Project entry 2020 for Middle East Africa
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Growing Social Fabric in Palestine
Design of Kafr 'Aqab historic center as a green cultural hub to serve the community of rural Jerusalem. The project will host at least five cultural institutions and will emphasize the environmental aspect of the historic fabric, such as the use of local material, collecting rainwater, thermal comfort, vegetation of the cemetery and green shared spaces for the local community. The historic center will be the lungs of a suffocating village from pollution.
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Growing Social Fabric in Palestine
The trail that connects historic centers of Kafr 'Aqab and Jaba' aims to question the notion of borders and relationships between built and natural environments. A series of walks and community based activities were organized by Riwaq inviting different participants from the nearby communities and interested hikers from diverse disciplines. The trail also included a number of activities including oral history sessions, storytelling, exhibitions, performances and recycling activities.
Last updated: November 13, 2021 Ramallah, Palestine
Environmental Approach of Revitalization
Because of the disastrous environmental and geopolitical problems that Kafr 'Aqab suffers from, an ecological approach was adopted.The approach analyzes the interaction among living systems and their environment, between human and non-human processes. The planning approach,therefore, proposed a well-designed water management system, landscape plan, greenery waste separation & thermal comfort programs taking advantage of available resources. The project also aims at reviving the water spring and reclaiming of farming lands around the historic center. Green roofs and collective agricultural community gardens are essential parts of the project design.
Adaptive reuse of Historic Buildings and Thermal Comfort
This project is based on respect, admiration and belief in the historic built environment .It is an effort to bring life back by combining design, planning, restoration, landscaping and infrastructure. New functions, shaded landscape and open space, will create a platform for meeting, learning and adaptive reuse. The new facilities will include an environmental play-area for children, eco-kitchen for the women association, a community garden, and green roofs, thus improving local living conditions and biodiversity, and adding to the aesthetic quality of Kafr 'Aqab. This initiative is part of a learning lab for RIWAQ's ongoing and future regeneration projects. Utilizing abandoned historic fabrics into vibrant spaces for contemporary use is a needed approach for coping with limited resources.
Community Mobilization and Bringing Life Back
To attain a deeper understanding of life in the old town of Kafr Aqab, a long-term research through oral history was conducted to help uncover the daily life habits, ceremonies, stories and identify families and properties. The research was initiated in collaboration with a storyteller. The research resulted in a narrative storytelling performance about a local shrine and the ancient oak tree. The research was culminated with a video installation, and the “Adam and Eve": the storytellers’ exhibition, which explores the different roles of male and female storytellers, their narratives, their social and political impact through highlighting excerpts of the collected narratives. A series of community based activities are to be organized parallel to the restoration process.