The Four Schools of Modern Iraqi Architecture (1937–1970): A Comparative Critical Study of the Dialectic of Identity and Modernity Through Selected Models

Abstract

This study seeks to underscore four important schools that form the segments of the modern Iraqi architecture from 1937 to 1970. It also seeks to analyze the argumentation of the connection between what is called authenticity and modernity through a comparative critical framework. It concentrates on four chosen architectural samples: the Iraqi Pavilion at the Paris Expo, Al-Khulafa Mosque, the Marjan Building, and the Institute of Fine Arts. These samples work as applied proof that displays the orientations of these schools. This study involved a comparative analytical method that blends a descriptive analysis of the formative and symbolic qualities with a contextual interpretation of the political, social, and cultural proportions that formed these experiences. The results revealed that these schools were not stereotypical models; instead, they described a multi-sided critical approach, as some of them merged the principles of the global style along with the local symbolism, while the rest concentrated on reinterpreting traditional symbols or rigidly maintaining authenticity. This study also unveiled variable levels of orientation to technology and modernity between the investigated models, reflecting various reactions to the challenges of modernization and interchange with global contexts. This study concluded that these experiences contributed to the crystallization of the modern Iraqi architectural identity, which can serve as an important reference for developing contemporary design approaches that preserve privacy and keep pace with development.