Ethereal

Naya Aslan

Ethereal

synonyms : ghostly, intangible

A thesis book for the Final Architectural Project submitted to

the Department of Architecture,

School of Architecture, Art, and Design

American University in Dubai

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

Degree of Bachelor of Architecture

Fall 2022

Copyright © 2022 Naya Aslan

All rights reserved.

4 5

Approval of the Thesis Book for Final Architectural Project

Department of Architecture

School of Architecture, Art, and Design

American University in Dubai

Student Signature:

Date:

Student’s Full Name: Naya Aslan

Thesis Book Title: Ethereal

Figure 0.1

Advisor / Professor Name: Dr. Abdellatif Qamhaieh

Advisor / Professor Signature:

Date:

6 7

Acknowledgement

First and foremost, I would like to give special

thanks to my family for being my backbone in

every way possible. Thank you for always being

by my side ,believing in me, and pushing me to

become a better version of myself. I hope one day

I can make you proud. I would also like to thank

my uncle for his immense support in gathering up

information about the project and for supporting

me throughout the whole journey. I’d like to thank

my friends too for their constant support and never

failing to lift me up when things got rocky, thanks

for making all the tough days more light-hearted

and bearable. I appreciate and cherish every

moment we had together.

Special thanks to my professor Dr. Abdellatif

Qamhaieh for constantly believing in me and

encouraging me to think outside the box. Thank

you for providing me with the creative freedom

to explore my potential and challenge myself by

taking risks. Thank you for the constant support

and assistance throughout my whole journey.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all the

professors who taught me in these 5 years. I

appreciate all the support and assistance I was able

to receive from you and I hope I make you proud

someday.

Figure 0.2

8 9

How to use this book:

On figures marked with (*) before the figure name,

use the red and blue sheets attached to the book

package to see the hidden elements of the image.

Refer to the description adjacent to the pictures

to refer to what each image represents. All images

that are overlayed over the other apply to this

effect. Slide the book package over the book so the

colored sheet goes above the book.

This dual color effect symbolizes the constant

change and uncertainty that the people in Syria are

facing on a daily basis. The images overlayed seem

to lose their meaning ;however, the sheets help

us in understanding each image without this loss

occurring.

Refer to the sample on the right as an example for

images that need to be deciphered.

In addition, when prompted to Scan QR , use your

phone camera to scan the QR code to play the

poem read by Author or Nizar Qabani or Mahmoud

Darwish.

10 11

All war is

a symptom

of a man’s

failure as

a thinking

animal.

- John Steinbeck

Abstract

Over the course of time, war has been marked as

one the greatest enemies against humanity. Not

only is it vile as an outcome, but what is more

dangerous are the events that eventually lead up

to it. It is a stacking of decades of social, economic,

and poltical inequalities that suffocate the people

into fuming into rebellions and acts of violence.

Though we cannot pinpoint the direct cause of

the upheaval of conflict, there are factors that

play a huge role on the psychological aspect of

the people that can lead up to such war. In fact,

architecture and the design of our cities are often

elements overlooked for their power in social

engineering and predicting social behavior.

The civil war in Syria is one good example of how

architecture can be detrimental when poorly

designed. Echoeing Marwa Al Sabouni’s message

in the book Battle of Home, the architectural and

urban projects have played a big role on the sense

of belonging people develop for a place. Once

its citizens loose their sense of attachment to

the country, they lose their sense of home which

eventually degenerates their sense of identity.

The aim of this research is to explore this loss of

identity and develop design solutions to uplift it.

It targets areas affected by the war in Damascus

which express this lost identity in the typology

of its architecture as well as the lifestyle of the

citizens. The design aims to explore and challenge

ways in which the intangible cultural heritage can

be retrieved while enhancing the sense of identity

for the people living in areas impacted by war.

When users develop a stronger sense of home

and community, they are more likely to develop a

stronger identity to a place that embraces them

rather than shun them.

12 13

00

Intro

16-17

36-39

40-43

44-49

20-25

26-29

30-33

154-157

158-159

160-161

162-173

7.1 Ghostly Identities 176-177

7.2 Nostalgia 178-179

7.3 Escape 180-181

3.1 See

3.2 Hear

3.3 Smell

3.4 Taste

3.5 Touch

54-57

60-61

64-67

5.1 Area Table 146-147

5.2 Area Relationship 148-149

5.3 Functions 150-151

70-71

74-77

4.1 Jewish Museum

4.2 Museum of WWII

4.3 Multicultural Center

4.4 JST Production Center

80-99

100-119

120-131

132-143

184-191

14 15

Introduction

War is the product of decades

of social, economic, and poltical

inequalities that suffocate the

people into fuming into rebellions

and acts of violence. Though we

cannot pinpoint the direct cause of

conflict, there are factors that play

a huge role on the psychological

aspect of the people, one of which

is architecture. Architecture shapes

our lives in ways that are often

overlooked. It is one important

factor to predicting and controlling

human behavior.

As we rewind in time, we take a pause

at the effects of the French Mandate

and other mandates in shaping

current day Damascus. The city was

known for its tight kitted community

and lively urban lifestyle. Though

some of its remains still exists

today, alot has been lost due to the

divisions appointed by the French

to ‘divide and conquer’. The tight

alleyways and the intricate markets

were dismantled and replaced with

modernist urban planning with the

aim of weakening the foundation

of community between the people.

Once achieved, the community

no longer fights as one rather as

different sects and different social

statuses. In addition, the plan was not

catered towards future expansions

towards the city thus resulted in

several unplanned settlements all

throughout Damascus.

Once Damascus’s rich urban fabric

was weakened, conflict arose

between different people and

different communities. The poor

planning resulted in poor living

conditions for the people thus

resulting in feuds and a suffocating

lifestyle. The people no longer saw

their houses and neighborhoods as

home; rather, they saw it as places

to reside in and seek shelter. The

poor living conditions and destitute

lifestyle exacerbated the lack of

sense of home thus increasing from

the lack of sense of identity and

belonging. When this belonging is

lost, people are fed up and it is more

likely for conflict occur afterwards.

The change in lifestyle before

and after war can cause several

psychological, economic, and social

negative effects on communities.

People tend to hurdle up in groups

and develop the “ us vs. them”

mentality and further deteriorate

the sense of community people

need to develop a part of their social

identity. In addition, war has created

several mental health defects in

both children and adults.

For an identity of a place to be

strengthened , the spaces have to

connect to the human on the sensory

level and not just the functional

level. Though any space can become

shelter, not any place can become

a home. The space needs to give

back to the user and not just take in

order for a healthier user to place

connection to form. Through this

connection and the passage of time, a

stronger connection to a place forms

especially when it is communicating

with the user in the right manner,

through his/her senses.

Old Damascus is an example of

where this sense of place is deeply

rooted. The spaces and design

of elements create warmth. The

integration of natural and local

materials invokes the sense of

touch and smell which further

connects the user to a place. The

intimate alleyways with generous

Figure 0.3

shade generate comfortable spaces

for the user to resort to in times

of need. Every sense has been

integrated in the Old City, contrary

to the unplanned settlements lacking

character and soul.

In conclusion, Damascus has suffered

immensely from the war and the poor

living condiitons in these informal

settlements do not make life any

better. If a sense of belonging and

identity is not nurtured, who’s to say

that another war would not spring

up form the contant distress and lack

of connection to place people have

been feeling for years now.

16 17

Chapter 01

Figure 1.0.1

Figure 1.0.2

Ghostly Identities

1.1 The French Mandate and

the Urban Form

It is often overlooked how significant the past

can be in formulating the future. We tend to

forget the deep ties with the distant past and

relate the future with the experiences of the

near past only. However, if we take a step back

and examine the events of history, we can

better understand what our futures hold and

better understand our present. Similarly, this

concept applies to the current civil war in Syria.

When we look at major events from a nearsighted

perspective, we fail to find solutions

that can prevent the sprouting of other major

problems. Therefore, we need to take several

steps back and reflect on the historical events

that shaped Syria today.

Syria does not hold the title of the “cradle

of civilizations” in vain. Extensive changes

happened to Syria across every different point

in its timeline : from the dawn of time with the

Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Greeks and

Romans, Umayyad Empire, Ottoman Empire,

to the last occupation by the French. However,

the period of most significance to current-day

Syria is that of the French Mandate in the 1920s.

Though the French occupied current-day Syria

for a short period of time (1920-1946), their

planning has been echoing till modern-day

Syria as we witness its cruel effects on the

country’s fabric on the urban, architectural and

social levels (Al-Sabouni, 2016).

Figure 1.1.1

22 23

United we rise, divided we fall. The

French understood this concept

very well and used it as a strategy

to disrupt Arab nationalism to make

the people more susceptible to their

conquer and rule(Rollins, 2018).

They added further changes to the

modernization plan devised by the

Ottomans(Wind & Ibrahim, 2020).

Unfortunately, the Syrian people

fell into their trap by force and had

no other choice but to continue

surviving in the circumstances that

the French had puppeteered. They

had marketed their advances in the

country as a form of upgrading the

country into a more “civilized” place;

however, their plans only brought

together social, economic, and

urban ills.

As the orientalist, Louis Jalabert

describes it as the introduction of

more “civilized life” to the otherwise

more “barbaric” city(Al-Sabouni,

2016). In order to produce political

and spatial fragmentation, the

French divided Syria into Damascus,

Aleppo, Homs, and Hama which

were very important urban centers

for the mandate (Tekdal, 2011).

Damascus was then further divided

and altered from its once tight

alleyways and close neighborhoods

to a more “modern” urban planning

that was imposed by western

ideologies. As it is often mistaken by

foreign urban planners, the ideas of

the west do not seamlessly apply to

the East. Therefore, this insensitivity

to the microculture of each city and

its corresponding neighborhoods

Figure 1.1.2

Figure 1.1.3

shows how unsuccessful the attempt

at a more “civilized” life this plan had

been. In fact, the plan had succeeded

in erasing very important elements

in the social and urban fabric thus

harboring places of hatred and

eventually loss of communal and

cultural identity(Al-Sabouni, 2016).

To better understand how such a

loss of identity formed, it is best to

examine the different changes that

the mandate had applied to the city.

One city that was infected with the

infectious planning of the French

was Damascus. Damascus was

once known for its strong cultural

and social identity with very strong

elements from its tangible and

intangible culture. Therefore, the

villainous eyes of the French had

marked Damascus as a target to

impose their plans of dissolving the

unity it harbored.

The obsession with modernization

can be seen in the plan of new

Damascus under the French

mandate. Its community consisted

of tightly knitted relations between

different ethnicities like the

Muslims and the Christians. Its

neighborhoods harbored places of

economic and social importance.

With the French plan, however, the

idea of shared spaces was slowly

being eradicated and the planning

of the city transformed to the plan

of Versailles.(Al-Sabouni, 2017) The

French were force-feeding western

ways of living into this Arab fabric

that had a very different social

24 25

structure to it compared to the

west. The plan of New Damascus

, by Rene Danger, is more spread

out and religious institutions no

longer faced one another. The idea

of the narrow alleyways was being

demolished and the plan for more

“organized” planning evolved. This

thus resulted in separating the

different communities that once

lived together on the ethnic, social,

and religious levels. The rich were

invited into the city center while

the middle class and poor, who once

lived in the same area, were forced

out of the city. This clear divide in

the planning, therefore, created a

more segregated Damascus that

slowly developed the mentality of

“us vs them” that we see today. The

disintegration of the city’s diversity

in its neighborhoods on the social,

cultural, and economical level can

thus be a result of the country’s

demise (Jacobs, 2011).

One of the first urban interventions

of the French in Damascus was a

violent one as were most of their

advances on the city. The French

realized how urban planning can be

weaponized and used that to their

own advantage. They raided the

city with bombings and tank shells

to force any rebels out and prep

the land they wanted to destroy to

become their tabula rasa to work

on. The fight continued for three

consecutive days and Damascus was

perceived as a warzone due to the

number of destructions they had

caused to the city (Stockhammer &

Wild, 2009). Al Hariqah was a victim

of the French and was thus named

after the fire and destruction that

led to its demise. The area housed

one of the most beautiful houses of

Damascus that had a strong hold on

the country’s architectural heritage,

Al Quwatli house. They destroyed

the area’s intricate and organic

neighborhood to implement Louis

Jalabert’s plan for a more “civilized

life” . Their design was based on

creating spaces that are more

car-friendly. However, their plan

resulted in the area being one of the

most congested and polluted areas

in town.

Their inconsiderate designs created

gaps in the connection with the

old city which eventually resulted

in hybrid spaces. The Damascene

people tried to make the best out

of the plan and tried to introduce

Souqs and pedestrian zones into

these nooks to benefit from the

awkward junction that the French

had blindly designed(Stockhammer

& Wild, 2009). Sadly, what was lost

cannot simply be retrieved, the

newer buildings hosted mostly the

rich while the original inhabitants of

the area had to flee to the outskirts

of the city to find shelter and live

peacefully.

26 Figure 1.1.4 : Edited by Author

27

1.2 The Civil War

War is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon

that can be caused by political, economic, and

social factors. It is difficult to pinpoint one

aspect that enflamed the war as all the factors

are intricately interwoven and not simple to

untangle. However, one thread that is often

overlooked in this complex knot is the impact

architecture has on the psychological, social,

and economic levels. When we lose track of

how important architecture can be at a social

engineering level, we place ourselves at the

forefront of complex problems such as war.

When the cause of the knot is unidentified, it

will exponentially wrap around itself making

it even harder and more time-consuming to

untangle. In the case of Syria, architecture

played a huge role in the current events facing

Syria on several levels.

It is a misconception that the war started in

2011. In fact, the country was placing one

foot in the grave with every violent change in

its urban fabric(Al-Sabouni, 2016). Once the

urban fabric was slowly being dismantled,

a domino effect happened where several

problems on the social, economic, and cultural

levels started to appear. Unfortunately, with

every change made to the city, the community

was blinded by its long-standing negative

effects that were going to impact generations

after them. The case of the French Mandate in

the 1920s marks an important checkpoint to

where such changes weren’t healthy for the

country, contrary to what Louis Jalabert falsely

justified in the production of a more “civilized”

life(Stockhammer & Wild, 2009).

Figure 1.2.1

28 29

The French plan was not equipped for expansion,

nor was it equipped for hosting different social,

cultural, and religious groups. Such segregation

in its planning not only created space for

sectarian urbanism but also dissolved the idea of

togetherness that the Syrian identity held before

the interference of the French. Unfortunately,

several people had to go to the outskirts of the

country to seek refuge from the high-handed

and violent authority of the French that did

not take them into consideration in the design.

As a result of this diaspora within the Syrian

people, several communities sought to build

their “own cities”. Clusters of different social

classes formed resulting in informal settlements

and disorganized suburbs lacking any sense of

identity.

The people’s main aim was to build a shelter, and

each builds their own house haphazardly. As a

result of these informal settlements not having

one authority managing the planning of the area,

clusters of different societal and religious groups

formed. The buildings built did not reflect the

Syrian cultural identity. The street life did not

reflect the country’s social identity. The places

Figure 1.2.2

created thus created placelessness

and no feeling of home(Al-Sabouni,

2016).

From the 1920s to the start of the war

in 2011, the people were enduring

living in a place that was completely

against their natural Syrian identity

(Mansour, 2015). They could not

relate to the place nor recognize

themselves in the places they lived

in. This loss of identity piled up to an

extent where the people eventually

couldn’t swallow their sorrow and

lack of sense of self and community.

The first revolution that happened

in Syria eventually sprung from one

of these informal settlements in

Daraa(Al Jazeera English, 2017). The

location of such an uprising is a clear

indicator of how the loss of identity

as a result of ill-planning can drag

with it several societal problems

that can eventually result in war

(Rollins, 2018). The current phantom

identity in such communities lies in

its unfinished cement facades with

the exposed bricks and mortar, the

steel rods protruding in almost

every household, and its soulless

alleyways. These ghostly finishes

resemble the lifestyle of a ghost

town rather than towns that are

vibrant in the tangible and intangible

sense.

This loss of identity has been

exacerbated till the present day.

Due to the war, approximately 6.8

million people naturally fled to other

countries to seek refuge from the

constant threat to their survival

(Reid, 2022). The loss of identity

is thus seen not only inside the

country, with its refugees, but also

outside of it as its skilled craftsmen,

talented minds, creative individuals,

and youth dispersed throughout the

world in search of peace and places

where they can practice a portion

of their identity. Unfortunately,

generations of youth are being

brought up without a connection

to the Syrian identity. Though the

dream of coming back to Syria to

rebuild it is a dream shared by most,

it will be difficult to rebuild such

a lost identity if these individuals

themselves don’t understand the

depth of the Syrian identity.

Figure 1.2.3

30 31

1.3 Damascus and the

Negative Effects of War

War-Damage (2011-2018) in Districts of Damascus

Metropolitan Area

“To Damascus, years are only moments, decades are

only flitting trifles of time. She measures time, not by days

and months and years, but by the empires, she has seen

a rise, and prosper and crumble to ruin. She is a type of

immortality(Twain, 1869).”

Damascus is a city known for the complex

layers it holds on to its lands. The city hosted

civilizations of various ideologies and belief

systems: the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans,

Umayyads, Ottomans, and several others.

Throughout its history, it was always seen as

an important site due to its ideal proximity to

the Silk Road. Therefore, trade in Damascus

helped strengthen its economy which resulted

in personal, social, and architectural riches.

Spatial planning and warfare are extremely

connected to the essence of a place. The plans

designed for problem areas due to the war do

not simply mean reconstructing the destroyed.

Therefore, when such spatial plans are done

without effective design and legal authority,

several aspects of the place’s essence are lost.

Due to the current lands lost as a result of the

war, several people from different cities

were displaced.

In Damascus in particular, people residing

in the southern suburbs of Damascus had to

flee since their land was used as a war site.

Some parts of Damascus as well as Latakia and

Tartous are one of the safest to live in currently.

Therefore, large numbers of citizens head to

them to find shelter after they had lost the

war. The reason most choose Damascus over

Lattakia or Tartous is due to the size of the city

as well as its economic activity.

Figure 1.3.1 Edited by Author

Other Districts

No Information

Damaged

Highly Damaged

Low to Medium

Medium to High

32 33

Informal Housing in Damascus Metropolitan Region

The Old City is one of the few

things in Damascus that still holds a

portion of the Damascene identity.

Though it is still a reflection of the

identity, it is slowly losing its power

as more imbalance occurs with the

integration of modernization into

the area around it. The area was

famous for its humility to human

proportions. However, with the

integration of cars around it, it has

become a site for taxi car congestion

and pollution thus taking away from

the serene essence the Old City

once celebrated (Mansour, 2015).

(Mansour, 2015). There is no pattern

nor rhythm that can hold an identity,

only bare cement blocks with holes

and prominent satellite dishes

protruding from every building.

Each person had a role in “building

their home” therefore developing a

deeper connection to it. However,

these informal settlements lack any

relation to what can constitute a

home whether in the housing sense

or in the spatial planning. They tend

to build a house with 4 walls rather

than a home, and land rather than a

homeland.


Recognized

Informal

Settlements

Unrecognized

Informal

Settlements

Informal

Densification

Common

Unfortunately, the large number

of settlements that happened in

Damascus over the years before

and during the war condensed

onto the outskirts of the city. Its

inhabitants have thus formed

informal settlements with their

own clusters of communities. Places

like Jaramana, for instance, were

one of places greatly affected by

war(Wind & Ibrahim, 2020). Though

it currently houses both the middle

and lower class, it still contains

informal settlements that were

created as a result of war.

The danger of such informal

settlements contributes severely

to the identity since the numbers

are rising as well as the poor design

choices do not consider the cultural

identity of the city. The Damascene

home for instance is well-designed

for climate, culture, and integration

of all the senses. Such design

elements changed depending on

the owner’s taste or social status

The more this feeling is nurtured,

the more the country loses its

identity which would eventually

lead to its final demise. Syria

was once celebrated for its

tightly knitted communities not

just by space but also by heart

) قلوب الناس على بعضها (

Though the social aspect is not

entirely gone, it is not at all like

it was before(Mansour, 2015).

The segregation that happened in

planning over the course of the years

and the lack of sense of belonging,

due to the spatial design, has tapped

into most citizens’ inner selves and

nurtured hatred and fear between

one another. In order to build back

the sense of home, we need to

examine the psychological aspects

that drive people to formulate such

experiences. Architecture surely

cannot solve political issues but it

can create better inhabitable spaces

that strengthen the community

rather than weaken it.

34 35

Chapter 02

Nostalgic Identities

Figure 2.0.1

Figure 2.0.2

2.1 Psychology of War

No words nor images can put together the bitter

realities people of war face. In the pyramid of

war, the ones at the top are the hardest to reach

thus causing conflicts without experiencing

the detrimental effects that are gushing down

on those at the bottom, drowning them. Often

so, the wounds caused by war are too deep and

will continue to feel inflamed during and after

the war.

Such experiences are not limited to Syrian

citizens. Throughout history, the violent

stabs of war to one’s character and reality

dug too deep into both the individual and

social fabric. During peacetime, each expects

himself to not cross certain limits. However,

war can truly bring out a side of people that

never existed. It is through constant fear that

such realities develop. Our perceptions of the

world and the people around us change during

wartime(Vetter, 2007). During peacetime,

the importance of “now” is exceeded by the

importance of “tomorrow”. People tend to live

in the future dreaming about what they ought

to be. On the other hand, wartime places “now”

as the one- and only-time phase important as

it disintegrates the hope of tomorrow(Vetter,

2007).

Figure 2.1.1 (Red) : Children during war

Figure 2.1.2 (Blue): Children before the war

War creates both individual and collective shifts

in perception, behavior , lifestyle, thoughts, and

beliefs(Vetter, 2007). For instance, the Syrian

war has increased the divide and animosity

between the people though the Syrian social

culture was once praised for its harmonious

character with different religions and

backgrounds. Once war exists at the forefront

of everyone’s lives, the fight against war shifts

40 41

from a fight against the sources of

corruption towards the illusory and

easy fight of “us vs them”(Vetter,

2007). Unfortunately, the children

of the war define life as their current

experiences of the war; after all,

they haven’t experienced anything

other than its bitterness and cruelty.

The children grow up lacking a sense

of childhood and safety which can

severely impact their perception

of life as well as impact their future

selves. In addition, the lack of a

sense of home places develops

ghostly identities that can pass on

to generations; nearly 90% of Syrian

refugees both in and outside the

country exist below the poverty

line(Cook, 2022). Loss of hope has

thus been building up in every Syrian

citizen.

The shock of war and loss of home

has had detrimental impacts on their

mental health. Unfortunately, the

death of a loved one is the tip of the

iceberg. This domino effect has thus

impacted the social and economic

fabric as well as created both mental

and physical disabilities in the

individual and social sense(MURTHY

& LAKSHMINARAYANA, 2006).

Figure 2.1.3

Since war strips away feelings of

safety, architectural solutions must

take into consideration how much

safety can be gradually introduced

in both the architectural and

social aspects. Thus, safety can be

introduced both as forms and as

functional spaces that drive that

sense of protection.

42 43

2.2 Memory and Architecture

When we close our eyes and remember places

of childhood, we don’t exactly remember how

things look like, but rather, how they made

us feel. Like our encounters with people, our

memories of them tend to reflect the emotions

we felt with them. Our emotions are therefore

triggered by our surroundings. If the triggers

are negative, then we are most likely going to

develop negative memory of a place. The more

a space interacts with its user, the more likely it

is to generate memories(Hopkins, 1996).

Though a space exists in our conscious

world, memories exist in the unconscious.

Consequently, in order to build more images

in the unconscious, spaces in the real world

must bridge the connection between both

(Bachelard, 1964). For that to happen, spaces

need to feed our imagination, without it

memories cease to exist therefore the space

in the real world ceases to stay alive. Spaces

without souls are merely objects that cannot

transcend time and space. Consider the shell

of an animal, the shell’s purpose is derived

from the body that lives in it (Bachelard, 1964).

Therefore, the shell is dependent on the body

inside to keep it moving, and to deepen its

history. If the body never existed in such a shell,

its history does not exist as well. For in the

case of houses, a house with no occupant dies.

However, one with occupants lives forever

both in the real and the unconscious world of

memories. Even if the current occupants pass

away, new occupants inhabit the space and

keep it alive. Therefore, it can be concluded

that the occupants constitute the soul of the

house, and what is a body without a soul?

Figure 2.2.1

44 45

Memories of a place and memories

of a user are interrelated, each

builds the other in the unconscious

world. However, for a place to hold

positive memories in the mind of

its user, it should connect to the

being on a deeper level than simply

shelter. When the design of spaces

becomes ocularcentric , the space is

much more likely to lose its place in

the unconscious world (Pallasmaa,

2012). For our feelings to be invoked

in spaces, the eye in itself is not

enough to trigger the imagination. To

better understand the elements that

invoke feelings in spaces, it is best to

connect with our natural senses as

humans. Had we been designed to

experience the world through sight

alone, our bodies would lack all the

other senses that we experience on

a day-to-day basis.

Figure 2.2.2

a space. The olfactory senses are

those that are most discarded but of

great importance in the creation of

memories, especially smell (Walsh,

2020).

It comes as no surprise that the Old

City in Syria is one celebrated for

the rich memories it is connected

to. Such design of spaces on both

the architectural and urban levels

was designed for the human of the

5 senses rather than the singular

sense of vision. In each corner

of its alleyways, was a different

experience with the surrounding.

Through the integration of senses

in the design, a stronger connection

to the place results as the place

feels much more welcoming in both

the conscious and the unconscious

world.

When the spaces we live, eat, walk,

and socialize does not relate to our

humanity, the place shuns us from

existence and contributes to the lack

of sense of belonging. To reiterate

what was mentioned in the earlier

chapter on history, the more a place

lacks a sense of belonging, the more

likely it is to generate places for

hatred and eventually conflict.

Figure 2.2.3

“The eye is the organ of distance and

separation, whereas touch is the sense of

nearness, intimacy, and affection. The eye

surveys, controls, and investigates, whereas

touch approaches and caresses. “ (Pallasmaa,

2012) Eyes of the Skin , page 50.

For imagination to sprout from

spaces, eyesight should not be

the sense of most importance.

Once it is toned down, we can

experience its true power. The

duality between light and shadow

plays a critical role in the formation

of memory(Pallasmaa, 2012)

Through the loss of light, spaces

for imagination grow and create

depth in the experiential aspect of

The lost identity in current-day

Syria can thus also be connected to

the loss of the sensory design in its

spaces (Mansour, 2015). Though the

last thing people running from war

think about is the connection to the

senses, such forgetfulness leads to

even bigger problems. The victims

of war run to new senseless spaces

to attain peace not knowing that

peace cannot simply exist in such

scenarios. The grey colorless cement

facades and the makeshift places for

“entertainment” as well as the harsh

wires protruding from buildings are

simply not inviting, rather they are

places that slowly asphyxiate their

users.

46 47

2.3 Sense of Place

For a place to connect to the metaphysical

level of the individual, the place must relate

to those living there. Not necessarily in

social status, rather in meaning, function, and

experiences. Architecture that doesn’t connect

the past, present, and the future thus loses its

contact with its user. For a place to develop a

strong sense of belonging, it must acquire a

deep understanding of the user and his/her

experiences while being a place that gives back

on the individual, social, and architectural level.

The Syrian TV series The Waiting produced in

2006 depicts life in the informal settlements of

Damascus, though such informal settlements

weren’t undergoing war back then, the loss of

identity and the increasing animosity towards

their neighborhood is like those found in the

settlements impacted by war. One of the main

actors in the series, Samira, mentions how

unhappy she is in the neighborhood and how

she wishes to leave with her family, she says

“This isn’t home, this is only a stop, this isn’t

where I belong, we will soon leave”(Hajo, 2006).

They too were victims of the concrete jungle.

The place lacked any sort of character, sense

of ownership, significance, and cohesiveness.

As the show progresses, we notice how chaos

forms from the slightest things. Their living

conditions and environment chokes them and

riles them up, it is as though they are a placed

in a pressure cooker, loud, suffocating, and

unbearable.

Figure 2.3.1

To generate better sense of community

and place, designers must consider place

attachment, place identity, social interaction,

and pedestrianism. Place attachment refers

to creating emotional bonds between the

48 49

community and the place, this

is thus done by designing places

where the individuals relate on their

personal and communal history

and tradition. The more the place

looks deep into the community’s

history and attempts to reflect it

and celebrate it, the more the place

secures a part in the user’s memory.

Developing community satisfaction,

sense of ownership and long-term

integration between the user’s

and their surroundings are also

additional factors that strengthen

the attachment with a place.

To strengthen a place’s identity

through architecture, the design

should express a strong character of

community, uniqueness and design,

and continuity and harmony with its

surrounding(Nady, 2020).

For spaces plagued by war, the

psychological effects of fear need

to be taken into consideration

when designing solutions. Marwa

Al Sabouni discusses in her book

“Building for Hope” the five

principal fears that make up our

sense of vulnerability as humans:

Fear of death, fear of need , fear of

treachery, fear of loneliness, and

fear of boredom. Each of these has a

form of relation to the architecture

that surrounds us. Though we, as

humans, know we are mortal, we

constantly seek continuity.

Continuity in our lives and the

environment around us. One of

the reasons historical buildings

are admired is because they were

able to withstand the fight of time

and continue to live on to future

generations not only in their

physical being but also in their

spiritual and metaphysical entities.

The Umayyad Mosque is an example

of architecture that fought the

progress of time and continued to

embody a meaning and purpose in

every generation that overgrows

it. Due to its strong historical

and traditional significance, the

community feel at peace with it as it

relates to their identity deep down

as Syrians rather than the buildings

built to imitate the West and satisfy

the colonizers(Al-Sabouni, 2021).

The fear of need is not only a search

for abundance but also a search

for meaning. It is also a search for

dignity. Faceless facades do not

reflect the dignity of the user nor the

surroundings as there are no details

in the design for further meaning to

develop therefore no connection. In

the design of old Islamic buildings,

places to nestle in and sit where

taken into consideration for both

the humans and animals inhabiting

the place. When the space aspires

to give as well as take, there is an

exchange between the user and the

building which results in a deep bond.

Marketplaces where the sellers are

recognized as part of the community

not random retailers like a mall

created a more intimate interaction

on the social and architectural

level(Al-Sabouni, 2021).

Figure 2.3.2

50 51

Figure 2.3.3

The fear of treachery is also another

fear evident on both the social and

architectural levels. Since people

are afraid of the treachery of the

other, common minded individuals

tend to stick together and group up.

Unfortunately, this cannot be solved

by architecture alone since the war

has already caused deep trust issues

in the. However, this creation of

boundaries that communities tend

to build can be used in a way to

combine them in a way where each

community benefits from the skill

of the other. Buildings should also

be more welcoming, providing safe

places for people to seek refuge in

and depend on(Al-Sabouni, 2021).

Through using Bachelard’s vertical

concept in the oneiric house where

the design channels the emotions,

we can understand the importance

of each function on the user and how

we can let the design channel certain

feelings (Bachelard, 1964). The

Islamic house for instance depicted

his model of vertical centrality

where the design has a connection

with both the interior and the

exterior through the design of the

courtyards on the lower level and

the private spaces on the top level.

The building reacted with the user

on the natural and functional sense

reduced this feeling of treachery

and feeling the need to exit from the

house.

The final fears both fear of loneliness

and boredom talk about the search

of meaning and purpose as well

as character thus providing more

safety and security in the space(Al-

Sabouni, 2021).

Thus, for design to create a strong

sense of belonging, it should

design for the community aspect

while referencing the location’s

microculture, history, and needs on

both the physical and phycological

levels.

52 53

Chapter 03

Figure 3.0.1

Figure 3.0.2

Sensory Identities

58 59

Figure 3.1.1

3.1 See

After 5 years of not stepping foot in Damascus

because of a job offer in Berlin, Hussam finally

got the opportunity to visit his mother and his

beloved city. Though he feels 5 years is not

enough to make him forget the startling effect

the city had on him, he is proven wrong once he

steps into the Old City. It is as though, the trees

felt prettier and the colors more vibrant than

in any spot he visited in Berlin. His eyes tried

to take it all in but were suddenly faced with

incredible blurriness from the tears he was

trying to muster up.

Had it really been this long? Every corner and

gap, every house and alleyway were adorned

with beautiful jasmine trees and vegetation

outgrowing from the inner houses onto the

exterior of the building. The mauve-colored

damask rose, though it was abundant in every

corner he turned, it still seemed to eye him and

welcome him as the wind breeze slightly shook

it. With every scan he took across the city, it

felt as though a wound somewhere in his body

was being healed. Though he never knew the

depth of these wounds, now he finds peace in

admiring the tight alleyways and the generous

shade they provide.

His eyes were attempting to grasp everything

all at once but still admire the little details of the

city. The alleyways presented so much history

and depth through the different generations

of buildings. The older buildings had more

roughly cut stones with unique textures on

every stone brick while the newer buildings

had either the Syrian stone placed in the Al-

Ablaq style or French-inspired facades. Under

the shade of one of the alleyways, he admires

a mother cat peacefully feeding her 4 newborn

Figure 3.1.2

Figure 3.1.3

60 61

babies as she looks out for incoming

pedestrians. Though he had walked

several routes in Berlin, this time

his walk felt different. With every

step, he took flashes back from his

childhood playing Timemyme (hide

and seek) in the intricate alleyways.

He remembered how he used to

admire over Layla on her way to

school as he hid behind these round

corners trying to muster up the

courage to tell her he liked her. With

every turn he took, it was a new

experience with more details for him

to fawn over; however, he did not

have enough time. Hussam was only

visiting for 5 days. For every step he

took, he tried to make up for all the

5 years lost in the span of these very

short days in his visit.

He had taken the road from Bab

Touma all the way to Souq Al

Hamidieh. In the alleyways, he can

notice the intricate woodwork

on the doors , the shops that

organically grew in between these

alleyways. Though the walk was a

30-minute, it felt as though no time

had passed as his whole body was

immersing itself in this Damascene

experience. His feet moved slower

in an attempt to slow down time

and admired the cobble stones

on the pavement. The memory of

him injuring his knee running as

a kid flashed as he passed by Um-

Ahmad’s house. Her welcoming and

caring spirit never seemed to pass

away even though her physical body

did. Now as he steps closer towards

the Souq, he passes by the Great

Ummayad Mosque and his heart

Figure 3.1.4

Figure 3.1.5

drops in awe. The walls do not hide

its complex layers of history that is

very clearly presented in its façade.

Columns from the roman period are

visible in the design as they were

harmoniously designed with the

Islamic model of the mosque.

The floor too now has changed,

instead of the cobblestones,

he notices the Ablaq pattern

continuing on the ground. His inner

child reminds him of the little game

he would entertain himself with on

the way to get spices from the souk

as per his mom’s orders. Now, 40

year old Hussam was placing one

foot infront of the other only on

the black tiles and trying his best

not to touch the white tiling. He

remembers it to be a much easier

task back when he had smaller feet,

now he struggles with maintaining

balance and making sure his feet do

not cross the black borders.

As he slowly looks up, he is greeted

by the temple of Jupiter, or what

remains of it. The arches from the

temple still stand strong today and

mark the entrance to the Souq.

Now he is amazed by the crowd

and the bargaining of prices that

is happening across almost every

shop he is passing by. He looks up

to see small openings in the shaded

walkway that emit strong ray of light

as if creating a spotlight effect on

each of the shops. It was as though

it was intentional that each shop

was using the sun’s rays to advertise

and make their shop stand out in the

crowd.

62 63

64 65

Figure 3.1.1

Figure 3.2.2

3.2 Hear

Somehow, even in the marketplace, the kids have

managed to make it a place of entertainment.

The kids would play on the generosity of the

shopkeepers and manage to get free products

and food and constant smiles. Hussam hears

an old lady that instantly reminds him of his

mom. Just like her, his mom would daily take

the route to the Souq to stock up on the house’s

daily essentials. He looks back to the mosque,

though Hussam has left it and moved on to the

marketplace, his mind is still there. It hadn’t had

enough of it. He buys some bird food from one

of the nearby shops and runs to the open space

overlooking the mosque.

Figure 3.2.1

The sound of the birds somehow has gotten

louder, it was as though they knew Hussam

was coming to feed them. Now, he is focused on

the black bag the shop owner handed to him,

the sound of the plastic rustling in between

Hussam’s hands as he eagerly was attempting

to untie the knot of that bag. Soon enough, his

hands were deep in the bird food as he made a

fist and sprinkled the contents of the bag all over

the square. The pigeons resting on the minaret

overlooking the square noticed him and cooed

over to her friends to come and enjoy the meal.

The kids in the square always loved feeding the

pigeons, now that he is older, he wanted to pass

on this joy to the kids. “Ahmad, Motaz, Tariq,

come here look what I’ve got” sounded the

young eager boy. As Hussam handed the bag

over and turned his back to the mosque, the

sound of the Athan sent chills down his spine.

In the distance, you can hear the bells from a

nearby church chiming to the Athan, speaking

to one another and glorifying God together.

66 67

68 69

Figure 3.1.1

3.3 Smell

Now that he has entered the marketplace

again, the smell of the spices went deep into

his nose, it was as though they owned that path

and knew that this where they belong. On his

way home to meet his mother, he goes through

even more alleyways that pull Hussam almost

like a trance, to keep moving through them

rediscovering every forgotten corner. Suddenly

he is baffled by a strong soap smell, he looks

over to his right and notices the Hammam Al

Malik Al Zahir emitting the beautiful laurel

soap smell that he never thought he will miss.

Figure 3.3.2

Memories of his grandmother and mother

taking him to the bathhouse on Eid raced in

his head. He began reminiscing the life in the

bathhouse as gossip ensued in the female

section along with singing dancing, and lots of

laughter. He remembers the smell of the food

each lady would prepare for a feast in one of the

quarters in the bathhouse. As he was enjoying

his mother’s Hara’a Bi Osbao in his memories,

he remembered an interesting conversation

between him and his grandmother on where the

Syrian proverbs came from. They had always

been a part of his dialect but never understood

their origin. His grandmother narrates

” ضاعت الطاسة “

“ the pot is lost” is commonly said when chaos

ensues. This refers to when the pot used to

shower with would get lost due to the steam

and the soap in the eyes of those showering,

often the pot would be stolen and chaos would

ensue over the lost pot as they struggle to get

the soap out of their eyes.

Figure 3.3.1

70 71

Another funny story about one

of the proverbs would be the

‏“حمام مقطوعة ميته“‏

(bathhouse with no water). Often this phrase is

also used when chaos and loud noises ensue in

a situation(Akhras, 2017). One of the hardest

times in the bathhouse especially the female

one, would be when the water was no longer

reaching the premise. The ladies inside the

bathhouse would need to send signals to the

men working outside to fix the issue without

having to expose themselves. Therefore, the

ladies inside would each grab a random pot and

bang the ground with it creating very chaotic

sounds that would grab the attention of the

worker outside to fix the water problem.

The smell of the lush laurel soap sticks with

him all along his journey in the alleyways until

met with the stronger scent of jasmine that

pierces his heart. Dimashq, the city of Jasmine,

is adorned with this aromatic flower on several

of its streets. The tight alleyways bring in cool

air thus spreading with it the ethereal smells of

the jasmine tree. Now, his memory leads him to

his mother’s house where the smell of Jasmine,

figs , and roses only gets stronger.

Figure 3.3.3

72 73

74 75

Figure 3.3.4

3.4 Taste

Now as he overlooks his mother’s front door,

the jasmine flowers seem to know of his arrival

and have climbed out of the door, reaching for

him. He picks out a jasmine flower and repeats

the ritual he and his siblings would do with the

jasmine in their courtyard, pick out the jasmine

by the stem and suck on the stem for sweet

nectar.

Now as he greeted his mother with a warm hug,

she leads him under the swing shaded by the

lemon and fig trees. Now, as he swings slowly

admiring and taking in the beauty of Dimashq

from the exterior to the interior, he picks out

a ripe fig and enjoys the supple weather with

its cool breeze, beautiful floral scent, and juicy

figs.

Figure 3.4.2

Figure 3.4.1

76 77

78 79

Figure 3.1.1

3.5 Touch

It hurts to say goodbye. It hurts even more

sensing the effects of time on his mother’s

hands with each wrinkle and fold. Has 5 years

really been that long? It hurts to see the life you

desire to pass by right in front of your eyes in

pursuit of money. He calms himself with the

water in the fountain and heads over to wash

his face and pray for this moment to last. As he

approaches the water fountain, he could feel

the cold marble on the tips of his finger and

now at the palms of his hand. He dips his fingers

in the water and orchestrates the ripples in the

still fountain. Now, he puts his palms together as

he dips it into the water creating a small puddle

in his palms and splashes it on his nostalgic

face. As the water continues to drip down, he

pushes back his hair and says “bismillah” (In the

name of Allah) as he prepares to do wudu.

After completing the last step in the wudu by

washing his feet, Hussam looks up to notice a

small bird drinking from the water fountain

and it carves a smile on his face. The house , the

city, the market, the bathhouse everything in

Dimashq now gives to its user not only takes.

Figure 3.5.1

Figure 3.5.2

80 81

He hadn’t felt such a deep connection to his

self and his senses in a long time. He looks

over at the wall carrying a portrait of his dad

and grazes his hand over the limestone blocks

and porous basalt. He feels into every groove

the stone holds and how much memory each

contains. He lifts over his father’s portrait only

to reveal his mischievous acts as a teenager in

love with the engraving of his name and Layla’s.

He puts the portrait back and notices the

intricate craftsmanship of the frame that is

no longer as common in trade as before. After

praying, Hussam lays down on the mauve swing

in the courtyard intricately matching with the

nearby color of the damask rose and looks up

to the clear sky ahead. With one arm behind

his head, he admires the birds flying over his

house and the private connection his house has

with the exterior and nature around. The cool

breeze and the rocking motion of the swing

rock him to sleep with his final thoughts: Has it

really been that long?

Figure 3.5.3

82 83

Chapter 04

Figure 4.0.1

Case Studeis

01

Figure 4.1.1 (Red): The old Jewish Museum

Figure 4.1.2( Blue): Daniel Libeskind Extension for museum

Jewish Museum in Berlin

Architects : Studio Libeskind

Area: 15500 m^2

Location: Berlin, Germany

Function: Memorial / Museum

Year : 1999

88 89

4.1.1 Project Brief

The extension of the Jewish

Museum in Berlin is designed to be

experiential and narrative-driven

to tell the story of the Jewish

Holocaust. The museum is powerful

in its ability to present absence ,

invisibility, and emptiness as physical

spaces. The design provokes several

emotions which makes it create a

strong identity for Berlin.

Figure 4.1.3

90 91

4.1.2 Context

The buildings from the outside do

not seem to connect; however, they

baroque museum connects with

the modern museum through an

underground passageway.



92 93

4.1.3 Concept

Deconstruction of star of David

formulates the spaces whose

functions are based on the spiritual

and social fabric.

Figure 4.1.6 Edited by Author Figure 4.1.7

94 95

4.1.4 Design Strategy

Emotional Embodiment

Suffocating

Confined

Cautious

Fearful

Tiresome

Relentless

Exposed

Belittling

Hopeful

Alone

Descent

Washed Light

Long Passage

Expansion

Physical Embodiment

Compression

Figure 4.1.8 Figure 4.1.9 Figure 4.1.10

Figure 4.1.11 Figure 4.1.12

96 97

4.1.5 Materiality

Cast in place concrete and untreated

alloy of titanium and zinc which

oxidize and change color over time.

Figure 4.1.13

Figure 4.1.14

98 99

4.1.6 Circulation

The design of the different

passageways is meant to confuse

the user to emulate the confusion

and lost sense of direction of the

Jews back then

Axis of Continuity

Axis of Holocaust

Axis of Exile

Figure 4.1.15 Edited by Author Figure 4.1.16

100 101

4.1.7 Spatial Organization

Basement Plan

Learning Center

Observation Tower

Landscape

Toilet/Restrooms

Technical Rooms

Storage

Vertical Circulation


Function

Area

Learning Center 224 m 2

Observation Tower 28 m 2

Landscape 270 m 2

Toilets/Restroom 10 m 2

Technical Rooms 112 m 2

Storage 887 m 2

Vertical Circulation 72 m 2

102 103


First Floor Plan

Function

Area



Landscape 270 m 2



Storage 887 m 2


Exhibition

Observation Tower

Landscape

Toilet/Restrooms



Function

Area

Exhibition 850 m 2


Landscape 270 m 2

Toilets/Restrooms 10 m 2


104 105


Third Floor Plan

Function

Area



Landscape 270 m 2



Storage 887 m 2


Function

Area

Exhibition 850 m 2


Landscape 270 m 2



Workshop

Observation Tower

Landscape

Toilet/Restrooms

Storage

Staff Area



Function

Area

Workshop 116 m 2


Landscape 270 m 2

Storage 285 m 2

Staff Area 207 m 2



106 107

Figure 4.2.1 (Red): Image of Second World War

Figure 4.2.2(Blue): Museum of the Second World War

Museum of the Second World War

02

Architects : Studio Architektoniczne Kwadrat

Area: 57386 m²

Location: GDAŃSK, POLAND

Function: Memorial / Museum

Year : 2017

108 109

4.2.1 Project Brief

The museum is designed to be a

symbol for the city connecting

it’s past, present , and future. The

museum’s goal is to not just exhbit,

but also to be e a center for research,

education, and culture.

Figure 4.2.3

110 111

4.2.2 Context

The site has historical significance

as it is 200 m from the historic

Polish Post Office in Gdańsk and a

couple kilmeters across from the

Westerplatte Peninsula which were

both attached during WWII.


112 113

4.2.3 Concept

The design is meant to drive

reflection and envoke powerful

emotions. The different time zones

are expressed in the form. The past

through the underground space, the

present through the open space, and

the future through the protruding

form.

Figure 4.2.5

114 115

Figure 4.2.6

Figure 4.2.7

Figure 4.2.8



The underground spaces are meant

to reflect the hell of war, whilst the

present is mainted at the ground

floor at human level. The freedom

and hope is represented through the

protuding shapes

116 117

4.2.5 Materiality

It is cladded with brick cladding to

mimick the nearby building material.

Also uses concrete and steel.

Figure 4.2.10

118 119

Figure 4.2.9

4.2.6 Circulation

The path towards the exhbition

space underground is going

downwards from the ground level

then going up to eventually reach

the top.

Figure 4.2.11

120 121


Basement Level -2 (-9.25 m )

Foyer

Gallery

Auditorium

Toilet/Restrooms

Storage

Services

Cinema Hall

Technical Rooms


Parking


Function

Area

Foyer 865 m 2

Gallery 285 m 2

Auditorium 457 m 2


Storage 293 m 2

Services 461 m 2

Cinema Hall 213 m 2



Parking 4080 m 2

122 123


Ground Floor ( 0.00 m )

Function

Area

Foyer 865 m 2

Gallery 285 m 2

Auditorium 457 m 2


Storage 293 m 2

Services 461 m 2

Cinema Hall 213 m 2



Parking 4080 m 2

Conference Rooms

Admin Offices

Toilet/Restrooms

Services

Apartment Rooms

Room Services



Function

Area

Conference Room 115 m 2

Administration 719 m 2


Services 361 m 2

Apartment Rooms 271 m 2

Room Services 63 m 2


124 125


First Floor (+ 4.5 m )


Second Floor (+ 9.0 m )

Function

Area

Foyer 865 m 2

Gallery 285 m 2

Auditorium 457 m 2


Storage 293 m 2

Services 461 m 2

Cinema Hall 213 m 2



Parking 4080 m 2


Function

Area

Conference Room 115 m 2



Services 361 m 2

Apartment Rooms 271 m 2

Room Services 63 m 2



Learning Center

Admin Offices

Toilet/Restrooms

Storage


Function

Area




Storage 60 m 2


Library

Seminar Halls

Toilet/Restrooms

Storage


Function

Area

Library 306 m 2

Seminar Halls 195 m 2


Storage 34 m 2


126 127

03

Figure 4.3.1 (Red): Exterior shot

Figure 4.3.2(Blue): Interior shot

Multicultural Centre in Isbergues

Architects : Dominique Coulon & associés

Area: 3928 m²

Location: Isbergues, France

Function: Library-Cultural Center

Year : 2013

128 129

4.3.1 Project Brief

The project is designed to create a

connection between the park on one

side and the alignment of the town

on the other side.

Figure 4.3.3

130 131

4.3.2 Context

The site is facing the river and the

park from the south while the rest of

the town is on the north.

4.3.3 Concept

The design’s main aim is to create

these interlocking volumes while

forming an interior street connecting

the outside to the inside.


Figure 4.3.5

Figure 4.3.6

132 133


The interlocking of volumes spatially

divides the different functions

whilst maintaining the connection

between the park and the town

Figure 4.3.7

Figure 4.3.8

4.3.5 Materiality

Bare faced concrete on the interior

while the exterior is cladded with

stainless steel with 3 different

finishes : satin, matte, and mirror.

134 135


Ground Floor

Function

Area

Reception 330 m 2

Library 3765 m 2

Workshops 385 m 2


Storage 706 m 2

Backstage 1005 m 2

Theatre 1330 m 2

Function

Area

Entertainment 144 m 2

Meeting Room 234 m 2

Workshops 717 m 2


Kitchen 142 m 2


Reception

Library

Workshops

Toilet/Restrooms

Storage

Backstage

Theatre


136 137

Theatre

1330 m


First Floor

Function

Area

Entertainment 144 m 2


Workshops 717 m 2


Kitchen 142 m 2


Entertainment

Meeting Room

Workshops

Toilet/Restrooms

Kitchen

Technical Room


138 139

Figure 4.4.1 (Red): JST Production Engineering Center

Figure 4.4.2(Blue): Workshop/Brainstorming

JST Production Engineering Center

04

Architects : Arcari + Iovino Architects, Ryuichi Ashizawa Architects & associates

Area: 7376 m²

Location: Harrisburg, United States

Function: Production Engineering Center

Year : 2021

140 141

4.4.1 Project Brief

The project is designed to create a

manufacturing and research center

locating in the middle of the forest

with rainwater infiltration.

Figure 4.4.3

142 143

4.4.2 Context

The site is surrounded by nature

from all sites to provide views from

all directions in the building.

4.4.3 Concept

The design’s main aim is to connect

the past and the future , humans

and the natural world, and what is

Japanese and what is American.


Figure 4.4.5

144 145


The design is inspired by the

branching in nature and how such

branching can generate architectural

spaces.

4.4.5 Materiality

Design uses local wood on exterior

and vertical glass panels to maintain

connection to outside.

Figure 4.4.7

Figure 4.4.6

146 147

4.4.6 Circulation

Linear Circulation


148 149


Ground Floor

Function

Area

Entrance 106 m 2

Workshop 1119 m 2

Shops 600 m 2

Executive Offices 208 m 2

Pantry & Canteen 205 m 2


Design Business Center 597 m 2

Milling & Automation Area 859 m 2

Shipping & Receiving 598 m 2

Entrance

Workshop

Shops

Executive Offices

Pantry/Canteen

Meeting Room

Design Business Center

Milling & Automation Area



150 151

Chapter 05

Figure 5.0.1

Program

5.1 Area Breakdown Table

Proposed Project Areas

156 157

5.2 Area Spaces Relationship

Matrix Diagram

Bubble Diagram

Theatre

Gallery

Observation

Tower

Library

Learning Center

Reception

Entertainment

Offices

Workshop

Design

Business

Center

Shops

Milling

Shipping

BOH

158 159

5.3 Function Analysis

Jewish Berlin Museum

Museum of the Second World War

Proposed Project Function Analysis

Services

10.4%

Memory

15.3%

Production

40.2% Culture

34.1%

Multicultural Center in Isbergues

JST Production Engineering Center

^ This chart represents a collection

of needed functions extracted from

the case studies.

160 161

Chapter 06

Figure 6.0.1

Site Analysis

Site Location - World Map

Palestine

166 167

Damascus Background

Damascus’s eastern and southern areas of the city

were heavily impacted by the war. Not only were

some of its areas destroyed, but its prominence

as the capital city sheltered several of internally

displaced individuals from the war-torn nearby

cities. This huge influx was thus reflected on the

residential patterns in the city and was a catalyst for

buildings built for shelter while lacking any sense of

identity and belonging.

Figure 6.1.1 By Author


168 169

Comparitive Studies

Nahr Eshe was selected as most suitable site

due to its history and significance of location for

conflict. In addition, it previously played a big

part of the agricultural income of the city but the

settlements on south of Damascus reduced this

income drastically. Out of all sites, Nahr eshe is

the one in strongest need of a solution in terms

of creating a sense of belonging and reducing the

loss of identity.

Criteria Mezzeh 86 Nahr Eshe Jaramana

Impacted by war 1 2 2

Proximity to city 1 3 2

Ease of Access 1 3 3

In need of facilities 2 3 2

Proximity to main roads 1 3 3

Poor living conditions 3 3 3

Site history 1 3 2

Architecture potential 2 3 3

Total: 12 23 21

Mezzeh 86 = 6,314.41 m^2

Located on a mountain with

extremely dense informal

settlements around.

Serviced by the well off

Mezzeh nearby with drastic

difference in lifestyles.

Jaramana = 11,853.08 m^2

Impacted mostly by the

war as it’s location near

the main road leads into

the city center which made

it desirable for conflict.

Residents still experience

the negative effects of the

war there in terms of sense

of belonging and stigma of

location.

Nahr Eshe = 19,524.32 m^2

More well-off between

the sites as it has both

organized and disorganized

settlements. Located near a

refugee camp that grew in

size after the war in other

cities.

170 171

About Nahr Eshe

Nahr Eshe is south of Kafar Sousseh which

was known to be the agricultural part of old

Damascus. However, due to the huge influx of

people into the city, the agricultural lands had

to be destroyed and replaced with houses in

unorganized districts.

The location was one where several crimes

would happen during the war and several of

conflict would arise there. Kidnapping, theft,

and murder were all common activities of

the area that disconnected its people from

their sense of home. It has extremely low

income rates which leads families to resort

to child labour and working multiple jobs.

The neighborhood’s history with war has

contributed heavily to it’s low living standard.


172 173

4

3

1

2

Proximity to Important Landmarks

1

2

3

4

(Selected Site) Nahr Eshe

Al Midan

Old Damascus

Ummayin Square

174 175

Nahr Eshe - Site Selection

Road Network

176 177

Solid vs Void Diagram

Building Heights Diagram

G

G+1

G+2

178 179

Functions Diagram

Collage

Mosque

Grocery

Residential

Pharmacy

Bakery


180 181

Views

02 01

03

06

07

05

10

08

06

09

04

07

Figures 6.1.5 Taken by Author

01

02

08

03

10

05

09

04

182 183

Shadows

9 AM 12 PM 3 PM

Environmental Studies

Sun Path

Wind Rose

December 21st

March 21st

Temperature

40 °C

100 mm

34 °C 34 °C

32 °C

31 °C

June 21st

30 °C

20 °C

18 °C

13 °C 14 °C

23 °C

12 °C

28 °C

15 °C

21 °C 21 °C

19 °C

18 °C

26 °C

16 °C

20 °C

12 °C

15 °C

75 mm

50 mm

10 °C

6 °C

7 °C

8 °C

8 °C

25 mm

0 °C

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

0 mm

Precipitation Mean daily maximum Hot days

Mean daily minimum Cold nights Wind speed

meteoblue

Precipitation

184 185

Chapter 07

Figure 7.0.1

Concept

7.1 Ghostly Identites

As an aftermath to the different

planning methodologies, war,

and poverty, the buildings and

communities have lost their

identities, “ghostly identities”

. The experience is driven by a

memory of this ghostly identity

experientially and a message of

hope at the end of the experience.

The user starts the experience

underground where he is stripped

away from his senses.

The further he/she moves down the

journey, each sense is introduced

and reminiscent to the experience

in the Old City. At the destination,

the user finds safety, home, and

a feeling of haven where he/she

feels they can depend on the

building and rest their head safely

in contrast to the discomfort felt

in their own ghostly homes and

neighborhoods.

190 191

7.2 Nostalgia

The irregular forms existent on the

site currently hold a lot of negative

connotation to them. However,

by reusing the same forms and

create a journey out of them with

proper functions, the meanings

are reversed and a more hopeful

outcome is achieved. The building

is a n experience through abstract

forms of memory - memory of self,

childhood, home, community,and

hope. The long passage facing the

main road gives off the emotion

of dread and lost hope especially

with some of its dead ends,

however the user experiences

hope and reminisce on the

memory forgotten but not lost.

192 193

7.3 Escape

Observatory

Observatory Market Exhibition

An urge to escape marks the

everyday path flow out of the site.

The people are desperate and exist

to find the smallest form of making

money to persevere and maintain

their existence on the physical and

the metaphysical level. The form

expresses the uncontrolled growth

in these communities and the

need to flee such living conditions.

Each path represents one of the 5

different fears discussed by Marwa

Al Sabouni. Fear of treachery, fear

of loneliness, fear of boredom,

fear of death, and fear of need.

Each space is juxtaposed with

spaces that counter that fear.

The protruding elements serve as

observatories out of the spaces

where exhibitions of fear occur

and they signify the future and

hope that a better future lies

ahead.

194 195

References

Figure 8.0.1

Chapter 08

Figures References

Figure 0.1: https://creepyisascreepydoes.tumblr.com/post/18129466015

Figure 0.2: https://luzfosca.tumblr.com/post/633446191096594432/vitaliano-bassetti-happiness-1954

Figure 0.3: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rajipv/16636606717

Chapter 1: Ghostly Identities

Figure 1.0.1: https://www.miphealth.org.uk/home/news-campaigns/Features/feature-trauma-at-work-shocking-truth.aspx

Figure 1.0.2: https://ar.aliexpress.com/i/1005002984122006.html?gateway-

Adapt=glo2ara

Figure 1.1.1: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fransglobal/3567678974/in/

photolist-6rghEs-r3KJjn-8v77X5-8v78D9-6rgGd3-8v451n-8v79EJ-5JxLuU-

8DpRAk-8v43DR-8v46dH-8v77xL-8v43ti-8v79tE-8v439a-8v44zP-8v43R8-

GorG2x-8v772b-8v75DQ-6rfPW1-7MHqWs-6raucK-6rfV9s-984c3Y-6rf82h-

6reEpf-6rfkvu-6rffW1-6repcN-871fqg-6reF4d-6rg47E-6rbZPi-6rarBi-6rb-

kLr-8v45tZ-6rctBX-6rb2WP-6rca8n-6rciAR-6reCYw-6rcfwc-6rfCSE-6raG88-

6rc2Ug-6rfC5f-6raAzi-6rfubN-6rfT9u

Figure 1.1.2: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Versailles_Plan_Jean_Delagrive.jpg

Figure 1.1.3: https://illustrationchronicles.com/war

Figure 1.1.4: Edited by Author

Figure 1.2.1: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/southeast-se-asia/japan-art/a/night-attack

Figure 1.2.2: https://www.tammamazzam.com/tammam-azzam-storeys-2014/2016

Figure 1.2.3: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/This-urban-renewal-project-isdesigned-to-replace-the-informal-neighbourhoods-of-Mezzeh_fig6_263145369

Figure 1.3.1 : Edited by Author


Chapter 2: Nostalgic Identities

Figure 2.0.1:https://www.photopedagogy.com/threshold-concept-10.html

Figure 2.0.2:https://twitter.com/alcarbon68/status/655452424782630912

Figure 2.1.1 (Red): https://immigrationnews.co.uk/uk-government-reject-amendment-that-would-reunite-refugee-children-with-families/

Figure 2.1.2 (Blue): https://teachingstrategies.com/webinar/the-power-of-interest-creating-opportunities-for-meaning-making-at-prek-stations-centers/

Figure 2.1.3: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/syrian-artist-abdalla-al-omari-world-leaders-trump-refugees_n_59397ef1e4b0b13f2c683449

Figure 2.2.1: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20170503-why-cheese-is-artsgreatest-muse

Figure 2.2.2: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/fresh-perspectives/

a5017-spaces-and-memories/

Figure 2.2.3: https://www.flickr.com/photos/iancowe/2298002581

Figure 2.3.1: https://www.apollo-magazine.com/sondheim-sunday-in-the-parkwith-george-seurat/

Figure 2.3.2:https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e0/15/59/e0155942190855ad5b-

64c33030b31d30.jpg

Figure 2.3.3: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0d7tgmp

Chapter 3: Sensory Identities

Figure 3.0.1:https://twitter.com/alcarbon68/status/655452424782630912

Figure 3.0.2: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reflection-eye-brokenmirror-held-by-1389584159

Figure 3.1.1: https://bombmagazine.org/articles/mahmoud-darwish/

Figure 3.1.2: https://live.staticflickr.com/2464/3541599299_e37a7b7687_o_d.jpg

Figure 3.1.3: https://wallpaperaccess.com/full/8144353.jpg

Figure 3.1.4: https://www.flickr.com/photos/z-squared/2343492043/sizes/l/

Figure 3.2.1: https://live.staticflickr.com/5178/5538944952_c47a0f8cde_b_d.jpg

Figure 3.2.2: https://unsplash.com/@krivitskiy

Figure 3.3.1: https://www.flickr.com/photos/100477852@N05/44682539194/

sizes/l/

Figure 3.3.2: https://unsplash.com/@krivitskiy

Figure 3.3.3: https://www.spellmangallery.com/artists/henry-siddons-mowbray

Figure 3.3.4: https://voi.id/en/memori/40046/march-21-in-history-world-poetryday-and-the-birth-of-the-damascus-poet-nizar-qabbani

Figure 3.4.1: https://jaxpsychogeo.com/east/oakhaven-heston-house/

Figure 3.4.2: https://live.staticflickr.com/5633/21364220352_bd885d600d_h_d.

jpg

Figure 3.5.1: https://live.staticflickr.com/3504/4054826188_9f2feecf40_k_d.jpg

Figure 3.5.2: https://fundacionmarso.org/en/blog/2015/09/10/movement-toward-definition/

Figure 3.5.3: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lensdamascus/35391089443/sizes/l/

Chapter 4: Case Studies

Figure 4.0.1:https://www.wipplay.com/en_GB/user/Sam_Stourdze/

Figure 4.1.1(Red): https://www.archdaily.com/91273/ad-classics-jewish-museum-berlin-daniel-libeskind

Figure 4.1.2(Blue):

200 201

https://www.archdaily.com/91273/ad-classics-jewish-museum-berlin-daniel-libeskind




Figure 4.1.6: https://architizer.com/blog/practice/tools/how-architecture-is-born-daniel-libeskind/

Figure 4.1.7: Edited by Author https://www.archdaily.com/91273/ad-classics-jewish-museum-berlin-daniel-libeskind

Figure 4.1.8: Edited by Authorhttps://www.archdaily.com/91273/ad-classics-jewish-museum-berlin-daniel-libeskind





Figure 4.1.13: https://www.archdaily.com/91273/ad-classics-jewish-museum-berlin-daniel-libeskind

Figure 4.1.14: https://www.archdaily.com/91273/ad-classics-jewish-museum-berlin-daniel-libeskind






Figure 4.2.1(Red): https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/

dday-meaning/

Figure 4.2.2(Blue): https://divisare.com/projects/341483-studio-architektoniczne-kwadrat-pawel-paniczko-museum-of-the-second-world-war

Figure 4.2.3: https://divisare.com/projects/341483-studio-architektoniczne-kwadrat-pawel-paniczko-museum-of-the-second-world-war






Figure 4.2.9: Edited by Author https://divisare.com/projects/341483-studio-architektoniczne-kwadrat-pawel-paniczko-museum-of-the-second-world-war








Figure 4.3.1(red): https://www.archdaily.com/578514/multicultural-centre-in-isbergues-dominique-coulon-and-associes

Figure 4.3.2 (blue): https://www.archdaily.com/578514/multicultural-centre-in-isbergues-dominique-coulon-and-associes

Figure 4.3.3:https://www.archdaily.com/578514/multicultural-centre-in-isbergues-dominique-coulon-and-associes


Figure 4.3.5: https://www.archdaily.com/578514/multicultural-centre-in-isbergues-dominique-coulon-and-associes




Figure 4.3.9: Edited by Author https://www.archdaily.com/578514/multicultural-centre-in-isbergues-dominique-coulon-and-associes


Figure 4.4.1 (red): https://www.archdaily.com/972836/jst-harrisburg-production-engineering-center-ryuichi-ashizawa-architects-and-associates

Figure 4.4.2 (blue):https://blog.frontkom.com/en/21-tips-for-how-to-run-a-greatworkshop

202 203

Figure 4.4.3 : https://www.archdaily.com/972836/jst-harrisburg-production-engineering-center-ryuichi-ashizawa-architects-and-associates

Figure 4.4.4:Edited by Author

Figure 4.4.5: https://www.archdaily.com/972836/jst-harrisburg-production-engineering-center-ryuichi-ashizawa-architects-and-associates



Figure 4.4.8: Edited by Author https://www.archdaily.com/972836/jst-harrisburg-production-engineering-center-ryuichi-ashizawa-architects-and-associates

Figure 4.4.9: Edited by Author https://www.archdaily.com/972836/jst-harrisburg-production-engineering-center-ryuichi-ashizawa-architects-and-associates

Chapter 5: Program

Figure 5.0.1: https://www.tumblr.com/undr

Chapter 6: Site Anlaysis:

Figure 6.0.1: https://mdietrich.art/street-photography

Figure 6.1.1: Taken by Author




Figures 6.1.5: Taken by Author

Chapter 7: Concepts

Figure 7.0.1: https://www.ashurst.com/en/news-and-insights/insights/the-rise-ofnav-a-useful-checklist/

Chapter 8: References

Figure 8.0.1: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/05/8c/bb/058cbbc171c3e78104d14ed-

7a2bc0bc1.jpg

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