An evening presenting a book published by éditions La Commune.
In the late 1960s, buoyed by soaring oil revenues, Iran aspired to become a “regional center for arts and architecture”: the state invited leading Western masters and organized a growing number of conferences and competitions, while Queen Farah Diba’s patronage turned architecture into an instrument of political prestige. This momentum gave rise to a paradox that the book calls the desire for the avant-garde: a fervent aspiration for progress that imported already outdated models without allowing a local avant-garde to emerge. Drawing on previously unpublished sources, Le désir d'avant-garde traces two decisive decades up to the 1979 revolution and offers a rare reflection on architectural modernity outside the West. FMSH is delighted to welcome éditions de La Commune for an evening presenting the book Le désir d'avant-garde. On this occasion, its author, Sina Abédi, will introduce his book before discussing it with architect and writer Richard Scoffier. The presentation will be followed by a discussion with the audience. About the book In the late 1960s, buoyed by soaring oil revenues, Iran experienced spectacular prosperity and aspired to become a “regional center for arts and architecture.” The state invited the greatest Western architects and organized a growing number of journals, conferences, and international competitions, while Queen Farah Diba’s patronage turned architecture into an instrument of prestige and political legitimacy. From Téhéran to Ispahan, a generation of Iranian architects collaborated with masters from America and Europe on projects ranging from mass housing to the restoration of historic sites. This momentum gave rise to a paradox that the book calls the desire for the avant-garde: a fervent aspiration for progress that imported already outdated Western ideas without allowing a truly local avant-garde to emerge. Ispahan became its symbol, torn between preserving its Persian gardens and accommodating the arrival of vast industrial facilities. Drawing on previously unpublished sources and rich visual material, Le désir d'avant-garde traces two decisive decades, culminating in the upheaval of the 1979 revolution. Beyond the Iranian case alone, it offers a rare reflection on architectural modernity outside the West. → Learn more; Credits: © Éditions La Commune About the speakers Sina Abedi, born in Ispahan, Iran, holds a doctorate in architecture and is a lecturer, researcher, and cultural entrepreneur. A graduate of the École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Versailles with a doctorate in architecture from Université Paris-Est, he is an associate researcher at the IPRAUS laboratory (Institut parisien de recherche : architecture, urbanistique, société) at the École nationale supérieure d’architecture de Paris-Belleville. He is also the executive director for France of the Franco-Chinese MAGE chair (Métropoles et Architecture des Grands Événements). Alongside his academic work, Sina Abedi is active in the cultural sector and leads several organizations devoted to interdisciplinary artistic creation and intercultural exchange. He also serves on the board of the Fondation nationale des beaux-arts. Richard Scoffier is an architect, critic, and theorist. He founded his practice after being named a laureate of the Albums de la Jeune Architecture and notably designed the Centre musical d’Étouvie in Amiens and the Maison des associations du XVIIIe arrondissement. A full professor at the ENSA de Versailles and ENSA de Paris-Val de Seine from 1992 to 2023, he has led the Université populaire du Pavillon de l’Arsenal since 2011. The author of more than four hundred articles and several books, including Les quatre concepts fondamentaux de l’architecture contemporaine, he received the Académie d’architecture’s medal for architectural analysis in 2015.
Source: paris.fr — photo: © Amsterdam City Archives