President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika called on Sunday in Algiers for improving architectural performances so as to make successful the national efforts meant to develop cities. “In order to ensure a sustainable development for architecture which represents an important indicator of the degree of peoples’ development, we should endeavour to improve our performances so as to be in line with the investments of the State which works to create the appropriate conditions for a decent life and social well-being through the development of towns,” President Bouteflika stressed in a message (read the integral version on APS website: www.aps.dz) to the participants at the ceremony of the National Prize for Architecture and Urbanism. “Our identity is deeply rooted in our heritage and history which we must preserve and cherish. It is a commitment we want to fulfil through awarding, on such occasions, architectural works characterized by innovation, creativity and a mixture of modernity and authenticity according to the constants that underlie our culture and history, in all their splendour," President of the Republic underscored. “We noticed this equilibrium between modernity and authenticity in some projects recently implemented in the province of Médéa,” he added. “We are expecting a lot from our architects who are called upon to play a key role in the improvement of the deplorable urban image which tarnishes our cities and villages. Therefore, it is important to expand green spaces and natural areas in cities and their periphery,” President Bouteflika affirmed. “The national goals in this field cannot be achieved without the contribution of architects who remain the main actors of the country’s planning and the fight against.” Source: APS