The Royal Iraqi Faculty of Medicine

Notes

The building is located next to the Iraqi Royal Hospital in Bab Al-Moatham, on a plot for the Shiite endowment. Given the rarity of modern buildings in that period, the faculty’s modern design was a hot topic in the country and consequently played an important role in bringing modern healthcare to the forefront of popular discourse and awareness. The design uses architectonic elements which exhibit modernist character and formal uniqueness, to an extent that makes it strikingly stand out from its context. The building’s distinctive, classic symmetrical entrance includes three double height arched openings preceded with a portico featuring four Doric columns. With this homage to ancient Greek architecture, the architect intends to evoke monumentality and draw attention to this building acting as a symbol of science.

Sources

Khaled al-Sultany, Study on Representations of Architectural modernity in Iraq, Amman: Adib Books, 2021, p. 101-107.

Information in this database is updated constantly. Do not hesitate to send us comments, information, or illustrations (with appropriate credits) to database@arab-architecture.org