Many old industrial spaces were considered liabilities for their surroundings, but, with imaginative programming, some of them have been transformed into assets that support a healthy urban life. Also, while older industrial facilities are being reconfigured to accommodate new functions.

Al-Asad, Mohammad, editor. Workplaces: The Transformation of Places of Production: Industrialization and the Built Environment in the Islamic World. Istanbul: Bilgi University Press, 2010.

Preface to Workplaces: The Transformation of Places of Production

Architectural Transformations in the Islamic World

Aga Khan Award for Architecture and Bilgi IletisimYayincilik Müzik Yapim ve Haber Ajansi Ltd.

Egypt

Iran

English

Aga Khan Award for Architecture

architectural criticism

Type

book

Year

2010

Al-Asad, Mohammad, editor. Workplaces: The Transformation of Places of Production: Industrialization and the Built Environment in the Islamic World. Istanbul: Bilgi University Press, 2010.

book section