The Battle for Home, published in 2016, positioned Homs-born architect Marwa Al-Sabouni as a primary voice regarding the relationship between urban design and social stability. A graduate with doctoral-level credentials, she explores how modern Syrian building practices failed to support community cohesion, leading to her international recognition as an expert in the field of architectural theory and reconstruction.
Academic Foundations and Early Observations
Born in 1981, Al-Sabouni pursued architecture in Syria, where she observed a distinct lack of functional cultural spaces and public parks in her immediate surroundings. Her education required the emulation of Western models, including residential styles from Cape Cod, which she accessed via library texts. She earned both bachelor's and doctoral degrees, with her doctoral dissertation, Stereotyping in Islamic Architecture, garnering attention on deconarch.com. She cites Frank Lloyd Wright as a significant influence on her practice.
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During the Syrian Civil War that began in 2011, Al-Sabouni remained in Homs, spending two years inside her home while educating her two children. Following the departure of rebel forces in 2015, she documented that 60 percent of her neighbourhood had been destroyed. She posits that the architecture of Syrian cities directly contributed to civil conflict by corrupting community relationships through poorly planned, piecemeal developments. Her proposals for the reconstruction of the Baba Amr district emphasize social identity and harmony, featuring modular units that integrate shops and communal areas into structural designs.
Publications and Global Engagement
Beyond her 2016 book, which The Guardian named as one of the best architectural works of the year, she authored Building for Hope: Towards an Architecture of Belonging in 2021. Al-Sabouni communicates architectural news in Arabic through an online portal she co-runs with her husband, Ghassan Jansiz. She also maintains a bookshop in Homs. Her public reach includes a 2016 TED talk regarding the architectural foundations of the Syrian conflict, which exceeded one million views. She has contributed expertise to the World Economic Forum, NPR, the BBC, and The Wall Street Journal.
Fast facts
- Born: 1981, Homs, Syria
- Occupation: Architect and writer
- Notable Book: The Battle for Home (2016)
- 2013 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award recipient
- 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize finalist
- 2019 BBC 100 Women selection
- Husband: Ghassan Jansiz
- Languages: Arabic
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Marwa Al-Sabouni's architectural theories?
She argues that urban design is essential for maintaining social cohesion and peace, criticizing how disconnected, poorly integrated buildings can deteriorate community relationships.
What does Al-Sabouni propose for the reconstruction of damaged Syrian districts?
She designs structures that incorporate traditional Syrian concepts, specifically proposing tree-like units that house both residential apartments and community-oriented shops.
Achievements
- BBC 100 Women
