Leading Urban Transformation in Iraq: Youth Reframing the Questions of the City and the Future
- 27-03-2025
Driven by the belief in youth as a fundamental engine of change and builders of a more sustainable future, ongoing efforts continue to empower them by providing safe spaces for free expression and creating genuine opportunities to participate in shaping new visions that reflect their aspirations and recommendations for Iraq’s future cities.
In this context, the Architectural Day Forum was organized by the Young Architects Club, in partnership with Al-Rasheed Development Center and Al-Mahatta Foundation, under the title “Leading Urban Transformation in Iraq.” The forum served as a dialogue platform bringing together young architects, experts, and business owners to discuss the current state of the urban sector and its future prospects.
The forum addressed present-day challenges and explored the contours of tomorrow, placing Iraq’s urban landscape before its most pressing questions—particularly those related to planning quality, city identity, and the role of the architect within an environment where crises intersect with opportunities for transformation and innovation.
The speakers led two main sessions that combined an analysis of current realities with forward-looking perspectives.
The first session shed light on the state of Iraq’s urban landscape and examined the key challenges facing architects and business owners. It featured Architect Zaid Butrus Khumoo from CAEB Architecture and Architect Horaz Omar Shamai from Vogue Architects. The discussion focused on the implementation gap between vision and planning, market challenges, and the limits of innovation under institutional and economic constraints.
The second session opened a window onto the future, presented by Architect Nawaf Mohammed, Founder and CEO of Davinci Lab. He highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence in shaping a new generation of architects who are more adaptable and capable of keeping pace with market shifts and modern technologies. He emphasized that the future of urban development is no longer separate from AI tools; rather, it increasingly depends on them in design, planning, and decision-making.
Participants stressed that empowering young architects goes beyond developing technical skills; it also involves engaging them in strategic discussions about the future of cities, positioning them as active partners in shaping urban transformation rather than mere implementers of predefined visions.
This forum comes as part of a broader participatory path aimed at strengthening the role of youth in leading urban transformations and building a contemporary urban discourse that balances local identity, development needs, and technological potential—contributing to the creation of more humane and innovative Iraqi cities.
