Speakers
Description
Abstract: The global refugee crisis reflects interrelated international challenges including, conflicts, housing shortage, and resource depletion. The Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan illustrates how such challenges can drive refugees to seek new opportunities and find innovative solutions. Located around 10 kilometers east of Mafraq and 12 kilometers south of the Syrian border, the camp evolved from a temporary settlement hosting around 450 Syrian refugees to a semi-permanent city housing around 80,000 refugees. This study explores the architectural transformation of the camp highlighting the shift in shelter structures from tents to more stable prefabricated caravans. The research examines the notion of crisis driven urbanism in the Zaatari, by analyzing the various ways its residents adapted their spaces to meet their cultural and social needs despite various obstacles such as harsh climates, water scarcity, and military style divisions. By using a mixed-method approach, through morphological analysis, as well as interviews with the camps residents, the study investigates how temporary shelters affect the refugees’ daily lives. This research aims to provide insight for more culturally aware, long-term planning approaches when designing refugee camps. The findings showcase an ideal example of informal development carried out by displaced communities, contributing to the ongoing dialogue on urbanism of refugee settlements post crisis.
Keywords: Syrian refugee, temporality, caravans, Zaatari refugee camp.
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
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