Rifat Chadirji, architect, photographer, author & activist
Rifat Chadirji ‑ an Iraqi architect, photographer, author and activist – died on 10 April 2020 due to Covid-19.
He was often referred to as the father of modern Iraqi architecture, having designed more than 100 buildings across the nation.
Chadirji was born in Baghdad in 1926 into an influential family. His father, Kamil Chadirji, played a central role in Iraq's political life as the founder in 1946 and then president of the National Democratic Party.
Chadirji trained as an architect. In 1952, after completing his graduate training, he returned to Baghdad and began working on what he called his "architectural experiments." Rifat Chadirji's architecture is inspired by the characteristics of regional Iraqi architectur...