إعادة إحياء قرية إجزم المدمرة
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Date
2023
Authors
سارة كميل
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Abstract
The destroyed villages reconstruction project is a project that revolves around several destroyed Palestinian villages, where we were provided with a list of villages by them, so I chose the destroyed village of Ijzim (Haifa district) for several reasons that distinguish it from others, the most important of which are: It is the second largest village in Haifa district, from Where the land area and the lands of Ijzim included several springs, streams and wells, and the presence of many archaeological and sacred places. Where some of them still exist until now.
Revitalizing the village is developing urban planning for the village on the basis of the return of its original inhabitants and their descendants to it, removing the impact of the occupation represented by buildings and facilities, relying on the structural plans of the village, and creating an extension of the old urban fabric so that this extension accommodates the current numbers of the villagers and those in the diaspora, taking into account the harmony between the new urban fabric And traces of old buildings, facilities and squares in the village.
The importance of the competition and the motives for participating in it:
The importance of the project stems from the actual need for political planning and resistance in Palestine, and from the historical importance of the destroyed and displaced towns, as they are an integral part of the State of Palestine and must be restored sooner or later, thus bringing back its original inhabitants who were displaced from it years ago, as they lived a completely different lifestyle and far from the typical Palestinian life, this may create a big gap later and create problems that will be difficult to solve later, especially if we did not precede the circumstances and plan for them rationally in advance.
The destroyed villages are still not exploited in their original locations, so they are neither used for housing nor exploited economically (empty on their thrones). No attention has been drawn to them until now, and no attention has been paid to them, especially since their locations are usually surrounded by settlements that are very close to them, or that settlements were established on their lands. Therefore, there are projects. Reconstructing destroyed villages is one of the most important steps we must take to resist colonialism.
The aim of the competition:
In general, this project aims to re-plan and design the village with the aim of stabilizing the Palestinian identity and reviving it in the event of the return of the refugees to the homeland.
The competition aims to prepare a theoretical study focusing mainly on:
1-Preserving the Palestinian landscape and heritage with the structures of villages and towns based on pre-1948, and using symbolism such as monuments, historical landmarks, and architectural features as a reminder and physical link to the traumatic events of 1948.
2-To revive these villages as distinct centers of a rich cultural lifestyle in today's context.
3-Reconstructing the physical and organic environment of the place in a modern context, but imbued with traditional, historical and local values to produce the special architecture that characterized the Palestinian physical environment.
4-Using this competition as a blueprint for implementing the right of return under international law, and this goal is of paramount importance.
The reason for choosing the village
I chose the village of Ijzim because of its important location. It is an Arab village located 28 km south of Haifa, established in the western part of Mount Carmel, at an altitude of 100 meters above sea level. It is located in the east of Jabal al-Maqura, in the west of Jabal al-Mughir, and in the north-east there is a small plain called Wadi al-Hamam. It ends near the village, Wadi al-Mustabal, and passes to the north of it, Wadi al-Maghara, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea to the south of Atlit. The village is rich in its springs and wells, in the east of Ain al-Maqourah and the wells of al-Maqwarah, in the southeast of Ain al-Ajlah, Ain al-Safsafa, Ain al-Hajj Ubaid, Ain al-Shaqaq and Ain al-Sawaniyya, and in the west the wells of Khirbet al-Manara, and the western well is located near the town. The wells of the village are all ancient (Roman) wells.
On the lands of the village, the settlement of Kerem Maharal was established.
Village design concept
The village was redesigned while preserving its archaeological sites, such as the mosque, the school, and the Diwan of Al Madi.
And the design of the village based on what it was before the Nakba, with the addition of services commensurate with the context of life today. I preserved the streets in the village in order to match the randomness in the design of Palestinian villages in the past, and many important buildings were built for the village to preserve the history of the village, such as the museum, the cultural center and the cemetery.
A mural with visual effects expressing the Nakba and the events that the village went through was designed at the entrance of the village to make any visitor understand what the villagers went through in the past.