Date of Award

Spring 5-31-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Design (MDes) in Interior Studies / Adaptive Reuse

Department

Interior Architecture

First Advisor

Lilane Wong

Abstract

On August 2nd, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded and occupied Kuwait in an attempt to expand borders and acquire resources. The occupation lasted for seven months. Even after liberation on February 26, 1991, many prisoners of war had not been found or returned, oil wells were still on fire, and buildings were left damaged or destroyed. The immediate recovery period focused on restoring what was lost and reclaiming a sense of cultural and national identity. Different buildings received different treatment, and analyzing what remains now, 35 years later, is essential in understanding the impacts of occupation on a nation.

To gain a deeper understanding of the invasion itself and its continued consequences on Kuwait, this design research thesis examines the growth of Kuwait from Bedouin settlement, through the oil boom, to post Iraqi occupation. By examining the context of this history, we are able to begin developing conclusions as to why certain buildings were destroyed, restored, or reused in the years following the invasion.

What does an inconsistent approach to recovery––from restoration to erasure––tell us about post-occupation identity and heritage? This design research thesis aims to examine pre-invasion Kuwait, what was impacted by the Iraqi occupation, and what remains decades later. Contextualizing this data and mapping it will help illuminate the different forms and effects of Adaptive Reuse that emerged, including deconstruction, restoration, and preservation.

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