Dismantling is scheduled to commence on a renowned brutalist hotel.
The forthcoming demise of the Hotel du Lac in Tunis, Tunisia, has sparked protest and resistance from locals, architects, and preservation experts in the North African nation.
Designed in 1973 by Italian architect Raffaele Contigiani, the hotel is hailed as a masterpiece of Brutalist architecture, characterized by its use of industrial materials, scale, and functional concepts that emerged in the mid-20th century.
Commissioned by Tunisia’s inaugural president, Habib Bourguiba, following the country’s independence from France, the inverted pyramid structure of Hotel du Lac has evolved into a significant and identifiable symbol in Tunisia.
“The hotel stands as a unique testament to a specific era,” remarked Mohamed Zitouni, an architect from Tunis involved in the conservation movement, in an interview with the BBC. “It remains one of the few buildings post-Tunisian independence that embodies foresight and development.”
In its prime, the 416-room establishment was a glamorous and popular holiday destination, attracting celebrities like James Brown and reportedly serving as inspiration for Star Wars designers who modeled a spaceship after it.
Regrettably, the hotel’s glory days came to an end when it ceased operations in 2000 due to years of mismanagement. In 2011, the property was sold by former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to the Libyan government-owned investment fund Lafico, as reported by CNN.
Although plans to renovate the hotel were proposed but never materialized, the building has remained vacant for the past twenty-five years.
The decision to demolish Hotel du Lac was officially announced by Hadi Alfitory, director of the Libyan public investment fund Lafico, to AFP at the end of August. Alfitory stated that the building had deteriorated significantly and warranted demolition. He confirmed having obtained all necessary permits from Tunisian authorities for the demolition, as reported by the Middle East Eye.
The publication revealed that a new $150 million (£110 million) shopping center and a 20-story luxury hotel, maintaining the original building’s concept and shape, will be erected in its place.
Despite a petition to save the hotel garnering over 3,000 signatures, efforts seem to have been futile.
“The destruction of this symbolic structure by the City of Tunis would be a missed opportunity. Through this petition, we urge the Mayor of Tunis to intervene immediately and HALT any plans for its DEMOLITION. The city should recognize the potential for repurposing the space – perhaps as a museum, an innovation hub, or a conference venue – given its strategic location,” the petition description states.
“By neglecting our diverse modern and ancient heritage, we are not only losing our identity but also forfeiting economic prospects.”
