ReOccupying the Rubble: Typologies + Spaces of Resistance in the West Bank

Abstract

The central design questions of this project are: what can be done with the rubble from demolished structures in the West Bank, and what potential does this material have for the creation of new structures? Additionally, what designs can be made using the rubble as the main material? Initial research began with mapping the West Bank and a spatially analyzing Palestinian and Israeli settlements using modeling and algorithmic software like Rhino and Grasshopper to study boundaries and calculate areas. Further research was done through photo collaging to understand the experience and materiality of the landscapes adjacent to the wall that separates Israel and the West Bank. The goal is to ultimately design typologies for rubble that can be implemented along the Separation Wall to create spaces of resistance for Palestinians. These spaces can be used for, seeking shade, setting up informal markets, or instigating conversation. These design investigations were supplemented with writings of historians, social geographers, and architects, including Lefebvre, Foucault, Edward Said, and Eyal Weizman, as a way to understand the power inherently tied to the production of space. This project also draws connections across space and time to evaluate how power must always be considered (and shared) in the design process.