planning

21 May 2007 / 31 Saur 1386 The intersection at Deh Afghanan is one of the striking landmarks in the city. I photographed it from a pedestrian bridge last year. On this day I wanted to get up close to the intersection between the new, glass-clad commercial building, the older one-storey shop-fronts, and the clay-brick […]

19 May 2007 / 29 Saur 1386 Debra Frey of GIAI is a friend of Ustad Homa, one of the Architecture professors at Kabul Polytechnic University. When Debra relayed to Homa that the Kansas State team and was considering revising the curriculum at Kabul University, she asked if anyone was willing to come help the

18 May 2007 / 28 Saur 1386 “Qala” means ‘walled compound;’ “no burj” means ‘nine towers.’ I have visited the headquarters of the Turquoise Mountain Foundation (TMF) several times. But on this particular evening, the light on the partially-ruined complex was remarkable. Of the nine towers, only one remains intact. One of the ruined towers

17 May 2007 / 27 Saur 1386 I have just learned enough Dari to ask politely if I can take a picture of someone that might be sensitive. Due respect and admiration goes to the Afghans who have lost a limb, and need to navigate the streets. It is one reason why I am unequivocally

15 May 2007 / 25 Saur 1386 Generally the wind blows from the north here. But starting in May, the wind sometimes blows from the west. It is one thing for strong wind to pick up all the dust in the streets of Kabul. It is quite another to have the city enveloped in a

12 May 2007 / 22 Saur 1386 I was invited on a picnic to Sultan’s qala just north of Kabul. Here, Sultan is growing roses which he hopes that Kabulis will buy, rather than the plastic flowers which are the current fashion. Sultan, maestro of roses. Next to Sultan’s land is a qala which was

11 May 2007 | 21 Saur 1386 On this Friday I went to Maranjan Hill with Samiullah. View of the old city from Tapa-e Maranjan. The straight avenue that heads towards the pass is Maiwand Avenue. It was cut through the Old City in 1949 by the mayor, as part of the work to modernize

10 May 2007 / 20 Saur 1386 Our fourth field trip was to Ashiqan wa Arifan, one of the oldest existing neighborhoods in Kabul. I took the class there on our fourth field trip, to see conservation, restoration, and the role of historic urban fabric for urban identity. Entry street in to Ashiqan wa Arifan

8 May 2007 / 18 Saur 1386 Shahr-e Naw (New City) is redeveloping dramatically these days. Dawn Erickson led me to the top of a building that didn’t exist four years ago and I photographed this panorama of the central part of Kabul: View southeast. Kuh-e Sher Darwaza, middle; Kuh-e Asmayi, right; Char ray-e Haji