ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book revisits Udo Kultermann’s book on contemporary architecture in the Arab states on the twentieth anniversary of its publishing. It explores the private sector’s role and contribution to different typologies of individual cultural spaces in Kuwait, examining how each present different programmes – such as private museums, galleries in warehouses, or exhibition venues inside commercial centres. The book presents an existing case study of a building that was largely preserved for adaptive reuse. It suggests that modern architecture is not simply an “artefact of the past” but sits at the forefront of contemporary culture and design, potentially inspiring future developments. The book discusses authorship as a yet unresolved matter in the Arab Gulf states where much of the rapid urban development is attributed either to the ‘vision’ of one Gulf ruler or to foreign or regional expertise.
