Rashad Shawa Cultural Center, One of the Heritage Sites Destroyed in Palestine

The Rashad Shawa Cultural Center was first designed in 1977 by Syrian architect Sa’ad Mohafell. A little about the architect, Mohafell was commissioned by Palestinian Mayor Rashad Shawa—whose name was used on this building—in the making of Gaza City’s master plan together with Israeli architect Eylon Meromi, which was full of clashes in between. Mohafell tried to modernize Gaza while respecting its past and preserving its architectural identity.

Brutalist building in Gaza, Palestine (cr: Aga Khan Trust for Culture)

As for Rashad Shawa Cultural Center, the building was designed with brutalism with two-storey and triangular plans. The building was located in Gaza and contained a library, lounge, and theater. This was the venue for many big events, including cultural and educational gatherings, be it art exhibitions, film screenings, performances, festivals, school graduations, and even notable political events—the building was a very important place for Palestinians that they even saw as a symbol of hope and resilience.

Triangular plan (cr: Aga Khan Trust for Culture)

The entrance (cr: Aga Khan Trust for Culture)

The construction took more than 10 years due to the Israeli military who tried to hinder the project before it was completed in 1989. The building welcomed visitors with a staircase at the entrance. Used as the main material, concrete was chosen because it was the most affordable material available in Gaza at that time. The building stood as a massive volume with several skylights at the top and openings on the stick-out thorns-like side of the building.

Built mainly with concrete (cr: Aga Khan Trust for Culture)

Skylights and openings (cr: Aga Khan Trust for Culture)

During Israel’s attacks on Gaza, hundreds of displaced Palestinians took shelter there before it was destroyed by airstrikes around November 2023. As a cultural landmark, it would not be surprising if the Rashad Shawa building was on Israel’s hit list since cultural destruction is often practiced as an act of oppression against a group of people. The erasure of history by destroying heritage sites as happened in Palestine is a major setback for us, humanity, and the world of architecture as well.

Damage after Israeli bombing (cr: The Straits Times)