Author: Alastair Marsh -
Why is architectural heritage targeted in war? And what can we do to protect it? Based on the book by architecture critic Robert Bevan, The Destruction of Memory reveals the destruction wrought by instances of cultural genocide across the world. Through exploring contemporary struggles, including the ongoing actions of Daesh (ISIS) in the Levant, this film shows you both the war against culture, and the battle to save it.
On the evening of Tuesday 2nd May, ACE Society hosted around 30 students and staff in the Level 2 Studios of 4 East South to watch the film of “The Destruction of Memory” and discuss what it meant to us, personally and professionally.
Image: Derek Wiesehahn.
Copyright 2016 Vast Productions USA
We were fortunate to be joined by some special guests – Tim Judah, a reporter for the Economist on and author of several books on Balkans history; Ammar Azzouz, a trained architect and Bath alumnus from Homs in Syria, currently working for Arup in London; Ivan Gololobov and David Clarke, who teach and research in Russian and German Studies respectively, from Bath’s POLIS department.
After we’d watched the film and had a timely drinks and snacks intermission, we shared our perspectives on the film. This ranged from the historical, political and aesthetic, including some moving anecdotes of personal experience.
The following discussion was broad and challenging. We shared personal experiences of living and visiting cities recently shaped by conflict, and sought to answer the larger questions too. Will future generations inevitably repeat the crimes of the past? Is international law equipped to deal with these crimes? What is the balance in urban reconstruction between commemoration and moving on? There were few simple answers to be had, but much was learned in how to understand these complex situations – both as professional designers, and as human individuals.
We would like to thank the Dept of Architecture & Civil Engineering and the Edge Arts Community for funding and supporting this event, as well as our special guests for their time. It was an educational and thoughtful evening – a reminder that being the best designers and engineers is as much about listening as it is about speaking.
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