Children of Kuwait playing in the fireej (residential quarter) of their pre-oil medina neighborhood. Painting by: Ayoub Hussein Al-Ayoub
Children constructing their city in Emdrup, Copenhagen at the junk playground by Danish landscape architect Carl Theodor Sorensen. Source: Source: Sven-Ingvar Andersson and Steen Høyer, C. Th. Sorensen: Landscape Modernist, 19.
Wadha Almutawa is an architect and researcher specializing in cross-cultural urban histories, particularly focusing on children and their environments. She recently completed her dissertation, which examined Kuwait's modernization process and highlighted the significant role played by children as key contributors to the country's development. In addition to her academic pursuits, Almutawa enjoys designing small-scale projects, focusing on residential and educational architecture. Outside of her professional career, she enjoys building memories with her husband and two children, often on playgrounds.
The Child in the City:
Play, Architecture, and Urbanism in Modern Kuwait, 1957-1983
From a humble port medina to the remarkable evolution of a modern metropolis, Kuwait underwent a captivating transformation (1950s-1980s) that encapsulated the spirit of progress and urbanization. This dissertation recognizes the role of the youngest citizens, the children, as key contributors to the country’s development. This facet has often escaped the spotlight of modern histories of city planning, prompting my efforts to revisit and redefine our understanding of how architectural and urban narratives were in fact shaped by a focus on the ‘child.’ This dissertation, focused on Kuwait, challenges conventional historical narratives by presenting a new interpretation of modernism— one that includes family, cultures of living, and environment. The National Housing Authority of Kuwait adopted child-centered planning concepts and incorporated them into their “Community Development Manual,” which has been the basis for designing all neighborhood units since 1951. This dissertation evaluates the manifestations of this approach through case studies designed in the 1960s and 1970s. By focusing on this minor history of the urbanization of Kuwait in relation to the child, this research serves as a reference to future architecture and urban studies in Kuwait and the region by emphasizing the significance of reinstating a planning approach that prioritizes the role of the child within community development practices.
To substantiate the arguments presented in this dissertation, archival visits were conducted to explore projects relevant to this cross-cultural exchange concerning children in Kuwait. Key archives include those of Lady Allen of Hurtwood’s archives in Britain, Arthur Erickson's archives in Canada, and The Kuwait Municipality's archives in Kuwait. These visits provided valuable insights and evidence to support the research's findings and contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of children in shaping urban environments.
Almutawa will further her academic career as an assistant professor at Kuwait University, where she will continue her research on children in urban environments. Additionally, she will teach courses and lead design studios that explore various urban-related topics.
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