4 days ago
Vertical Baghdad: Towering new skyline signals progress - but at what cost?
A quiet dawn in the Iraqi capital reveals a silhouette very unlike the one that defined the city for centuries.
Once a tapestry of ornate wooden balconies, brick facades, inner courtyards and shaded alleys, the skyline of Baghdad is now punctuated by gleaming residential towers – raising both hope and debate.
The high-rises are transforming Iraq's war-scarred capital and are hailed as symbols of normality, economic revival, and a much-needed solution to a housing crisis. But beneath the surface lies a battle over tradition, equity, and what it means to belong in Baghdad.
'Baghdad is experiencing rapid urban densification without adequate planning or regulation,' Noor Makiya, an urban designer from architectural consulting firm WMN Atelier, told The National.
'This is a common issue in developing or post-conflict cities where economic pressures often drive unregulated development with no consideration to zoning or building codes,' Ms Makiya said.
In her view, money and speculative investments prioritise development over the human element. As a result, construction 'is driven by abstract concepts like growth and profit rather than cultural significance or the well-being of the city residents,' she added.
Over the past five years, Baghdad, home to around eight million people, has undergone a transformation unlike anything seen since its postwar reconstruction. From sprawling complexes along the airport road to a futuristic, glass, ziggurat-inspired project, the capital is building upwards, and fast.
When I was a child, Baghdad breathed. Now, it chokes
Baghdad resident Saad Hameed
Some welcome the change. To Mutaz Jala, 32, the new towers are more than just concrete, they are an escape route.
'I don't want to live in the same crowded, old houses my parents did,' said Mr Jalal, who recently moved into an apartment with his wife in a gated complex in western Baghdad.
'We finally have a clean, secure place with actual parking and stable public services, mainly electricity,' he said. 'It feels like we are part of a different Baghdad.'
Cranes, concrete skeletons of half-built towers and finished skyscrapers are now claiming the sky of Baghdad. However, that has come with a hefty price.
Although these projects have gone some way to addressing the housing crisis, they have added thousands of residents in already crowded zones, pushing utilities, public services and even traffic beyond their capacity. Many orchards and parks were handed over for private investment and converted to modern residential complexes.
Some are crammed in with too little space between towers, or not enough green areas. Residents of some of the complexes complain of poor building quality despite the hefty prices they paid, while green areas they saw on plans were nowhere to be seen.
'What makes Baghdad unique among all the cities in the world is its distinct spirit,' structural engineer Hazem Mohamed told The National. 'Some residential complexes have been built within existing residential neighbourhoods, which are originally traditional Baghdadi areas.'
Residents, he said, were surprised to see tall buildings of up to 20 storeys high, towering over their homes. 'Their privacy is completely gone,' he said.
He sees these towers as 'alien' to Baghdad, where urban planning was once horizontal and which is known for social cohesion and close-knit social relationships among the people.
Steel gates now seal off towering apartment blocks, many of them becoming more private enclaves, with gyms, cafes and parking lots designed more for isolation than interaction.
'This leads to the dismantling of Baghdad's original urban fabric,' he said, adding that 'it is not necessary for a city to have towers in order to be considered developed, many cities have expanded are modernised while still preserving their original urban fabric'.
But many Baghdadis say they live now in a different city and the one they lived in has long gone physically except in their memories.
'Where are the date palms that used to sway?' said Baghdad resident Saad Hameed, 78, pointing towards a cluster of high-rise apartments.
'I used to hear children playing in courtyards and alleys of leafy districts. Now, it's just these ugly buildings instead, along with the hum of generators and the echo of construction,' Mr Hameed added.
He criticised the push for such projects. 'We are copying the vertical models of cities like Dubai or Istanbul without asking: are they suitable for Baghdad's social and culture?' he said.
'Baghdad is not a city of towers. It is a city of neighbourhoods of shared rooftops, of alleyways where generations coexisted.'
'When I was a child, Baghdad breathed. Now, it chokes,' he said.
Property prices in Baghdad have soared over the past 10 years. Political elites and well-connected developers are driving up land prices through speculative projects, using property as a vehicle to park wealth in a volatile economy, according to dealers and government officials.
For middle-class Iraqis, the dream of owning a home in these complexes remains distant. Prices for both apartments and houses in the new complexes in Baghdad range from around $1,000 to nearly $6,000 per square metre.
'The city is being built by the rich, for the rich,' Mr Hameed said. 'The housing crisis is not just about supply, it's about accessibility.
'I'm not against change,' he added. 'But change must be well-planned with a vision on how to preserve the tradition and memory. Or else it's just forgetting.'
