The iconic Hotel du Lac in Tunis, a globally recognized masterpiece of brutalist architecture that allegedly inspired George Lucas for a Star Wars spaceship design, is currently being demolished despite fierce opposition from civil society groups. The distinctive inverted pyramid-shaped building, constructed in 1973, represents one of the most significant examples of 20th-century architectural heritage in Tunisia and has sparked international concern over its destruction.

Designed by Italian architect Raffaele Contigiani and commissioned by Tunisia's first president Habib Bourguiba during the country's tourism boom following independence, the Hotel du Lac served as the gateway to Tunis's "European city." According to architect and historian Adnen El Ghali, the structure is "one of the ten masterpieces of brutalism worldwide." This architectural style, characterized by monumental forms without ornamental decoration, flourished between the 1950s and 1970s and is currently experiencing renewed international appreciation.

The 416-room hotel, constructed from concrete and steel, once hosted renowned artists including James Brown during its heyday. However, the establishment closed its doors in 2000 due to inheritance disputes and poor management issues. The Libyan public fund Lafico, which purchased the property in 2010, has "obtained all necessary authorizations for the demolition, which has begun," confirmed director Hadi Alfitory in an official statement.

The installation of construction barriers in mid-August triggered an immediate outcry on social media, with dozens of outraged comments flooding various platforms. A petition on Change.org aimed at "saving Tunis's urban landscape" and preserving "one of Tunisia's most beautiful hotels, a brutalist icon" has gathered 6,000 signatures within just a few days. Activists are planning a major mobilization campaign for September to protest the demolition.

According to Alfitory, "various expert assessments" have determined that "the building is a ruin and must be demolished." Lafico is investing $150 million in constructing "a shopping center and a new luxury hotel with 20 floors" – double the height of the current structure – that will allegedly "maintain the same concept and form as the old building," Alfitory assured.

Civil society groups vehemently reject the building's destruction. "Investing and modernizing does not mean demolishing and razing without considering collective memory and architectural heritage," emphasized parliamentarian and architect Amel Meddeb. This heritage expert, who raised the alarm before summer about the issuance of the demolition permit, denounces "complete ambiguity about the final project," which prevents any legal challenge.

"There are no official signs about the nature of the ongoing work, nor any information about the new project," added Safa Cherif, president of Edifices and Memories, an association that has been mobilizing for a decade to "safeguard this emblem of Tunis's skyline." The lack of transparency has frustrated preservation advocates who argue they cannot properly contest the demolition without clear project details.

The Hotel du Lac has survived destruction attempts twice between 2010 and 2020, and was saved again in summer 2022 thanks to a civil society campaign that pushed the Ministry of Culture to place it under provisional protection. However, this protective measure expired in April 2023, and despite submitting expert assessments "demonstrating that it can be restored," the ministry did not grant "definitive protection" and even "withdrew" the provisional status – representing a "180-degree turnaround," according to Meddeb.

During meetings between authorities, architects, and Lafico, "a very interesting proposal was discussed in September 2024 providing for an extension while keeping the original structure," the expert revealed. This compromise solution would have preserved the historic building while allowing for modern expansion, but apparently failed to gain sufficient support.

Gabriele Neri, an architectural historian at the Polytechnic University of Turin, emphasizes the need for vision in preservation efforts. "These buildings, which are 50 years old and will soon be 60 or 100, are witnesses to very important eras," he explained. The Hotel du Lac represents "the main symbol in Tunisia" of the "geopolitical context of African independence" when Bourguiba and his counterparts "wanted to give themselves a new image, modern and open to the international community."

The structure also represented an "engineering prowess" with its base smaller than the top and its metal framework imported from Austria, the historian noted, advocating to "preserve everything that can be preserved." The goal should be to "reappropriate and valorize the architecture of the second half of the 20th century." Neri pointed to international examples, explaining that "in Uzbekistan, where I recently returned from, authorities have undertaken to have Soviet monuments from the 1970s and 1980s classified by UNESCO."

With the current vogue for brutalism, featured in "films like The Brutalist, documentaries, and guidebooks," Neri believes "the Hotel du Lac could become an attraction for high-level cultural tourism." The building's potential destruction represents not just a local loss but a significant blow to global architectural heritage, particularly as international appreciation for brutalist architecture continues to grow among scholars, tourists, and architecture enthusiasts worldwide.