Baghdad's central park was at one point the city's artistic platform. Submit your ideas to this year's Alumma Park competition!

King Ghazi Park opened in 1937. After the 14 July, 1958 revolution, it was renamed Al Umma Park (meaning: the park of the nation) and it underwent extensive renovations, art installations by the pioneers of modern Arab art were also added to the park’s premises, such as the Freedom Monument by Jawad Salim, the Mural of the People by Faiq Hassan and the Motherhood Statue by Khaled Al-Rahhal.

Surrounded by a vibrant network of markets, cinemas, theatres, music and photography shops, as well as restaurants and cafes, Al Umma Park once served as a major urban entertainment area for Iraqi families. However, its environment gradually deteriorated over time as Baghdad underwent social change and political unrest from the 1970s to (and after) the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Suffering from the explosions of nearby car bombings as well as long-term negligence, the park transformed into an unsafe haven and meeting place for criminal activity. Although Baghdad Municipality reopened the park on 25 December, 2008, it remains unsafe.

In its second cycle, Dewan Award for Architecture and Tamayouz Excellence award launch Alumma Park Competition seeking a new urban planning and architectural approach that helps Baghdad celebrate its heritage and raise awareness of the importance of maintaining all the layers of its history and heritage. The objective is the urban rehabilitation of Baghdad’s central park, restoring it to its former glory – a recreational space that served as an attraction for families and a platform for Iraqi art and history. 

The First prize will be a fully paid employment at Dewan Architects and Engineers in Dubai for 6 months expandable to one year supervised by seniors with experience in all departments. If for any reason this cannot be achieved then a sum of $6000 will be presented.

To learn more about the competition and the brief click here:  http://tinyurl.com/y5f85xze