By Christine Mady - Beirut
Writing about my experience in exploring Amman in May 2012, is like narrating the tale of invisible cities by Italo Calvino. It is as though I arrived at one place, and left at a completely different one after the four day visit organised by Rawan Attour, Raghda Butros, Rami Daher, Naheer Abu Obeid, Mai Awawdeh and Mohammad Kanakri. Although the decision to bring a group of urban planning professionals, academics and concerned individuals together was foreign to the city, the essence of the visit was orchestrated by a group of its urbanites, and to some extent enhanced by the Ammanis themselves.
What initially seemed to be an endless sea of whitewashed four storey constructions had later re-emerged as tapestry of various colors and intricate details, each having a story behind its existence. However, the endless blanket of built-up spaces and meandering streets seemed to closely follow and resemble the geological layers of the hills on which it stood.
