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/ Vitra Design Museum, February 23 – August 31, 2008

In its treatment of these issues, the rich heritage of Arab domestic cultures often reveals an astonishing modernity, whether one considers the reductive formal qualities of many things, the multi-functional uses of rooms and objects, the systems to regulate interior temperatures, or the efficient use of water. Architects such as Hassan Fathy from Egypt or Moroccan Elie Mouyal have utilised many of these solutions in their buildings, wedding them with elements of modern architecture. The influence of modernism was considerably advanced by architects such as Jean-Francois Zévaco, Edmond Brion, Wolfgang Ewerth, Michel Ecochard, Yona Friedman, Frei Otto and others. Beginning in the 1930s, they used Arab countries as important fields of experimentation and continued to develop the International Style there. The importance that the Arab world has since acquired with respect to international architecture is evident in view of projects by Arata Isozaki or Studio 65 for residential villas on the Arabian peninsula, but also in Jean Nouvel's Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.

The exhibition "Living Under the Crescent Moon" also shows negative aspects of the radical modernisation of Arabian architecture, such as the decay of historic city centres, the population shift from rural to urban areas and the emergence of uniformly drab satellite towns. Many of the traditional forms of living presented in the exhibition "Living Under the Crescent Moon" may be documented here for the last time. Organisations such as the Aga Khan Trust for Culture are committed to bringing these problems to the attention of today's architects. As "Living Under the Crescent Moon" clearly demonstrates, Arab countries can draw upon a vast repertoire of solutions within their own traditions with regard to the sensible and sustainable modernisation of indigenous architecture and modes of living. – And what we can learn from the Orient: hospitality is and remains the highest virtue in any household.

Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Wed: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Guided tours of the exhibition: Sat and Sun: 11 a.m.