The concept of domicide and its profound impact on Homs, Syria, is explored through the work and personal experiences of architect Ammar Azzouz. A research fellow at the University of Oxford, Dr. Azzouz discusses the deliberate destruction of homes, the trauma of exile, and his eventual return to his homeland. He examines how international attention frequently prioritizes the loss of ancient heritage sites, such as Palmyra, while often overlooking the intimate grief associated with the destruction of residential areas where people lived their daily lives. The discussion also delves into the slow violence of pre-war urban projects, like the "Homs Dream", which proposed demolishing parts of the historic old city for modern development, and how these top-down models continue to threaten the city's identity during current reconstruction efforts.
01:04 Introduction
01:35 Personal Memories of Home
05:00 The Architectural Identity of Homs
06:11 Exile and Return
10:51 Domicide vs. Urbicide
13:16 Slow Violence and the Homs Dream
17:18 The Politics of Reconstruction and Dubaization
21:04 Alternative Visions for Healing
33:00 Empowering the Next Generation
34:32 The Limitations of International Heritage Organizations
41:06 Highlighting Favorite Historical Sites
Dr. Ammar Azzouz is a British Academy Research Fellow at the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford. Originally from Homs, Syria, he studied architecture before moving to the UK to complete his PhD. Since leaving Syria in 2011, he has not been able to return. Dr. Azzouz is the author of Domicide: Architecture, War and the Destruction of Home in Syria (2023, Bloomsbury), with a foreword by Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent. He is the Principal Investigator of the Slow Violence and the City research project, which explores the connection between violence and the built environment in both wartime and peacetime. His current research focuses on art and culture in exile, particularly within the Syrian diaspora. Dr. Azzouz has contributed to platforms such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and The New Statesman, and has been invited to speak at over 130 events worldwide, from Mexico and the US to Germany, the Netherlands, and Qatar.
Connect with Dr. Ammar Azzouz 👉 https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ammar-azzouz
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb
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