Zafirah Mohamed Zein writes that, “the beating heart of many ancient cities from the Near East to North Africa, the souk, an Arabic term translating as the marketplace, is the cradle of traditional urban culture in Arab-Islamic societies. Referred to as the Persian word bazaar in some countries, the souk, with its unique architecture and communal function, has deep historical and cultural significance. The souk is intrinsically linked to the development of cities, architecture and a sense of place.” The primary historic souq in Kuwait is Mubarakiya. After the discovery of oil in Kuwait, “Al-Aḥmadī… [the] oasis town was built after 1946 with the development of the oil field in which it is located.” A market was constructed, which today stands abandoned:

Another older market is Souq Safafeer, or the Ironmonger Market (as you’ll see it on google maps), located in Kuwait City. This article states that, “The souq is really a collection of workshops, its origins dating back to the 1950s. The majority of which make items including metal and tin braziers, storage lockers and boxes, fencing, stove hoods, pots and other items on site. The shops take custom orders and deliver within a few days.” In January of 2022, a cold snap led to the rise in sales of braziers from the market.

The article Souq Brutal by Sara Saragoca Soares states that, “Kuwait, as the first and most extreme case of post-oil modernization, contextualises the challenges of a nation-building project. Under the Master Plan of 1952, road networks and new neighborhood units were rigidly planned and implemented outside the city wall. The old cohesive settlement was radically abandoned and transformed into a business district. Up until the 1970s, the desired Modern Kuwait failed to integrate the older city, lacking a clear urban identity and a civic sense of belonging. The idea of self-contained units was encouraged in an attempt to recover a lost city and meet the needs of a new society. The initiative resulted in multiple modern souqs scattered all across Kuwait City. By their size and volume, these exuberant concrete buildings rapidly became a dominant feature of the cityscape, projecting a hegemonic image of modernity. Today, both local and foreign scholars have labelled them brutalist.” Here are those brutalist souqs around Kuwait City:

Souq Al Manakh: built between 1973 and 75. According to this article, its name comes from the term “nakha” which refers to a camel in a sitting posture because the location of the structure used to be a destination for camel caravans. After its construction it became an unofficial stock market, which crashed in 1982.

Souq Al Kuwait: built between 1973 and 1976

Souk Al Masseel: in his article Fragmentarium, Robert Fabbri writes that, “the modernist car parks/souks–such as Al-Mutteheda and Al-Masseel (built by Bonington Partnership, 1973-79), once experimental typologies intended to reintroduce retail and residential functions in the city–today offer inexpensive Chinese goods, household products, luggage, and counterfeit luxury bands as well as beverages and street food in a shaded, air-conditioned interior.”

Souq al Safat: built between 1973 and 1975, Kuwait Modern Architecture states that in the 1970s many multipurpose buildings were designed “catered to supply the needs and expectations of a new cosmopolitan wave in the modern city”

Souq Al Kabeer: built between 1973-76, “developed in parallel with Souq Al Kuwait and the Al-Rehab Complex”

Souq Al Wataniya: built between 1974 and 1979, according to Kuwait Modern Architecture it was designed to include “high-end duplex apartments with 2 or 3 bedrooms…. Open to landscaped communal courts with fountains, and covered parking. These ‘courtyard houses’ on the rooftop echo the traditional street life of the demolished old town”

The Awqaf Complex was built between 1978 and 1982. It takes its name from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, who financed the project. According to the book Modern Architecture Kuwait, the ministry “was engaged in the mission of providing subsidized housing for nationals. As a solution, a building with a commercial podium was expected to financially sustain the residential part of the complex.” Apparently there have been talks to tear Awqaf down, but it also seems there has been talks to renovate it. As with so many buildings, it was damaged during the invasion and “after liberation, the white travertine exterior was clad in grey aluminum paneling.” In Kuwait’s official publication, Acquiring Modernity, for the 14th International Architecture Exhibition in 2014 Hassan Hayat writes, “aluminum cladding often covered stone and marble to offer metallic ornamental arches. Inadvertently, these gestures evoked the plasticity of the public’s aesthetic identity and its need to shape its civic character.” Today the building largely stands empty, although there are some active tailor shops:

In the fall of 2021, myself and a friend took one of Ghadah Alkandari‘s traveling taps to Awqaf.

Here is an old postcard of the complex

Another noteworthy modern shopping center is Al Muthanna, located along Fahad al Salem street. It was built between 1979 and 1985. Today, the shops are largely empty (although there are some great antique stores).