Bazaar Talk - Race and Place
Online Talk - Watch Now
In an insightful dialogue steered by Madeleine Spencer, Co-Director of PlacemakingUS, panelists engage in a nuanced examination of the bazaar, delving into its multifaceted role as a cornerstone of urban design and a living emblem of cultural continuity from North Africa to South Asia and the Middle East. The conversation, framed within the context of placemaking, dissects how these age-old marketplaces inform modern communal spaces and the flow of urban life. Insights from specialists like Lili Razi, Farnaz Faraji, Nourhan Bassam, Donya Farhangi, Nadia A. Mian, and Dina Abdelsalam underscore the bazaar's enduring legacy in crafting cities that honor heritage while embracing the evolving needs of their populations.
In the bazaar of herbs and potions
don't wander aimlessly
find the shop with a potion that is sweet
~Rumi in Rumi: Hidden Music
Sometimes called “a city within another'', the bazaar is a maze of lanes, madrasas, caravanserais, and timchehs (domed halls or arcaded centers of a single trade, such as carpet vendors or coppersmiths). It can be entered at dozens of points, but the main entrance is via the Qeysarieh Portal at the northern end of Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
At its busiest in the mornings, the bazaar’s arched passageways are topped by a series of small perforated domes, each spilling shafts of light onto the commerce below. While the oldest parts of the bazaar (those around the mosque) are more than a thousand years old, most of what can be seen today were built during Shah Abbas’ ambitious expansions of the early 1600s.
don't wander aimlessly
find the shop with a potion that is sweet
~Rumi in Rumi: Hidden Music
Sometimes called “a city within another'', the bazaar is a maze of lanes, madrasas, caravanserais, and timchehs (domed halls or arcaded centers of a single trade, such as carpet vendors or coppersmiths). It can be entered at dozens of points, but the main entrance is via the Qeysarieh Portal at the northern end of Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
At its busiest in the mornings, the bazaar’s arched passageways are topped by a series of small perforated domes, each spilling shafts of light onto the commerce below. While the oldest parts of the bazaar (those around the mosque) are more than a thousand years old, most of what can be seen today were built during Shah Abbas’ ambitious expansions of the early 1600s.
Madeleine Spencer - Moderator
Co-Director Placemaking U.S.
Madeleine Spencer working since 2020 with PlacemakingUS has been dedicated to modeling standards of diversity, equity & inclusion within the United States placemaking network.She is an economic inclusion enthusiast passionate about bridging the gap between communities, businesses, and institutions who believes in the power of collaborative design strategies to fuel a thriving populations within living cities. Spencer has moderated three previous dialogs in this series including Porch Talk, Plaza Talk, Cemetery Talk which you can find on the website for Placemaking US.
Co-Director Placemaking U.S.
Madeleine Spencer working since 2020 with PlacemakingUS has been dedicated to modeling standards of diversity, equity & inclusion within the United States placemaking network.She is an economic inclusion enthusiast passionate about bridging the gap between communities, businesses, and institutions who believes in the power of collaborative design strategies to fuel a thriving populations within living cities. Spencer has moderated three previous dialogs in this series including Porch Talk, Plaza Talk, Cemetery Talk which you can find on the website for Placemaking US.
Lili Razi
Masters of Public Affairs/Community Development and Urban Design
Lili Razi, MMSc, is a dynamic professional with dual Master's degrees. One is in Public Affairs, specializing in Community Development, and the other is in Urban Design. Leveraging her extensive expertise in architecture, urban design, and community development, she is driven by a profound commitment to cultivating vibrant communities through innovative approaches. Her professional interests are diverse, from integrating public art to her dedication to placemaking and capacity-building techniques, including graphic recording and community facilitation.
Currently, Lili holds the position of Economic Development Coordinator at the Old City District, Philadelphia, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the district's economic development and policy initiatives. In addition, she serves as a Project Manager Assistant at Mural Arts Philadelphia, further enriching her contributions to community development and artistic endeavors.
Masters of Public Affairs/Community Development and Urban Design
Lili Razi, MMSc, is a dynamic professional with dual Master's degrees. One is in Public Affairs, specializing in Community Development, and the other is in Urban Design. Leveraging her extensive expertise in architecture, urban design, and community development, she is driven by a profound commitment to cultivating vibrant communities through innovative approaches. Her professional interests are diverse, from integrating public art to her dedication to placemaking and capacity-building techniques, including graphic recording and community facilitation.
Currently, Lili holds the position of Economic Development Coordinator at the Old City District, Philadelphia, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping and advancing the district's economic development and policy initiatives. In addition, she serves as a Project Manager Assistant at Mural Arts Philadelphia, further enriching her contributions to community development and artistic endeavors.
Farnaz Faraji Ph.D.
Marie Curie Fellow in Hariland Cultural Heritage and Spatial Planning
Farnaz Faraji is a Marie Curie Fellow in the HERILAND project based at the Centre for Landscape, Newcastle University, U.K. and as a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She obtained her B.Sc. in Architecture from the University of Tabriz and completed a Masters in Conservation and Revitalization of Historic Sites and Buildings- Urban Heritage Conservation at the University of Tehran. She previously worked at NGOs as a research manager and conservationist and conducted applied research for the Municipality of Tehran. In her research, Farnaz investigates Iranian migrants' cultural translations of places. Keywords are ‘sense of belonging’ and ‘heritage practices’, which influence how migrants perceive their surrounding landscapes.
Marie Curie Fellow in Hariland Cultural Heritage and Spatial Planning
Farnaz Faraji is a Marie Curie Fellow in the HERILAND project based at the Centre for Landscape, Newcastle University, U.K. and as a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She obtained her B.Sc. in Architecture from the University of Tabriz and completed a Masters in Conservation and Revitalization of Historic Sites and Buildings- Urban Heritage Conservation at the University of Tehran. She previously worked at NGOs as a research manager and conservationist and conducted applied research for the Municipality of Tehran. In her research, Farnaz investigates Iranian migrants' cultural translations of places. Keywords are ‘sense of belonging’ and ‘heritage practices’, which influence how migrants perceive their surrounding landscapes.
Nourhan Bassam, Ph.D.
Urban Design, Placemaking / Feminist Urbanist
Nourhan Bassam is an architect, urban designer, social entrepreneur, educator, feminist urbanist, and city enthusiast. She has a Ph.D. in urbanism and placemaking and a deep passion for feminist geographies and women's empowerment, using place- and playmaking to guide communities to shape their own inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cities. As founder and CEO of GamingX, a think-tank that focuses on community development and empowerment, Nourhan further builds on the idea of feminist urbanism. The organization works to create play spaces and active urban places that are accessible and inclusive for all members of the community, especially marginalized groups. Furthermore, Nourhan engages in advocacy efforts to promote gender-sensitive design and policymaking. She conducts research to better understand the experiences and perspectives of women in cities, including their mobility patterns, safety concerns, and access to economic and social opportunities. As creator of ‘The Gendered City’ project, Nourhan amplifies the attention given to the restrictions and failures that women face in cities using a range of activities and initiatives: research, advocacy, and community engagement. It aims to raise awareness about the ways in which cities have been designed and structured that often exclude and marginalize female citizens and to promote gender equity and social justice in urban life. Her upcoming book, "The Gendered City: How Cities Keep Failing Women," will explore these themes.
Urban Design, Placemaking / Feminist Urbanist
Nourhan Bassam is an architect, urban designer, social entrepreneur, educator, feminist urbanist, and city enthusiast. She has a Ph.D. in urbanism and placemaking and a deep passion for feminist geographies and women's empowerment, using place- and playmaking to guide communities to shape their own inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cities. As founder and CEO of GamingX, a think-tank that focuses on community development and empowerment, Nourhan further builds on the idea of feminist urbanism. The organization works to create play spaces and active urban places that are accessible and inclusive for all members of the community, especially marginalized groups. Furthermore, Nourhan engages in advocacy efforts to promote gender-sensitive design and policymaking. She conducts research to better understand the experiences and perspectives of women in cities, including their mobility patterns, safety concerns, and access to economic and social opportunities. As creator of ‘The Gendered City’ project, Nourhan amplifies the attention given to the restrictions and failures that women face in cities using a range of activities and initiatives: research, advocacy, and community engagement. It aims to raise awareness about the ways in which cities have been designed and structured that often exclude and marginalize female citizens and to promote gender equity and social justice in urban life. Her upcoming book, "The Gendered City: How Cities Keep Failing Women," will explore these themes.
Donya Farhangi
Gensler Strategist, Design Thinker
Donya Farhangi is a Consulting analyst with experience designing engineering solutions for clients in the Tech and Aerospace industries, as well as residential architecture. Her diverse background and experience contributes to a deep understanding of design strategy augmented by research, communications, and visual storytelling. She is based in Los Angeles.
Gensler Strategist, Design Thinker
Donya Farhangi is a Consulting analyst with experience designing engineering solutions for clients in the Tech and Aerospace industries, as well as residential architecture. Her diverse background and experience contributes to a deep understanding of design strategy augmented by research, communications, and visual storytelling. She is based in Los Angeles.
Nadia A. Mian, Ph.D.
Senior Program Director and Lecturer
Nadia A. Mian is Senior Program Director of the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement and a Lecturer at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. She holds a Ph.D. from The New School, and Masters in Environmental Studies, where she specialized in urban planning from York University in Toronto, Canada. She previously taught at New York University, The New School, and Columbia University, where she was Managing Editor of the journal, City & Community. Her research focuses on urban policy, redevelopment, housing, sustainability, and neighborhood change. Her latest research examines how faith-based institutions are using their property to build affordable housing, and at the same time advocate for and change land use, zoning and housing policy. Passionate about urban planning and community development, Nadia is a member of the Planning Board and Environmental Commission in Hanover Township, New Jersey.
Senior Program Director and Lecturer
Nadia A. Mian is Senior Program Director of the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement and a Lecturer at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. She holds a Ph.D. from The New School, and Masters in Environmental Studies, where she specialized in urban planning from York University in Toronto, Canada. She previously taught at New York University, The New School, and Columbia University, where she was Managing Editor of the journal, City & Community. Her research focuses on urban policy, redevelopment, housing, sustainability, and neighborhood change. Her latest research examines how faith-based institutions are using their property to build affordable housing, and at the same time advocate for and change land use, zoning and housing policy. Passionate about urban planning and community development, Nadia is a member of the Planning Board and Environmental Commission in Hanover Township, New Jersey.
Dina Abdelsalam PH.D.
Participatory Design, Critical Heritage Scholar
Dina Abdelsalam is an architect, urban designer, and a cultural heritage enthusiast. She is currently a PhD researcher in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at Newcastle University where she studies public participation and community engagement in the built heritage in challenging contexts. She holds a BSc in architecture engineering from the American University in Cairo and a MSc in building and architectural engineering from Politecnico di Milano where she specialized in preservation and adaptive reuse of the built heritage. Moreover, Dina is currently teaching in Newcastle University in the UK and has previously taught in Ain Shams University in Cairo and the American University in Cairo. She also worked as an architect in France and Egypt and developed small- and large-scale architectural projects in different contexts like South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Morocco, France and Togo.
Participatory Design, Critical Heritage Scholar
Dina Abdelsalam is an architect, urban designer, and a cultural heritage enthusiast. She is currently a PhD researcher in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at Newcastle University where she studies public participation and community engagement in the built heritage in challenging contexts. She holds a BSc in architecture engineering from the American University in Cairo and a MSc in building and architectural engineering from Politecnico di Milano where she specialized in preservation and adaptive reuse of the built heritage. Moreover, Dina is currently teaching in Newcastle University in the UK and has previously taught in Ain Shams University in Cairo and the American University in Cairo. She also worked as an architect in France and Egypt and developed small- and large-scale architectural projects in different contexts like South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Morocco, France and Togo.
