Share:


An overview of the urbanism style during the Italian era in Benghazi downtown, Libya

    Ali Eltrapolsi   Affiliation

Abstract

Axiomatically, urban fabric is the result of civilizations and ideas overlapping rather than being bound to a single civilization or culture. Benghazi, like many other Arab cities in developing countries, retains relics of its past in the old city core. This urban fabric’s visual character is created by reflecting the underlying cultural background, practices, beliefs, and climatic conditions in its content. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the concepts that have been used to develop Italian urbanism before trying to rebuild the damaged urban fabric.
This study presents the urban pattern of old Benghazi in order to understand the values inherited from the past and the impact of the Italian urban expansion. A second part of the research provides an overview of the extension of the urban fabric, starting from the Italian square, located within the old city. As a final point, the discussion and conclusion presented the concept and relationship of formations in Italian architecture that achieve a unique transition by experiencing architectural principles, their basic components, and their comfortable surroundings at the moment.

Keyword : urbanism, evolution, fabric, voids, compaction, identity, hierarchy, diversity, continuity, city image

How to Cite
Eltrapolsi, A. (2022). An overview of the urbanism style during the Italian era in Benghazi downtown, Libya. Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 46(2), 117–125. https://doi.org/10.3846/jau.2022.16952
Published in Issue
Nov 10, 2022
Abstract Views
496
PDF Downloads
599
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Ajaj, A., & Pugnaloni, F. (2014). Re-thinking traditional Arab architecture: A traditional approach to contemporary living. International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 6(4), 286–289. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJET.2014.V6.714

Asadpour, A. (2020). Defining the concepts & approaches in vernacular architecture studies. Nature: National Academic Journal of Architecture, 7(2), 241–255. https://doi.org/10.24252/nature.v7i2a8

Batty, M., & Longley, P. (1994). Fractal cities. Academic Press.

Ball State University, Libya Maps. (2012). Benghazi, Libya maps available from Ball State University Libraries. GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC). http://bsumaps.blogspot.com/2012/09/benghazi-libya-maps-available-from-ball.html

Černikovaitė, M., & Karazijienė, Ž. (2020). City brand image formation by urban heritage initiatives. Management, 25, 29–42. https://doi.org/10.30924/mjcmi.25.s.4

Demissie, F. (2016). Colonial architecture and urbanism in Africa: Intertwined and contested histories (Design and the Built Environment) (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Ercan, O., & Tunca, A. (Eds.). (2011). Usages of GIS techniques in “a balanced spatial development approach for 3rd generation planning project of the Benghazi region.” https://www.fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2011/papers/ts04c/ts04c_ercan_tunca_4800.pdf

Fuller, M. (1988). Building power: Italy’s colonial architecture and urbanism, 1923–1940. Cultural Anthropology, 3(4), 455–487. https://doi.org/10.1525/can.1988.3.4.02a00080

Fuller, M. (2007). Moderns abroad architecture, cities and Italian imperialism. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203968864

Fainstein, S. (2022). Cities and diversity: Should we want it? Can we plan for it? Urban Affairs Review, 41(1), 3–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087405278968

Geology. (2005). Libya map and satellite image. Geology.Com. https://geology.com/world/libya-satellite-image.shtml

Harby, S. (2011, March). Libya: In search of Ancient Splendor and the far flung outposts of empire. http://www.stephenharby.com/photos/Libya/Cyrenaica.html

Hassan, S. A., & Resen, M. J. (2018). The transformations in the urban fabric of traditional city centers (Lebanese experience: Case study). KnE Engineering, 3(4), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.18502/keg.v3i4.2158

Hasan, S. (2021). The imagination of an aesthetic regime in the modern Arab city: Dissent, redistribution of the sensible, poetics. L’Internationale Online. https://www.internationaleonline.org/research/decolonising_practices/204_the_imagination_of_an_aesthetic_regime_in_the_modern_arab_city_dissent_redistribution_of_the_sensible_poetics/#id43

Januchta-Szostak, A. (2010). The role of public visual art in urban space recognition. In K. Perusich (Ed.), Cognitive maps. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/7120

Kirk, T. (2005). The architecture of modern Italy. Princeton Architectural Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-56898-632-7

Kuilman, M. (2013). Quadralectic architecture – A panoramic review by Marten Kuilman. Quadralectic Architecture. https://quadralectics.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/contents-2/

Kim, M. (2016). A theoretical study on the form of continuity as an architectural principle - Focused on the continuity between architectural space and urban space and between yesterday and tomorrow. Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design, 32(8), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK_PD.2016.32.8.103

Kiss, D., & Kretz, S. (2017). Theories of urban form. ETH Zürich. https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/113477

Lynch, K. (1960). The image of the city. Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the President and Fellows of Harvard College.

Low, S., & Smith, N. (Eds.). (2006). The politics of public space. Routledge.

Mras, G. P. (1961). Italian fascist architecture: Theory and image. Art Journal, 21(1), 7–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/00043249.1961.10794176

Massey, D. (1994). Space, place, and gender. University of Minnesota Press.

Micara, L., Petruccioli, A., & Vadini, E. (2004). The mediterranean medina international seminar. Gangemi Editore.

Marcus, L., & Colding, J. (2014). Toward an integrated theory of spatial morphology and resilient urban systems. Ecology & Society, 19(4), 55. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06939-190455

Rava, C. E. (1931). Panorama del razionalismo. Spirito Latino II. Domus IV, 38, 24–29.

Rava, C. E. (1935). Nove anni di architettura vissuta, 1926 IV-1935 XIII. Cremonese editore.

Şatir, S., & Korkmaz, E. (2005). Urban open spaces with examples & the classification of urban furniture. JAG, 2(12), 130–141. https://jag.journalagent.com/itujfa/pdfs/ITUJFA-05658-THEORY_ARTICLES-SATIR.pdf

Storchi, S. (2007). “Il fascismo è una casa di vetro”: Giuseppe Terragni and the politics of space in Fascist Italy. Italian Studies, 62(2), 231–245. https://doi.org/10.1179/007516307X227686

Shehata, A. (2022). Current trends in urban heritage conservation: Medieval historic Arab city centers. Sustainability, 14(2), 607. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020607

Trancik, R. (1991). Finding lost space: Theories of urban design. Wiley.