Ryan Huddle

Since its beginnings 75 years ago, AramcoWorld’s editors have viewed architecture as an essential lens on history and a crucible for cultural connections. Early stories, in particular, added human context to a discipline that often focused on the form of buildings with little regard for the people who used them. In Part 4 of our series marking our 75th anniversary in 2024, we look at the ways these stories encapsulate architecture in the evolution of world history.

Part 2 of our series celebrating AramcoWorld’s 75th anniversary this year highlights “visual vagabonding”—the magazine’s expanded use of vibrant images over the decades to fulfill the mission of cultural connection.

In 2024 AramcoWorld is marking 75 years of transcending cultural barriers. From its early days as an intra-company newsletter seeking to enrich understanding between employees in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and the original Aramco headquarters in New York, it evolved into a full-blown magazine focused on engaging external audiences around the globe. This first in a series of anniversary articles follows the timeline of a publication whose bridge-building mission continues.

Over the past two decades, investing, banking and mortgaging guided by Islamic principles have grown 10-fold worldwide. As a sector, Islamic finance experienced lower percentages of losses in the 2008 global financial crisis than most conventional institutions. Proponents point to lower risk profiles and focus on tangible assets, for starters.