Planning and Physical Approaches in the Refugee Camps in the West Bank- a Case Study of Fara Camp

Planning and Physical Approaches in the Refugee Camps in the West Bank- a Case Study of Fara Camp PDF

Abdel Mounim Mohsen Khader Mehdawi

Supervisor(s)

Dr. Ali Abdelhamid - الدكتور ربيع عويص

Discussion Commity

192 صفحة

Abstract :

Abstract This study discusses architectural and population attitudes in the West Bank refugee camps in general, and in Fara Camp – as it is characterized with rural environment- on focus, and because this camp is quite far from the city centers. It is 17 km north of Nablus and about 25 km south of Jenin. The study includes four chapters. The first chapter preludes with the introduction, the subject of the study, its problems, aims, and limits in addition to the previous studies. The second chapter broadly exposes the history of refugees and the erect of camps. Thee case study of Fara camp gives more obvious information about the camp's site, space, name and a historic glimpse. This chapter also introduces specific statistical information about people's different origins and characteristics such as family structure, age ate, fertility, social fair, education, career and income. The third chapter has more particularly discussed the housing features in view of property, building materials and styles, equipment and population intensity. The fourth chapter compares the four stages in which the camp has passed through starting from the tent stage, flooring, scarcity of space, and finally the architectural development. These stages have considerable effect on people living in the camp who have suffered unhealthy atmosphere and lack pf ventilation. This also causes a lot of trouble such as noise and pollution as a result of adjacent buildings and lack of passages among houses. Urgent need and economic hardship of each camper causes him to violate the law and takes up the necessary space of public streets. As the study touches the main point, it puts up a number of recommendations: As long as the number of people increases in these camps, the problem of space will exist which means more intensity, architectural deformity and the absence of law. To be more realistic, the problem won't be solved politically as it has two dimensions, the first is political and the second ins humanitarian and social. Although we can't separate the two dimensions, we are more interested with the latter. The study recommends that the authorities (such as UNRWA and other international organizations who have much care about war victims) should take their humanitarian and moral responsibility towards these refugees. They can rent more land for enlargement of these camps, mainly northern and north western areas. They should also lead and supervise the building process by restrictive measures so as to avoid previous violations. Finally camps should be supported with all means possible to maintain identity, right to return and self-determination.

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