Project: Al Umma Park Competition - Summer 2019

Launched by: Dewan Award for Architecture 2019

Location: Baghdad - Iraq

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Project Brief: 

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As a historically rich context, Al Umma Park currently faces neglect, a harsh disconnect from the neighboring context, and a missed opportunity for an optimized and celebrated connection between the old and new parts of the city. Al Umma Park’s new design strives to integrate seamlessly into the existing old and new urban fabric to become Baghdad’s community
centered public space.

By submerging the traffic that straddles Al Umma Park the green space can extend across to the neighboring buildings, facilitating pedestrian circulation and enhancing a sense of community within the surrounding area. This creates a merging of nodes that come from the extension of the organically planned urban fabric on one side of the park with the modern grid on the other side to establish a hybrid within the new planning of the park.

In place of the heavy car traffic, the paths connecting Tahrir Square with Tayeran Square will facilitate walking and biking paths, while populated with flexible commercial spaces and community centric amenities that transform the character of the neighborhood whether it's in the daytime or night. At Tahrir Square an alternate access point to the future subway station would anchor the park and become the base for the Freedom Monument.

The development is further enhanced by creating a contemporary approach to the spatial experience inspired by historical Baghdad architecture, as apparent in new precast concrete architecture which engages roof access and courtyard spaces, while seamlessly interacting with the landscaping and waterworks.