Wars have and always will be the biggest mistakes of our race. We have seen, studied and heard about these outrageous damages to human life and kind. The most impacted sectors during wars, as would be evident for years to come, is the infrastructure of a city.
Infrastructure represents the culture and traditions of a country, century old traditions that are embedded within the tiny details of a door frame or the furniture within the building. Wars and weaponry are lethal mitigators of such culture and has now and again destroyed chunks of civilization by wiping out it's shelters clean.
Not only do Heritage sites and old monuments hold value, but even the most insignificant household that provides shelter, can keep the economy going. Infrastructure holds settlements together, be it, administrative spaces, public arenas, residential zones or recreation, they concrete a civilization along with its culture and values. Wars in the bygone eras and till date have been the single most evident reason for loss of human lives and property.
With the advent of technology, warfare has also progressed into something beyond guns and missiles, ranging from bio weaponry to nuclear assassination, it holds the capacity to wipe out a whole country clean. The restoration efforts that entail a world war is extremely gruesome and expensive, but there a few striking examples of countries that grew out of the ruins of war quickly . Like the attack on twin cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that in a span of ten years had reframed their entire city with powerful memories of the blast.
Most civilizations do one of two things when their city is in ruins, either restore the ruins back to its original colors, or hit the refresh button and start fresh buildings that need not resemble the cities past. Many small towns and cities tend to build their new structures as a replica as a homage to the once existing buildings and do not skip even a lintel to ensure that the integrity and authenticity of the surroundings holds the same values that it once did.
Another sect is willing to diverge from the blueprints of the ruins and acclimatize into something more trendy and easy, a public memorial holds the inscribed names of the lost souls in war to commemorate their loved ones, and this building represents the wholistic cultural value that may not be otherwise reflected in the other parts of the city.
This is where architecture and architects thrive, be it restoration or urban planning, the Nations memories are embedded into the new structures that marks the beginning of a new lease of life to those who lost it all during war.
The wars in and around Europe have completely disintegrated more than 7 UNESCO sites and even now many more are being destroyed. With the buildings and neighborhood gone, one does not relate anymore or belong to the place and heavy migration adds pressure onto the already fragile society we live in today. War costs heavily, in terms of lives and as whole cities, the restoration no matter how fast, leads to extreme weight on the economy, especially with developing countries who find it extremely chaotic and unnatural.
A traditional home passed on from generations, may already be in ruins but holds infinite memories and values that keep a family connected in this fast paced world. It is unfair that rulers make decisions for us and walk over a million such homes and monuments that really makes us what we are today. War will never be the answer and is always just remain a tragic memory of stubborn rulers and bygone eras.
Let us try not to create any ruins further! Stand for peace, stand for culture, stand for our past!
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