Dear Architect,

It is hard not to be moved by the picture above... a graceful dancer on top of a furious bull... Grace above raw, uncontrollable force.

The message of this picture, visual symbol of the mass movement that began on September 17th in New York City seems to be simple: peace against war, kindness and grace against ruthless competition and violent force.

Of course, there seems to be a built-in contradiction, if we are to consider the word "occupy" that the initiators of this mass movement chose... indeed, do we have to respond to one form of occupation with another...?!? But maybe it was and is simply a sarcasm... and as such, perhaps the choice of this rather aggressive word is not entirely inappropriate.

And the core message is clear : a genuine revolt just started against the excesses of Capitalism, as exemplified by the excesses of Wall Street (and not only).

And since we prepared the text below half a year earlier, upon learning that while the whole world is not quite able to exit a persistent economic crisis, the Wall Street still indulges in incredible profits and thus money making, we felt an urge to launch a call for entries for:

A NEW FACADE FOR NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE.

There is a beautiful text, we feel, that acts as a kind of manifesto for this movement that finally has the courage to challenge this "Mubarak" of American life: MONEY, as epitomized through the pernicious financial manipulations that take place on Wall Street.

This text can be found on the website: www.occupywallst.org under the heading "Why?" We agree with its message and we feel that what inspired this movement in the United States, that is the Egyptian revolution that started in Tahrir Square in January this year, should not be forgotten!

Between Tahrir Square and Wall Street there is, we feel, a very short distance... They both SHOULD BE CHANGED, physically and symbolically, as rejuvenating seeds for a New Beginning!

We think we can contribute, as architects, to a revolution that is in the making... while quite aware that revolutions, if not balanced, could themselves end up in mediocrity and falseness, they are nevertheless necessary, especially when the air becomes almost impossible to breathe.

Please help us attempt to BREATHE AGAIN.

Let's redesign A NEW TAHRIR SQUARE!

Let's redesign A NEW FACADE FOR NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE!

Thank you,

ICARCH Gallery

A NEW TAHRIR SQUARE – CAIRO, EGYPT

Architecture didn’t begin in Egypt, but Egypt brought it for the first time to a superlative level of coherence, maturity and magnificent crystallization.

Egypt is considered The Mother of the World.

In some ways Ancient Egyptian Architecture is the Mother of the World of Architecture.

We quote from an article published by Al Jazeera on February 1st, 2011: “The essence of Tahrir Square is very well put by an Egyptian writer, Samir Raafat. He wrote in the Cairo Times: "Maidan al-Tahrir cannot sit still. Whether reflecting the city's moods or the leadership's political agenda, the nation's most important plaza has gone from faux Champs de Mars to Stalinesque esplanade. Whenever a new regime feels the nation's capital needs a new look, the Maidan has been the place to start."

Thus, for Egypt this is the quintessential place to announce a New Life.

We find it only appropriate, now, just days after the climax of a passionate revolution that could very well mean a new beginning, to try to envision a New Tahrir Square, to express the ideals of a vitally renewed Egypt!

It is a duty for us, we think, to try to imagine “in stone” as well these New Beginnings.

Please reflect as seriously and as sensitively as possible on what this revolution means. Please review the rich visual documentation of this very moving and legitimate mass movement and try to express your feelings / thoughts into a forward looking design!

We launch A Call for Entries for inspired and inspiring visions for A NEW TAHRIR SQUARE!

We welcome ANY work, ANY size and ANY format that responds to the theme.

This competition will be in two stages: in the first stage we will collect any ideas, expressed as freely as possible.

The second stage will be organized by inviting the authors of the most interesting proposals to refine their work through a set of rules that would be more detailed and rigorous.

While waiting for your first stage entries, we will work towards establishing a jury that we would trust for choosing the most appropriate solutions and we will raise the necessary funds to be able to offer generous prizes to the best works.

Please know that the spirit in which we launch this competition is very similar to the one that initiated this beautiful, great revolution. It is a grass roots endeavor, inasmuch as the revolution was.

It started with a feeling, with an intuition, with a sense of urgency and a great need to rejuvenate ALL OF US, WORLDWIDE, through a great NEW TAHRIR SQUARE!

Please help us make this dream possible, inasmuch the beautiful people of Egypt uplifted our hearts with their awe inspiring togetherness and tenacity in face of an almost unshakable adversary.

Let’s try to be as idealistic, as unselfish, and as inspired and inspiring as the great people who made this most recent revolution possible!

All the works received will be published on our website, www.icarch.us. The deadline for registration will be November 1st, 2011. The deadline to submit your works for the First Stage of the competition will be December 1st, 2011. The final deadline of the Second Stage of the competition will be January 25th, 2012.  The winners will be announced on February 3^rd, 2012, exactly one year after Mubarak renounced officially his grip on power. To receive all the necessary documents and for any questions you might have please contact us at: contact@icarch.us.

Thank you,

ICARCH Gallery

A NEW FAÇADE FOR NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE

It shouldn’t come as a surprise: at a time when millions and millions and millions of people have a very hard time to have ends meet, on Wall Street obscene salaries and bonuses are paid to people who produce nothing.

The impertinence of Capitalism seems to be without limits.

And the lack of morality, at the dead of Goldman Sachs, for example, arrived at the preposterous statements that they do God’s work.

The poverty line is 2$ per day, although it should be much higher.

In many parts of the world it is simply impossible to live with 2$ a day.

An average Wall Street “worker” earns 147,000$ a year.

Could we continue to call civilization a space and a time when such inequities are not only possible, but actually encouraged…?

Inevitably, again and again, architecturally the Greek orders are invoked and employed: both for the “Justice” Courts and Wall Street.

Let’s start with Wall Street.

Let’s start with the quintessential Wall Street building: New York Stock Exchange.

Let’s modify its façade (for the moment), to tell its truth.

We believe the Greek Orders do not tell the truth of the cosmic theft that takes place behind them.

Let’s bring that legalized theft outwardly and express it as virulently as possible, on the façade of this vicious building.

Let’s problematize those placid columns, let’s torment them.

Let’s make them know the pain of living on 2$ a day.

Be sarcastic, dear architect.

Be malignant!

Be caustic!

Be BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Revenge yourself, through your own métier, on one more injustice of this world!

Are you working less than the “workers” on Wall Street…? Are you less talented, less devoted, less civic…? We think not. But the social system them promotes such injustice is at its core sick.

EXPRESS THIS SICKNESS ARCHITECTURALLY, on the NEW FAÇADE OF NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE.

Please send us ANY work, ANY size and ANY format that responds to the theme. All the works received will be published on our website, www.icarch.us. The deadline for registration will be November 1st, 2011. The deadline to submit your works will be December 31st, 2011. The winners will be announced on February 15^th, 2012. To receive all the necessary documents and for any questions you might have please contact us at: contact@icarch.us.

Thank you,

ICARCH Gallery