The iconic brutalist Hotel du Lac in Tunis, Tunisia, is facing the wrecking ball, sparking outcry from citizens, architects, heritage experts, and the many tourists who travel to the country's many Star Wars landmarks.

The hotel, a 1973 masterpiece by Italian architect Raffaele Contigiani, is a shining example of Brutalism, an architectural style that emerged in the mid-20th century, characterised by its use of industrial materials, scale and functionality.

Commissioned by Tunisia's first president, Habib Bourguiba, following the country's independence from France, the Hotel du Lac was a symbol of a burgeoning tourism industry. The inverted pyramid structure has since become a significant and recognisable cultural symbol in Tunisia.

Mohamed Zitouni, a Tunis-based architect involved in t

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