Research scenarios

Monday 04 of July 2011

In the first week of workshop the studio has sketched a narrative of research. To look at different aspect of the site.

Informality

There is an unplanned settlement in the south west corner of site, this is to be researched. I also think informality carries with it the analysis of the way buildings are expanded, added to. Informality to me in this context is a study of the constant growth of the city, the reasons why and the morphology of this growth so that we can plan for it.

Sustainability

This carries with it mainly the study of watershed of the seasonal river in the Al Addesseh valley. But it should also look at the ecology of sun exposure, the vegetation and the gray water.

Affordability

20% of all development is to be affordable housing. In the situation where one of 120 m2 house cost $300 to build affordability is a real issue. Costs escalate with administration fees and with work force from Jerusalem, where is used to be cheaper West Bank workers building Jerusalem houses. There is no scheme foe affordable housing in Jerusalem of West bank. Your bank is your family or community.

Public space

This study requires looking at good examples of places where Palestinian community spend their time. To listen and learn form the people. I wonder if precedence from successful public spaces of Europe are of any significant use here.

Architectonics - typology

The Arab architecture spans from Mesopotamia, Arabian peninsula, Niles area, Africa to Mediterranean. There is no single Arab typology, there is only how people live here and now. There is Anthropology of human existence in this hot climate. This leads us directly to the Precedence studies.

Densities

To understand the brief, and locate it on the site. The typology and density are not interconnected.

Site analysis

Mapping of that is there, what are the moments to be preserved, what are the edge conditions.

This is my look at thaw should be done at the onset, we have 15 other international architects and students in the studio with their own perspective to all issues drafted above. It will be interesting to see where individual researches lead us as a group.

Al Addesseh Masterplan

Sunday 3th of July 2011

The local masterplan was drawn, one later the next and submitted to Ministry of Interior. Both have been rejected. It's not that i trust that Jerusalem Municipality are a clever bunch of people but i do agree with their decision. The masterplans we are looking at are mere 2D splashes of colour caller ZONES! And those zones are only left over spaces between the makings of road engineer! He is the one who truly designed this plan he is the one who designed most new developments across Israel! Yes this masterplan carries similarities with Settlement typology. Mountain top development. Yet it also has an ambition which is a new one. Palestinian society is lacking a local cultural and economic centre and Al Addesseh development is to create a new, as they call it, 'CNTRE OF LIFE' in the valley of the river. Park is to connect all those civic spaces and buildings. All sounds well but feels un-designed.

Was this the reason for rejection of both plans. IPCC argues the reason was strictly political, e.i. The number of units proposed for the site. In May 2011 Municipality has responded with planning guidance for the site. And asked to no more than 2500 units, an estimated population of 12.000 with a 4..3 person family structure. The site can easily take double, quadruple the number of units.

Israelis envisage Palestinian society as a rural one, restrict its expansion. The Palestinians want a statement project, a new urban space a place for new urban lives of its people. They want to challenge the way Palestinian society is perceived. Contradictions multiply! If politicks is at hear of planning decisions than is there of political advantage for the design to look one way or another?

Al Addesseh

Thursday 30th of June 2011

Al Addesseh

This day we were shown the site! Finally! The place the space, the people for whom there is to be a master plan. There is a masterplan, but an unsuccessfully one. We have seen it before, we have discussed it, but prematurely. Only this visit allowed some informed reflection.

Al Addesseh is an area in the north of Jerusalem. It is an empty hill with a seasonal river valley. To the North it neighbours an industrial area, the only Jerusalem industrial area. To the West, a south-west separation wall cuts the hill top in half. Only life happens Bet Hanina neighbourhood to the South and East. Neighbourhood which turned its back to the site. Edges are filled with rubbish, valley is used for occasional cultivation and the hill is empty. It is much steeper than expected and i don not blame anyone for avoiding it in the heat of the day! One hour we were there, burnt by the sun, scratches by viscous plants but cooled by the wind and an occasional tree. The archaeological site on the top of the sill was a disappointingly small rows of stones on the ground.

Al Addesseh is adjacent to the border of Jerusalem. This border was marked on the 27th Jne 1967 with no consideration of topography or demography. Later walls were built. Al Addesseh is cut of its natural historic surrounding. The routes around the site are meaningless at present. What if there was no walls?

All together not a big number of unique observations and feelings but a much bigger and vaster emptiness than expected.

Last of the visits:

Beit Hanina

Doctor's project, an example of a cooperative in a local style. This determined bunch of people buit their own neighbourhood with 2 storey houses of 120 m2. Yet as soon as the construction finishes they will be asking for permission to add another 2 stories! The economics and the timespan of a project like that, of a family house is 4 years just to get permissions! How can one do a cost benefit analysis, foresee the expenses, foresee the changes in regulations in political situations! This is not for economists this exercise, but for determined families which wan a house, need a house! And need it in a safe environment. If not family than the profession will be a a group of bodyguards against the evils of municipal legislation.

Precedence 2

Wednesday 29th of June 2011

The day was engineered to present us with the Other side of Jerusalem, the Palestinian side which has been lost in the war. The old neighbourhoods now inhabited by Israelis now located in West Jerusalem. Reflecting back i think we were taken to see the typologies of old Palestinian housing but also we were there to what was lost. To see the contrast between east and west of mainly Palestinian typology. As such the contrast of quality of places is even stronger.

A brief introduction by a Palestinian planner Osnat Post, who used to work for Jerusalem Municipality has been a sad introduction into the vision of the whole city. Knitted with hundreds of new roads to being for pedestrian use, with Calatrava bridge of in my opinion no real importance or design qualities which are made for this city. An attempt to make Jerusalem Modern is almost impossible! Forgetting all the developer style plans for the city one things was clear at the end of presentation. Nothing has been planned for Eat Jerusalem!

Baqa

A Jewish architect whose name i cannot remember has been king enough to present us with his research on this neighbourhood. Carefully speaking of the history of the area he remembered to say how Jewish pollution lived here among Muslims and Christians. His work was important. Good Quality historic hosing from the turn of 20th century demonstrated typologies that since than i recognise all over Jerusalem.

Ein Karem

Oh this place was beautifully, Similarly to Baqa in it architecture yet it's setting at the turn of a valley looking down onto greenery and up towards mosque , church and synagogue made it so much more astonishing. All three religions lived there peacefully for a long time. Now only Israelis live here surrounded by this beauty. Pitty it has to be this way.

Lifta

Old Palestinian village emptied post 1967 war. Again a beautiful place. This village most of all the examples of the day allowed us to understand the way Palestinians lived on these lands centuries ago. Little streets connecting houses which grew from the hill in locations which the hill itself allowed. There is no distinction between nature and architecture in this typology.

How relevant is it all to the project?

Precedence 1

Tuesday 28th of June 2011

The political background has been set on the first day of workshop, the days what followed demonstrated in rock and concrete the outcomes of years of political conflict.

Old Town

Beautiful place. We were shown The Dome of The Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque! We were allowed inside due to the influence of a local historian and researcher Yusuf Natsheh! And it has to be noted only Jerusalemites Muslims are allowed in. I guess it goes to show how important it is for IPCC to show us the treasures of Muslim culture, to note some elements of Khoran and to locate them in this place. This cultural note has is a political and territorial footnotes. But as soon as left the Muslim Quarter out historian left us to a guidance of IPCC staff. Basel Quttaineh's family resides in the old town for hundreds of years. Bus Basel when he showed us into The Holy Selpurcher Church was the first time visitor there as well! Extraordinary lack of interest in other culture and religion which he is not in a conflict with. I it the proximity of the other that makes them not look at each other?

The Dome of The Rock:

Al-Aqsa Mosque:

The Church of the Holy Selpurcher:

Silwan

Silwan is an area of the most forceful political 'fight to reside' confect between Palestinians and Israelis. It is in East Jerusalem just south of the walls of the Old Town and it has for centuries been a Palestinian neighbourhood. However it is in the Kidron Valley where historically King David has chosen make his kingdom at the footsteps of Temple Mont (now the location of The dome of the rock). Over the past decades this argument has been used in Jewish claims of this land. Number of archaeological sites have been designated and upon completion of research those areas remains under Municipal Jurisdiction. Similarly the parks at the bottom for he valley are under Municipal governance. Once Palestinian family looses possession of the land in Silwan it has no chances of getting those right back. Instead new Israeli households are being set up. Large police forces are patrolling the area making sure safe passage of abut 350 people among Palestinian population of 55000 people! Palestinians face huge difficulties of expansion with almost every planning application being rejected. They build anyway. In past 10 years over 300 people have been rendered homeless as a result illegal house demolitions. At the same time illegal housing becomes legal again if an Israeli family moves in. So we were told. Even if the fact we were presented with are only one sided they represent a strong tension and determination from both sides. Land and its ownership here is everything!

Silwan:

Jerusalem Beginnings

First week of the workshop was organised to introduce us, the group of architects, planners and urban designers who volunteered to participate in this experiment, to the planning issues in East Jerusalem.

Mon 27th of June

After introductions from Rami Nasralleh (Chairman of IPCC ), Meir Margalit ( Left wing Israeli polititian) and Prof. Rassem Khamaisi ( Head of IPCC Planning Team) we were taken for an East Jerusalem trip. From the windows of the coach and a few viewing points over the city we were shown Palestinians neighbourhoods and Jewish settlements (the term settlement only applies to a Jewish neighbourhood on the Palestinian Occupied Land). Striking is the difference between the two typologies, the organised defensive new settlements next to the organic unplanned Palestinians areas. Few important points were brought up that day:

First and foremost the 'demographomania'. The issue of proportion of Palestinian and Israeli population in Jerusalem over time. Israeli government assumes in its planning of the city and its policies the proportion of 30 to 70, yet reality is different with more than 35% Palestinians in Jerusalem. This number will increase as statistics show a growing number of Palestinian children born in Jerusalem (43% Palestinian children up to age of 10). Yet Jerusalem Municipality designates less than 10 % if its budget to the social infrastructure of East Jerusalem at the same encouraging the Israeli population to move in to new settlements. Not very fair! It is clear the war is on. Few more points demonstrates how fierce is the fight. Palestinians can only live in Jerusalem if they reside and are registered in a property here. Matters not if a property is built legally or not. The Palestinian population living outside Municipal boundaries of Jerusalem is not allowed into the city. If a Jerusalem Palestinian wants to marry Palestinian living outside the city, she or he will not get papers to join their husband/wife and reside together in Jerusalem. Only those born here are allowed to stay here. This situation is a result of 1992 policies of Israeli government and it created over 2 declares an atmosphere of fierce Arab resistance to remain in what used to be Palestinian territories.

This situation leads to a jet another point and that is the land. Over the years the Palestinian population has lost big chunk of their land. Municipality of Jerusalem has practiced designating areas as parks on Palestinian land to receive ownership of the land to later develop it as a settlement. Also any unoccupied property by Israeli law becomes the ownership of the Municipality, and there were many vacated Arab properties post 1967 war, where return of Palestinian population was and remains impossible. It's a clever mix of legislations presented to us as strong weapons of 'demographomania' war.

With increased number of Palestinian population over an area that is shrinking and the must of residence to be able to stay in Jerusalem pressure to build is on. Yet to build it not so easy. I understood it to be a lengthy 3 to 4 year process to get a planning decision which could be 'no'. Jerusalem has an post war outdated masterplan. Most neighbourhoods are working to local masterplans, but more often than not there is no masterplan, and houses grow like mushrooms after the rain. Old houses of maximum 2 storeys grow by another 3 sorties and a couple of additions. New buildings are built on plots that have no right to build on them. Palestinians build and register their illegal properties, get papers to reside in Jerusalem and start paying yearly penalties on their properties awaiting demolitions!

How the situation looks on the other Israeli site in do not know, but the difference in money invested on both sides of the old city walls is striking.

It was a long day and a lot to take in. For even more: a brief outline of the history of Israeli occupation this is the website to look at: http://www.arij.org/atlas40/chapters.html .

Also we were recommended a website of Jerusalem Applied Research Institute: http://www.arij.org/

New Israeli developments, East Jerusalem

Old Palestinian neighborhood with illegal new developments, East Jerusalem

Ras al'Amud, the barrier wall, East Jerusalem

View onto the dessert to the East of the city, East Jerusalem

Ha Horma,edge of Jewish settlement, East Jerusalem

Ha Horma, to the left view over the road with a Barrier Wall onto Bethlehem, East Jerusalem

Jerusalem Arrival

If i came here as a tourist I would enjoy the ancient stones of Jerusalem walls , paths and streets, The night lights of the city hills expressed by the darkness of its walleyes. The songs of all religions at all times of the day all days of the week, arranged harmoniously to fill the city with sound. I blissfully in the heat of the sun and in the cooling breeze and shadow of the night life in West Jerusalem with good food and drink.

Yet I came here to work on a masterplan for a Palestinian neighbourhood in East Jerusalem . I stayed in a Palestinian Hotel in Ras al'Amud , a neighbourhood overlooking the Old Town of Jerusalem from the eastern side, I went out in West Jerusalem for dinner and on the 26th of June the workshop started. Reality of the conflict and ever present history of this place hit me hard in those first few days. I could see myself the differences in the quality of city fabric between west and east. But the site visits at the beginning of the workshop and the presentations by members and guests of IPCC added the understanding of the mechanism of municipal policies aiming at restricting Palestinian presence in Jerusalem. They also added facts and numbers to some vague impressions, clarified the role of history which is so crucial in the argument of Israeli and Palestinian People. After a few days the beautiful songs of prayer started sounding like a territorial songs of war. I hear them every day few times a day. It's Jerusalem.