(History of contemporary architecture and urbanism second

essay, the roman theaters in Iraq)

The Roman Theater is one of the biggest cultural and art projects in Iraq or Kurdistan, and is
currently under construction in the Sulaymaniyah. Its design is established upon a traditional
Roman amphitheater. The project is being constructed in the city’s Hawari Shar Park, which
opened in May 2016. It will resemble the most renowned Roman amphitheater, the
Colosseum, which was built in the city of Rome in 72 CE. The theater is expected to open
soon.
Roman amphitheaters, theatres, the two predominant classes of purpose-built entertainment
structure in the Roman world, the classical theatre is a structure originating in ancient Greece,
and encompasses a semi-circular auditorium, with a wall, unremarkably embellished with
columns and niches, built along or close to the line of the diameter of the circle, in front of
which is the stage. In the theatre the attention of the audience is focused on the stage.
Amphitheaters are without reluctance recognized by their form. They are all either oval or
elliptical in plan. At the Centre is an open, level central arena space, usually sunken beneath
contemporary ground level. The arena is circumscribed by either a high timber palisade or a
stone wall depending on the building material employed. The arena is surrounded by seating.
Usually the seating (cavea) survives as an earthwork, as in most cases the banks were formed
using the material won from the excavation of the arena.
My comments are :I think that the theatres and the styles of design theatres is neglected in
Iraq and also its newly emerged buildings in Iraq as its influenced and affected by western
architecture and the occidentalizing of local architecture , one of the classical theatres exist in
Sulaymaniyah which is roman theater has a form of semicircular and the colonnade in the
front of the amphitheater and the spectators place is stepped area, and it has differences in
levels in the site of the of the building, in the façade of theatre they use classical material like
stone and marbles ,also the Doric columns in specific order, and the openings of the building
are pointed arch which is gothic style borrowed from the Arabic tradition arches .
The Roman theater in Sulaymaniyah will be the first open-air theatre in Iraq that be able to
accommodate [5,000] people and it is designed so that it won’t require a sound system,”
captivates Rabeen Jamil, the engineering supervisor at the park. “The person speaking on
stage will be able to be heard by those in the very back rows.
In the entrance of the building there are huge Roman Doric colonnade order and detailed
decoration and moldings in the façade of the building with semicircular arch in gate of the
building which leads to the stepped area of the spectators, this roman theater is erected in the
open place and everyone can enter the space and enjoy the performance they do and I think
its kind a copy paste of the classical roman theatre style, and the main concept behind the
replica of this ancient roman theatre in Sulaymaniyah and power that make it valuable is
attract the tourists to the park, also the project showing the western effects on local
architecture identity that leads to a formation of multiculturalism in the region.
In our day political opinions finds expression, or enthusiasm for a cause or a candidate is
stimulated, through the public press and closed halls congregations, conference but due to
covid-19 those propaganda should be done in open area for health conditions, though the
political parties use that roman theater for congregation purposes.