Baghdad: Memories of an Architect

Basil Al Bayati is one of the worlds leading contemporary architects whose individual and distinctive architectural style is admired throughout both the Middle East and Europe for its fusion of function and symbolism. His skilful weaving together of Eastern and Western architectural language has made him one of the most admired architects practicing today. Basil Al Bayati was born into a literary family in the old quarter of the city of Baghdad in the 1940s. His career began in Iraq where he studied in the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Baghdad before moving to London to finish his studies. From the early 70s he has lived and worked in London, running a successful architectural practice. During this time he has written extensively on traditional and cultural continuity in contemporary architecture, focusing primarily on the relationship and diversity of the architecture from both East and West. His last book, The Age of Metaphors brought us closer to his own literary heritage, a fictional extravaganza described by Professor Geoffrey Broadbent as a mezze of the Arabian Nights, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Disneyworld and musings on a range of fascinating subjects from Architecture to Islam. Baghdad: Memories of An Architect is a collection of memories, stories and reflections on his childhood and upbringing in the magical city of Baghdad. It recounts the early years of innocence and the times leading up to the revolution of 1958. It tells us of the turbulence and conflict, triumph and tribulation of a country being transformed from a kingdom to a republic just as Basil himself encounters the joys and struggles of his own transformation from a boy to a man. As a result, it is not a detached historical document but rather an intimate first-hand account of a defining epoch in Iraqi history, giving us deep insight into the cultural behavior and social life of one of the worlds most ancient cities. See more