I C A R C H

A BRIDGE FOR ALEXANDRIA – Egypt

Not all bridges are above water, or some abyss.

A bridge is a structure that unites one entity with another.

And there are so many entities in this world that are un-bridged.

Maybe E. M. Forster was right: “Only connect!”

Maybe that’s all we need in life, TO CONNECT.

Between me and you, left and right, up and down, and so on.

A pair of almost un-bridgeable entities was and is, Islam and Christianity.

Recent events underlined this truth, over and over again.

The gravity of the conflict between these two Abrahamaic religions cannot be overemphasized. Just days ago a violent attack on the practitioners of the Coptic religion, right in front of their church, in Alexandria, Egypt, left more than 20 people dead and many others wounded.

It just happens that across the street from the Coptic Church there is a Mosque, and it seems that after the terrible tragedy a few Muslims decided to attend the religious service inside the church, as a sign of solidarity with the Coptic practitioners.

What a beautiful gesture…!!!!!!!!!!! And we need more of these.

We think there is an occasion here, from an architectural point of view, to create an “architecture parlante,” an architecture that speaks LOUD AND CLEAR about PEACE, about the need for SOLIDARITY.

Indeed, is there a different God above, for the various groups that compose the world…?????????

Let’s bridge the two buildings!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s connect them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s show to the world, through this “bridge of Alexandria” that there are ways to transcend segregation and hatred.

Let’s unite the two buildings, the Mosque and the Coptic Church in such a powerful way that anyone who would consider hitting one side would realize that by doing so he / she would also hit the other one.

If Martin Buber was right in his book “I and Thou,” this Great Bridge of Alexandria can indeed show to the whole world that I and Thou are interrelated and correlative.

As such, WE ARE ONE, beyond our individuality and differences.

Please send us ANY work, ANY size and ANY format that responds to the theme to works@icarch.us. We will publish all the works received on our website. For detailed drawings of the urban context, plans and elevations and sections, please contact us.

Thank you,

ICARCH Gallery

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