Chapter 6: Amman. A Tale of Two Cities

Downtown Amman

This chapter looks at Amman’s urban and architectural development through the lens of modernism, displacement, and socio-spatial division. Unlike other Arab capitals with deep-rooted identities, Amman is a city of arrivals—shaped by waves of migration, refugee flows, and a fractured national identity. The chapter traces four distinct architectural phases, from the early 20th-century synthesis of regional traditions and Ottoman forms, through post-independence modernist ambitions, to neoliberal megaprojects and contemporary regeneration efforts.

Key figures such as Jafar Tukan, Sayed Karim, and Ammar Khammash are discussed alongside landmark projects like the Jordan National Bank, the University of Jordan, and the Al-Hussein Youth City complex, which embodied Jordanian modernist ideals of progress and public life. Yet Amman’s transformation has been marked by stark inequalities.

Developments such as the Abdali District and Jordan Gate Towers illustrate how neoliberal urbanism, driven by Gulf capital and speculative planning, has deepened the divide between affluent West Amman and marginalized East Amman. Through case studies, films like The Alleys, and Abdulrahman Munif’s Tale of a City, the chapter foregrounds the lived experiences of ordinary residents, highlighting how everyday life, memory, and resistance are inscribed in rooftops, alleyways, and informal settlements. Ultimately, the chapter argues that Amman’s urban future lies not in imported models of luxury and exclusivity, but in embracing its plural histories and fostering inclusive, grounded development. Modernism in Amman, while fractured, remains a vital framework for reimagining the city as a shared and evolving home.