In 1963, legendary Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer designed a series of 15 buildings for the exhibition center of the Tripoli International Fair in Lebanon. The massive project, however, was never brought to realization. In 1975, Lebanon underwent a civil war, and the Tripoli International Fair's project was abandoned.
Never taken up again, the buildings remain unfinished, and French-Lebanese photographer Anthony Saroufim's series of images from around the grounds shows the ghostly tranquility of such a scene.
Some images in the series emphasize the emptiness of the grounds, showing row upon row of empty stadium seats in reference to the people pushed out by civil war. Others ironically lambaste the hope that was once in the architecture, showing abstract, upward striving images of an arch on the Tripoli International Fair's incomplete grounds.
Unfinished Architecture Photos
Anthony Saroufim Captures the Incomplete Tripoli International Fair
Trend Themes
1. Unfinished Architecture - Innovative architecture firms can take advantage of this trend by developing structures that are designed in a way that their incompleteness is not a hindrance or eyesore but something that can be incorporated into the design effectively.
2. Abandoned Sites - Entrepreneurs can take advantage of this trend by repurposing abandoned sites to create new and unique experiences, such as a cultural center or urban park.
3. Documentary Photography - There is a growing demand for documentary photography that captures unique perspectives of architecture, including unfinished and abandoned sites.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Architects and designers can take advantage of this trend by exploring new designs that incorporate unfinished or abandoned elements.
2. Tourism - Tourism industries could take advantage of this trend by creating unique vacation packages that provide tours of unfinished and abandoned sites.
3. Art - Artists can take advantage of this trend by incorporating elements of unfinished and abandoned structures into their works of art.