Before Saddam Hussein rose to power in 1979, Iraq had a complex history marked by colonial legacies, monarchy, coups, and social transformation. The country’s political, social, and economic landscape was shaped by both internal dynamics and external influences, laying the foundation for the challenges and changes that would follow in the late 20th century. Chadirji was born in Baghdad in 1926. He left to study architecture in London at the Hammersmith School of Arts and Crafts and returned to Iraq in 1952 to found Iraq Consult.
Chadirji’s practice came to a halt in 1978 when he was jailed by Ahmed Hassan Al-Bakr. Two years later, he was released by Saddam Hussein to plan modifications to Baghdad for the Conference of Non-aligned Countries. In 1983 Chadirji fled Baghdad for Harvard, where he remained through the 1980s. Recently, Chadirji has received renewed attention as an important architect whose buildings have suffered damage from the war in Iraq. He now lives in London with his wife, Balkis Shararah.
