chapter II. Behind the Boom | Rena Effendi

chapter II. Behind the Boom

New luxury construction taking over Mahalla, an impoverished central neighborhood of Baku. Azerbaijan. 2005 In today's Azerbaijan most people have not yet seen the promise of oil wealth turn into anything other than a rapidly altered Baku skyline - product of an unregulated construction boom which has replaced historical neighborhoods with luxury high-rise apartments erected in a money laundering rush. These new opportunities for wealth have caused decisions to be driven by greed instead of good judgment, resulting in a lack of urban planning. Located in the center of Baku, Mahalla is a historically poor neighborhood where people have lived their entire lives in small, flat roofed houses. One hundred years ago, this area was populated by oil workers. Today’s residents of Mahalla - mullahs, poets, pigeon-keepers, ex-cons, all are engaged in small repairs, petty trade and businesses run out of door-stoops. Mahalla is one of the oldest areas of the city with its own diverse and resistant culture, a bastion of poverty and tradition. Life in Mahalla is lived on the street where the space itself, shared for decades, creates strong familial bonds. Cloth lines and kitchen ware is shared by an entire block, children are raised by extended families and marriage between neighbors is the norm. Together, Mahalla residents struggle daily with a myriad of problems poverty, crime, the collapse of social infrastructure. This already difficult situation has been compounded by corruption and government neglect. In response to new opportunities for personal gain, some government officials made a number of quick and profit driven decisions: move Mahalla residents, demolish the houses, and sell the land to construction companies. As a result, Mahalla's residents have been confronted with the reality that their ancient courtyards are being sold off and razed to accommodate luxurious high-rise apartment buildings. The faces in Mahalla are slowly disappearing, the traditional community being destroyed and with it, the cultural, historical and architectural image of an entire city is changing.
Mahalla slums resident in front of her house, while new construction is looming above. Baku, Azerbaijan. 2003
Pigeon keeping is an ancient tradition among Mahalla residents. Baku, Azerbaijan. 2003
People by the mosque on last day of Ramadan. Mahalla, Baku. Azerbaijan. 2002
Boy getting candy from his grandfather. Mahalla, Baku. Azerbaijan. 2002

Last day of life in a condemned house. Mahalla, Baku. Azerbaijan. 2003