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Competition History and Operation - YEAR 9

12 September, 2025

The Young Palestinian Architects Build Future Palestine

In the 9th Annual Reconstruction of Destroyed Palestinian Villages Competition

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Year 9 Competition Award.
Introduction by Dr Salman Abu Sitta,12 Sept 2025
 

I welcome you to Year 9 of the architectural competition for the reconstruction of destroyed Palestinian villages. This year we have 47 participants formed in 25 teams supervised by 17 coordinators from 10 universities.  Nineteen teams submitted final plans. They are the ones competing today.

Over the last 9 years, we have a total of 340 participants from 21 universities.  They produced full plans for 120 villages, some are multiples.

This competition is in fulfilment with our motto: We build… they destroy… we build again.

Yes, we built 1200 cities and villages in Palestine over the last 5000 years. In 1948, the Barbarians came to our shores from Europe in smugglers’ ships. They destroyed 530 cities and villages, depopulated them and made its people refugees, 9 million to-today.

Yes, we built. They destroyed. Not only they destroyed in 1948 but ever since, in the last 28,000 days since 1948.

Of these days, in the last 700 days, the Barbarians have scored a unique infamous record in human history in the extent of its barbarity. In Gaza Strip, they killed and wounded over 300,000 people, mostly women and children. That is 14% of the population. In the Uk this is equivalent to ten million people.

The Barbarians destroyed every aspect of civil life: schools, universities, hospitals, homes, bakeries, water supplies and agricultural fields.

The Barbarians cut off all means of life: they starved people, prevented food, water, medicine and every kind of aid from entering Gaza.   

Barbarity has now a new vocabulary in the history of mankind. It shall be a lesson for those who do not learn, and those who do not resist this scourge inflicted upon humanity.

We do resist.  We built over millennia. They destroyed it over weeks. But we shall rebuild, rebuild and shall continue to rebuild.

That is why you are here today.  Your colleagues in Gaza entered with two teams. They worked from tents, under the falling bombs, with or without power.  We shall honour them in a special way and give them special consideration.

We welcome you here today and welcome our guests. We have members of Architects for Gaza AFG who have done valuable work for the reconstruction of Gaza. Our Jury are the initiators of AFG.  We have also the Provost of AUB Dr Zaher Dawy. We have online interested architects in our competition.

This competition could not have lasted many years, going now into the tenth without the support of  our dedicated Jury. They are professors of architecture at Westminster University and distinguished practicing architects.  

Our Jury formed Architects for Gaza AFG, a group of 1000 architects world wide to rebuild Gaza.

Now I would like to reintroduce our illustrious jury. All of them are PhD doctors, professors and professional architects.

They are: Nasser Golzari Jury chair, Yara Sharif, Angela Brady and Rim Kalsoum. I would like to thank them  all.   (applause). Now over to Dr Nasser Golzari to start the proceedings. Over to you Nasser.

Winners and Projects

First Award : Tasneem Hamed Torman (Team Leader), Israa Bader Hassouna, Razan Ali Atawneh 
Coordinator name : Ahmed kattlo
University : Palestine Polytechnic University 

Project Title: Silent Witnesses: Deir Abban and Gaza – Architecture as a Tool of Occupation and Resistance 

Project Overview:
1. Introduction: Deir Abban Between Memory and Ruin
The village of Deir Abban is located on the western outskirts of Jerusalem, at the entrance to the Hebron hills. Before the Nakba of 1948, it was a vibrant hub connecting the coastal plain with inland Palestine. The village featured tightly-knit households, terraced stone houses, olive and almond orchards, and small markets, where daily life was fully integrated with the land, agriculture, family, and community networks.
 
Following the Nakba, Deir Abban was completely destroyed, its inhabitants were expelled, and its lands were transformed into ruins covered by pine forests. These forests were not planted for ecological reasons but as a purely political measure to erase traces of Palestinian presence and sever the connection between people and land. The remnants of the village – stone rubble, foundations, soil traces, and surviving structures – constitute what this project calls Silent Witnesses, each narrating a story of deliberate erasure.
 
Today, Deir Abban is more than a destroyed village; it functions as a living museum of destruction and occupation, revealing messages about historical injustice and connecting the past with contemporary issues, including Gaza, which faces ongoing structural, social, and environmental challenges.
 
2. Architecture as a Tool of Occupation
Architecture in Palestine has been used not merely for construction but as an instrument of fragmentation and control:
 
  • Settlements: imposed strategic dominance over Palestinian lands.
  • Separation Wall and bypass roads: disconnected villages from their lands, disrupting social and economic cohesion.
  • Fortified industrial and agricultural zones: denied access to basic resources and distorted the landscape.
These measures converted Palestinian life into a cycle of destruction, making the Silent Witnesses tangible evidence of a systematic and spatially embedded injustice.

3. Pine Forests and the Political-Environmental Paradox 
The planting of pine forests over Deir Abban’s ruins was intentionally political, aimed at erasing Palestinian identity. Paradoxically, this policy also created a long-term environmental threat: increased fire hazards and soil degradation. The recurring fires in Jerusalem’s forests, however, revealed the hidden ruins, reopening suppressed Palestinian narratives. This dual impact – political erasure and environmental damage – forms the underlying framework of the project, linking historical occupation to present ecological vulnerability.
 
4. Gaza: Contemporary Injustice and Silent Witnesses 
Deir Abban is not an isolated case but part of a continuum of ongoing injustice affecting Gaza:
  • Destruction of infrastructure under siege.
  • Restricted access to agricultural lands and natural resources.
  • Fragmentation of social and economic networks.
  • The Silent Witnesses of Deir Abban reflect Gaza’s contemporary struggles, reinforcing the need for architectural interventions that address both historical memory and ongoing oppression. 
5. Architectural Forensic Research Center 
Location: central village area (fully destroyed).
Purpose: analyze the ruins and spatial patterns of occupation to reveal crimes embedded in architecture.
Tasks:
  • Study architectural patterns and ruins as forensic evidence.
  • Collect data from stone rubble, foundations, soil, and traces of deliberate erasure.
  • Document family histories and narratives connected to the village’s remnants.
  • Symbolism: transform destruction into a tool for understanding, justice, and collective memory.
 
6. Earth and Environmental Research Center
Location: central village, adjacent to the forensic center and stone terraces.
Purpose: address environmental damage caused by pine plantations and recurring fires, study land and agricultural systems.
Tasks:
  • Rehabilitate damaged soil and pastures.
  • Develop ecological strategies for fire prevention.
  • Ensure sustainable agricultural systems for future return
  • Significance: guarantee that resettlement is environmentally, socially, and culturally sustainable.
 
7. Phases of Return and Reconnecting People to Place 
Emotional Phase: rebuild emotional ties through memory, storytelling, and symbolism.
Cognitive Phase: analyze destruction, collect evidence, document Silent Witnesses, and link them to families and history.
Architectural Phase: revive public spaces, residential areas, and sustainable agricultural systems to enable a holistic return.
 
 
8. Project Areas and Conceptual Approach
A. Al-Batin – Direct Witnesses and Rural Identity
Current Condition: remnants of stone houses, foundations, one surviving room, water reservoir, restaurant, café, small shop, and rural cabins surrounded by rubble.
Concept: convert stone piles into rural hotel units, providing immersive experiences for visitors to understand destruction and history.
Environmental Link: integration with former pastures and agricultural lands.
Facilities:
  • Rural hotel for experiential learning.
  • Restaurant and café as cultural and social nodes.
  • Shop reviving traditional village economic activities.
 
B. Central Village – Forensic and Environmental Research Centers
Current Condition: completely destroyed, scattered stone rubble, old agricultural stone terraces, family archives.
Concept:
Architectural Forensic Center: analyze ruins and document traces of occupation.
Earth and Environmental Research Center: rehabilitate environmental and agricultural systems.
Functions:
  • Document Silent Witnesses and link them to historical and family narratives.
  • Analyze architectural destruction as a method of occupation.
  • Develop ecological and agricultural strategies for sustainable resettlement.
 
C. Al-Qata’a – Camping and Environmental Education
Current Condition: formerly recreational area, now densely covered with pine forests.
Concept: use as a site for camping, environmental research, and interactive education.
Functions:
Transformable cabins for fieldwork and experiential learning.
Forest trails illustrating the impact of occupation on the environment.
Repurpose pine trees as elements of resilience rather than tools of colonization.
 
9. Environmental and Social Dimension
  • Restore agricultural systems and ecological balance disrupted by occupation and pine planting.
  • Reconnect the village to neighboring communities via roads,  and family networks.
  • Create public squares and social spaces that enable communal life and cultural continuity.
 
10. Silent Witnesses: The Core Narrative 
Silent Witnesses – rubble, foundations, burnt soil, and remnants beneath pine forests – form the narrative and spatial core of the project. They guide design interventions, reveal hidden histories, and provide the foundation for a meaningful, culturally-rooted, and ecologically-aware return.
 
11. Architectural Justice and Conclusion
This project goes beyond reconstruction; it challenges central questions:
  • Is architecture a tool for erasure or revelation?
  • Do we build to forget, or to remember and resist?
  • How can destruction be transformed into opportunities for social, environmental, and spatial justice?
 
Through this vision, Deir Abban – Silent Witnesses becomes a model of architectural justice:
Restoring the spirit and identity of the place.
Enabling the holistic return of people.
Confronting historical and contemporary injustice, linking Deir Abban to Gaza.
Bridging past, present, and future in a politically, socially, and environmentally conscious design.
 
 

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Second Award (Joint) : Malak Amjad Issa Afaneh (Team Leader), Shoroq Tomeh, Tala Naser Qadous
Coordinator name : shaden awwad 
University : Birzeit University

Project Title: Reconstruction and Revival of Al-Shajarah Village

“Naji’s Route” an architectural project dedicated to the revival of Al-Shajara Village, birthplace of the renowned Palestinian artist Naji Al-Ali. Once a vibrant rural community with rich cultural, architectural, and natural heritage, Al-Shajara embodies resilience and defiance against displacement. The project reimagines the village as a memorial and cultural route—honoring its history, celebrating its figures, and reconnecting people to their land through art, memory, and architecture.

Objectives:
This project aims to preserve and revive the cultural memory of the displaced Palestinian village of Al-Shajara, and to redesign communal gathering spaces inspired by the symbolic Seder tree-from which the village takes its name- , reconnecting the village’s people—both locally and across the diaspora—to their identity and heritage. It also establishes a living archive that strengthens the village’s cultural identity, ensuring that its stories, creativity, and the spirit of its people remain a vital part of collective memory, while shaping a future that honors and respects their rich past.

Village scale concept:
The proposed Planning framework for the revival of Al-Shajara village is directly based on the principles of the traditional Palestinian peasant village layout, as articulated by Shukri Arraf in his seminal study “The Arab Palestinian Village: Structure and Land Use” (1985). This approach serves as a critical response to modern planning methods that rely on abstract land-use zoning and detached color-coded schemes.

Our proposal restores the core of the village (ﺔﯾرﻘﻟا رذﺟ) as the central and vibrant nucleus, where the traditional courtyard houses (شاوﺣﻻا توﯾﺑ) are located, and where our architectural project is also situated. Surrounding this is the zone of hawakir (رﯾﻛاوﺣﻟا) —family plots that host the beit al-hakoura directly linked to nearby agricultural land. The next ring encompasses the orchards (نﺎﺗﺳﺑﻟا), where we propose small houses surrounded by larger agricultural fields that reflect traditional patterns of habitation and production. Finally, the areas once occupied by settlements are re-envisioned as zones for dense residential expansion to accommodate future population growth.

Through this sequence—village core, hawakir, orchards—the plan reinterprets the traditional concentric structure of the Palestinian village, embedding it into the contemporary context of Al-Shajara. It thus becomes a critical and resistant model to both colonial and modernist planning approaches detached from identity.

Architectural scale concept:
Our project is located at the center of Al-Shajara village, conceived as an architectural path filled with diverse spatial experiences that merge light and shadow, openness and enclosure. Along the path, the spaces shift from fully open, to closed, to semi-enclosed. Rather than separating the village’s spaces, the path creates a continuous flow that integrates and connects them.

The path unfolds through a sequence of key stations:

A. -The starting point is at Ain Al-Shajara beside the resilient Sidr tree, which still stands in the village today. This square hosts a theater for festivals and events, and from here the path leads into the oak forest, revealing the historic landmarks that once existed in the village, such as the mosque, the school, and the Ibrahimi shrine.

-The Memorial and Palestinian Artists’ Gallery, a commemorative space honoring 40 Palestinian artists who were killed because of their art, such as Ghassan Kanafani—making the site a testimony to the enduring power of creative resistance.

-The Communal Kitchen, accompanied by local shops selling products made in the kitchen as well as other village goods. Adjacent to it lies the Café and its courtyard, visually and functionally connected to the communal square.

B.The Art Center, where revolutionary folk arts are taught—including dabkeh, music, singing, and theater—alongside workshops for pottery and traditional crafts, with galleries to showcase these works.

C.The Naji Al-Ali Museum, which narrates the different stages of the artist’s life. The path culminates exactly at the site of Naji Al-Ali’s demolished house, destroyed during the Nakba. Here, the path symbolically cuts through the mass of the house, embodying the act of carving a road to freedom and salvation. The journey ends at a balcony overlooking the oak forest, opening the view to nature and the horizon.
 

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​Second Award (Joint) : Halla Ra'ed Ahmad Amr
Coordinator name : Leen Fakhoury
University : German Jordanian University 

Revival of Al-Mazar: The Trails of the Reclaimed Ruins

Vision Statement: A Network of Trails to Retrieve Our Identity  

Introduction: Reviving Dayr Sunayd
Architecture is never neutral. It carries memory, shape’s identity, and can resist oppression—or it can be wielded as a tool of erasure, severing people from the land that sustains them. In Palestine, villages were not only destroyed, but landscapes were deliberately manipulated to conceal history, erase continuity, and fragment collective memory. Dayr Sunayd embodies this tragic history, where both the physical and social fabric of a community were disrupted, and where the land itself became a site of both loss and enduring witness.

Once a thriving agricultural village, Dayr Sunayd was defined by stone houses, fertile terraces, communal spaces, and a rich cultural life. In 1948, homes were demolished, families displaced, and eucalyptus trees planted across the land to suppress the memory of human occupation. This was not mere landscaping, it was a strategy of spatial erasure, disconnecting people from their land and fragmenting social continuity. Yet even in absence, the land endured. Oral testimonies recount villagers seeking refuge under trees and within folds of the earth, relying on the terrain itself as shelter. The land became a witness, a living archive of memory, care, and resilience.

My vision is to create a Trail of Connection that preserves the land’s cultural and historical significance while fostering a deeper bond between people and place. Through careful restoration and sensitive intervention, the project honors the land’s legacy and enriches the collective memory, ensuring the stories, traditions, and resilience of Dayr Sunayd endure for future generations.

This project does not seek to reconstruct Dayr Sunayd literally. It is neither nostalgic nor monumental. Rather, it seeks to reveal the missing and hidden layers, uncovering traces of what was erased while respecting absence. The land itself is the archive. Only new interventions, such as trails, walkways, and the visiting center, are slightly lifted above the ground, allowing visitors to traverse the site without disturbing terraces, foundations, or ecological layers beneath. Existing structures—including the historic train station, the old inn, and remnants of houses—remain in their original positions, sometimes partially underground, forming tangible anchors for memory and cultural continuity.

The guiding principle of this project is that architecture itself can be an instrument of resilience. It listens to the land, preserves what remains, uncovers what was hidden, and frames the experience of history through spatial narrative. It transforms absence into presence, silence into dialogue, and erasure into resilience.

Design Concept: Trails as Narrative, Memory, and Continuity
Colonial strategies rarely destroy buildings alone. They manipulate space, distort landscapes, conceal ruins, and fragment continuity. This design responds by inverting the logic of erasure: a network of trails reclaims the land as a living archive. Ruins become anchors of identity, the land itself becomes the narrative, and trails serve as connective tissue, weaving memory, culture, daily life, and regional networks into a coherent story.

The trails are conceived as experiential journeys, guiding visitors through layers of history that were nearly lost. Each trail uncovers a dimension of the village’s identity—social, cultural, or economic—revealing hidden, suppressed, or forgotten layers. Together, they form a network of resilience, reconnecting Dayr Sunayd with neighboring villages and restoring its presence in the landscape.

Reuse, Preservation, and Revitalization
A key strategy of this project is the reuse and preservation of the village’s original land lines, circulation routes, and built heritage. Historic terraces, foundations, and pathways are respected and integrated into the trail network. Visitors follow the original movement patterns of the village, walking along routes that have carried human life for generations. Terraces, courtyards, and traces of demolished houses are often left underground or voided out, allowing visitors to observe these layers while preserving the land.
Existing buildings are conserved and repurposed. The old inn provides immersive accommodation, while the historic train station is reused in its original form, revitalized to support the heritage train trail. These structures serve as tangible anchors for memory, allowing the architecture to respond organically to what already exists and minimizing new interventions. The terraces and house remnants are preserved and, in some cases, subtly voided out in courtyards to reveal hidden layers, making the past legible without disturbing the terrain.

Only new trails, walkways, and the visiting center are slightly lifted above the soil, allowing visitors to traverse the site while observing terraces, foundations, and ecological layers beneath. This approach frames the experience of the hidden layers, transforming absence into presence and creating a dynamic, interactive landscape of memory.

1. The Memory Trail
The Memory Trail begins at the diwan, the social and political heart of the village. Memory is spatial, felt through terraces, voids, and buried foundations. Visitors encounter traces of displaced families, demolished homes, and communal spaces, experiencing history not through abstract monuments but through the land itself.

Here, absence becomes presence. The Memory Trail forms the narrative spine of the project, linking memory to daily life, culture, knowledge, and regional connectivity. Visitors encounter the missing and hidden layers of Dayr Sunayd, from terraces and house foundations to communal courts, establishing a profound dialogue between past and present.

2. The Trail of Daily Life
This trail revives the rhythms of daily existence: markets, workshops, communal gatherings, and agricultural practices. Terraces are preserved or partially restored, demonstrating the productive relationship between people and land.

The old inn, reused as accommodation, and underground cabins immerse visitors in the village’s protective spatial logic. The new walkways allow circulation without disturbing the soil or terraces below. Visitors walk above the land, observing traces of everyday life while engaging in contemporary experiences of work, craft, and communal living. This trail demonstrates resilience in daily life, showing how survival, creativity, and community persisted despite displacement.

3. The Trail of Culture and Heritage
Intangible heritage is central to this trail. The diwan hosts storytelling, dialogue, and oral history. Open-air stages accommodate performances, lectures, and ceremonies. Traditional practices, including symbolic wedding displays, are reintroduced as living customs, not frozen reenactments.

All newly constructed elements—stages, seating, and platforms—respect the integrity of the ground below. Visitors engage directly with the hidden layers of heritage, restoring cultural identity and continuity. The trail emphasizes that culture is living, evolving, and inseparable from the land, ensuring that heritage persists through practice, observation, and reflection.

4. The Trail of Knowledge and Continuity
At the culmination of the trails lies the library and archive. It houses documents, testimonies, and artifacts, making memory tangible without disturbing the land beneath. Visitors navigate through layered spaces, connecting past, present, and future. Both visible and invisible layers of heritage are revealed, completing the narrative begun on the Memory Trail and extending into daily life and culture.

5. Heritage Trail Between Villages
The heritage trail reconnects Dayr Sunayd to neighboring villages, emphasizing shared histories, cultural practices, and economic interdependence.
 
  1. Walking Paths and Signage: Trails follow historic circulation routes and train lines, highlighting agricultural traditions, communal rituals, and historical events.
  2. Rest Areas and Storytelling: Spaces preserve oral histories through installations and archives.
  3. Train Trail Revival: The existing train station is reused to serve the heritage train route. Historic tracks are restored for a small, eco-friendly train, creating a moving museum with onboard narration, photographs, and artifacts that connect visitors to the region’s history.
  4. Pedestrian Paths: Trails alongside the tracks allow exploration while preserving terraces, foundations, and soil below.
Through this trail, Dayr Sunayd is experienced not as an isolated site but as part of a larger, interconnected landscape, fostering both regional continuity and social resilience.


Collective Memory
The project preserves and expresses collective memory, ensuring the stories, struggles, and traditions of Dayr Sunayd endure.
 
  1. Oral History Archive: Documents personal narratives of former residents and their descendants.
  2. Symbolic Landscaping: Trees and ruins that offered refuge are preserved as central elements.
  3. Interpretive Spaces: Courtyards, terraces, and voids reveal traces of past life, creating immersive spaces for reflection and learning.
During the massacre, villagers sought refuge under trees that became silent witnesses. These elements are activated through design, allowing visitors to experience the profound connection between people and place. The land itself becomes a teacher, revealing its history through the traces it preserves and through carefully framed architecture.


The Trail’s Culmination: The Watcher
The network of trails concludes at the Watcher, a contemplative landmark overseeing the surrounding fields. From here, visitors observe terraces, ruins, and cultivated lands, experiencing the landscape as both memory and living life. Its steady gaze reflects the rhythms of growth, harvest, and care, highlighting the resilience of the land.

The Watcher offers a reflective pause, allowing visitors to process their journey through memory, daily life, culture, and regional connections. Elevated and minimally intervened, it frames the layers of history and restoration, where absence and presence coexist. As a contemplative endpoint, the Watcher encourages reflection on continuity, stewardship, and the active protection of heritage, leaving a lasting impression of identity and responsibility.

Architecture of Resilience
The project embodies an architecture of resilience. Ruins, traces, and hidden layers are anchors of identity, not monuments of loss. Trails guide visitors through layers of memory, daily life, culture, and community.
Only new structures and walkways are slightly lifted above the soil, leaving the land, terraces, and historic foundations intact. Existing buildings—including the old inn, train station, and village foundations—remain in situ, forming tangible anchors for memory. Elevated structures frame these elements, allowing visitors to engage with them without disturbing the terrain.

Dayr Sunayd becomes a living archive, celebrating endurance, presence, and identity. Visitors encounter the missing, hidden, and suppressed layers, connecting past, present, and future.
 
Objectives and Principles
  1. Resilience through Design – Transform the site into a living archive, amplifying what persists.
  2. Revealing Hidden Layers – Celebrate missing, concealed, and forgotten traces of village life.
  3. Respect for the Land – New interventions traverse the site lightly; historic structures and terraces remain untouched.
  4. Reviving Daily Life and Heritage – Reintroduce social, cultural, and economic nodes through immersive trails.
  5. Narrative Trails – Each trail tells a distinct story, forming a coherent spatial narrative.
  6. Regional Connectivity – Extend trails to neighboring villages via restored train and pedestrian routes.
  7. Collective Memory – Preserve oral histories, sacred sites, and symbolic trees.
  8. Architecture of Resilience – Use design to amplify memory, reveal hidden layers, and allow life to persist above and through the land.
  9. Continuity over Monumentalization – Prioritize living heritage, interaction, and experiential learning over static memorials.
     
Conclusion
The Network of Trails in Dayr Sunayd transforms the site into a living archive, where memory, culture, and resilience converge. By preserving existing structures and terraces and lifting new interventions above the soil, the design honors the land as witness and participant. Reusing the old inn and train station, revitalizing the tracks, and revealing hidden layers, the project reconnects past and present, local and regional heritage.
The trails culminate at the Watcher, offering visitors a space to reflect on their journey and the resilience embedded in the land. Dayr Sunayd becomes more than a site of remembrance—it becomes a place of learning, reflection, and continuity, ensuring that the village’s memory and identity endure for future generations.
 
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Third Award : Taima’ Ra’ed Osama Alazab
Coordinator name : Thaer Qub'a
University : German Jordanian University 

 

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Commendation: Maisara Sabri Kazamel

Coordinator name : Dr. Hasan Al-Qadi

University : An Najah National University 

Project Title: Reconstruction of Destroyed Village of Yazur

Introduction and Background:
The proposed project reimagines the village of Yazur, located southeast of Jaffa, through a design approach that preserves its historical memory and revives its Palestinian identity. The project is rooted in the idea of transforming spatial experience into a narrative that allows visitors to live through the story of the Palestinian refugee—from a vibrant life before 1948, through the trauma of the Nakba and displacement, to the vision of return and reconstruction. In addition to the presence of several factories and plants.

Yazur was historically one of the largest villages in the Jaffa district, with a population exceeding 4,000 before the Nakba. The village was distinguished by its fertile agricultural lands, most notably its citrus groves that supplied the global market with the renowned Jaffa oranges. Beyond agriculture, Yazur sustained a diverse local economy supported by several factories and workshops, which reinforced its role as a productive and dynamic hub within the region. The village also featured significant landmarks, including a Crusader castle, a mosque, public markets, and residential neighborhoods, reflecting its cultural and socio-economic vitality.


Hand drawn map showing the most important landmarks of the old village

In the months preceding the Nakba, Yazur became a target of repeated Zionist attacks due to its strategic location on the Jaffa–Jerusalem Road. Tensions escalated following the mine incident that killed several Zionists, leading to a large-scale assault on January 22, 1948, led by Yitzhak Rabin and Palmach forces. The attack destroyed key village structures, including an ice factory, and killed 12 civilians in their homes. This event, known as the Yazur massacre, is significant as it involved figures who later became prominent leaders in Israel. Following the destruction, villagers were forcibly displaced—some to Lod, Ramla, Nablus, and Jericho camps, others to Gaza or refugee camps in Jordan such as Al-Wahdat and Zarqa. The violence between convoys, British forces, and villagers further intensified the cycle of retaliation until Yazur’s eventual depopulation.

The project seeks to re-anchor Yazur within the collective memory by designing an immersive architectural journey that connects history, identity, and future aspirations.

Design Concept

The project adopts an architectural path characterized by sharp and powerful angles, symbolizing the ambiguity and uncertainty experienced by the Palestinian refugee throughout their journey. This path leads the visitor through five sequential stages, each representing a chapter in the life of Yazur and its people. In this way, the path itself becomes a narrative journey, embodying the transition from the village’s once-thriving life, to displacement and suffering, and ultimately to the hope of return and reconstruction.

The Orange Groves – The journey begins among the citrus fields, a symbol of the village’s economic vitality and cultural identity. The sensory experience of walking through the orchards recalls the landscape that once defined Yazur.

The Factory – Visitors then move into an industrial zone where they witness the process of transforming oranges into juice and jam. This experience connects to the productive life of the village prior to 1948. The design integrates agricultural laboratories, reception areas, and suspended bridges that overlook the production process, creating an engaging and educational visual experience.

The Market – At the heart of the village, the open market reflects the traditional social and economic life of Yazur. Visitors encounter rest areas, stalls displaying traditional products, and opportunities to taste orange juice and the famous Jaffa oranges. This space embodies the richness of Palestinian heritage and daily life before the Nakba.

The Museum (beneath the Crusader Castle) – Descending underground, visitors enter a darker spatial experience symbolizing the Nakba and the refugee camps. The spatial compression, dim lighting, and sensory cues evoke the trauma of displacement, loss, and uncertainty about the future.

The Castle (Return and Future) – The final stage is the ascent to the Crusader castle, located at the highest point of the site. From here, visitors overlook both the preserved memory of the old village and the vision of a reimagined future. This stage symbolizes the movement from darkness to light, from exile to return.

Through this structured sequence, the project transforms architectural space into a storytelling medium—one that allows visitors not only to observe but to emotionally and sensorially engage with the Palestinian narrative.




Principles and Objectives
The project is guided by a set of design principles and objectives that ground the architectural intervention in cultural authenticity and experiential richness:

Principles
  •  Memory Preservation: Maintaining traces of original landmarks and integrating oral testimonies from original residents through cognitive mapping.
  • Traditional Character: Using stone masonry, inward-facing courtyards, and orange trees to reflect Yazur’s architectural and agricultural identity.
  •  Modern Expression: Employing steel bridges, sharp-angled pathways, and glass façades to express industrial functions and symbolize the refugee’s struggles.
  •  Light and Darkness: Spatial contrasts are deliberately used to represent the transition from vitality to exile, and from oppression to hope.
  •  Experiential Design: Emphasizing sensory engagement—sight, sound, taste, and touch—to make the narrative tangible.
  •  
Objectives
  •  To document and safeguard the cultural and spatial memory of Yazur.
  •  To create a living, interactive space that educates visitors about the Palestinian narrative.
  •  To integrate traditional and modern design languages in a way that conveys both heritage and resilience.
  •  To symbolize the refugee’s journey: hardship, survival, and the persistent hope of return.
  •  To present architecture as a tool of cultural resistance and identity preservation.
Heritage, Identity, and Integration
A key dimension of the project lies in the careful integration of heritage and identity into the design. This is achieved through both material and spatial strategies:

Traditional Heritage: Stone construction and courtyard typologies are reinterpreted to connect the project with the vernacular character of Yazur. The presence of orange trees in courtyards extends the agricultural memory into the built environment, ensuring that the sensory experience of the visitor remains rooted in the village’s identity.

Modern Architectural Language: Steel walkways, transparent glass walls, and angular paths reflect industrial modernity while also symbolizing the difficulty of the refugee’s path. The design deliberately incorporates elements of surprise and disorientation to evoke the refugee’s state of displacement and uncertainty.

Cultural Continuity: The open market reinforces intangible cultural heritage by reviving traditional products, crafts, and social interactions that defined life in Yazur before the Nakba.

Memory and Resistance: The museum beneath the castle anchors the memory of loss, while the ascent to the castle itself projects a vision of return and resilience. The design thus positions architecture as a medium for preserving identity and narrating history
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Future Vision: By framing views toward the contemporary landscape from the castle, the project links memory with imagination, symbolizing a re-claimed future for Yazur and for Palestinian villages more broadly.

Conclusion
The project “Yazur – From Oranges to Return” is more than an architectural intervention; it is a spatial narrative that embodies the Palestinian refugee’s story. Through a carefully structured journey, it preserves memory, revives identity, and projects hope for the future.

By merging traditional forms with modern expressions, the project creates an immersive and symbolic experience where visitors move from the orchards of the past, through the hardships of exile, to the vision of return. In doing so, it transforms architecture into a vessel of memory, resilience, and cultural continuity.
Yazur, once erased from the map, is reimagined here as a living testimony to Palestinian heritage and as a space that proclaims: the village does not die, and the return remains possible.
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Commendation: Ameera Khaled Alastal
Coordinator name : Zakaria Al Assar
University : Islamic University of Gaza 

Project Title:

"Reviving the Village of Karatiyya: A Demolished Palestinian Village Restored Through the Central Library and Agricultural Production"

Project Introduction:
The village of Karatiyya was chosen due to its proximity to the Gaza Strip, located 29 km away. In 1596, it was a village belonging to the District of Gaza, and it is envisioned to once again become a center of knowledge, resistance, and a strong agricultural supporter for itself and the surrounding villages.

The name Karatiyya is of Greek origin, meaning “strength” or “rule.” When its people were displaced on the night of July 17–18, 1948, it was never erased from memory. Its people, dispersed to Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, continued to wait for the day they could return to their village and to their simple agricultural lives.

Among those displaced, many rose to prominence—authors, doctors, teachers—who never forgot their village and even wrote books about it. Karatiyya once lacked educational opportunities, with only one school up to the ninth grade, after which students had to travel to al-Faluja. This shortage made many determined to “win through knowledge.”

Goal:
To create a space Palestinians can return to after liberation—a place to showcase their work, tell their stories, and rebuild their new history. It will be a haven for those who love the calm atmosphere of village life and a place for participation in self-sufficiency. It will enable it will enable broad trade that overcomes blockades blockades and dependency on the West, producing vegetables and fruits for exchange between villages and delivery to our beautiful Gaza. It will also provide Palestinians with simple homes that restore the concept of comfort and security in one’s homeland, close to one’s crops.
 
Vision and Concept:
The project goes beyond traditional reconstruction, offering a holistic vision to restore life to Karatiyya, built on three pillars:
  1. Intellectual Resistance – through the central library.
  2. Productive Independence – through Karatiyya’s agricultural lands.
  3. Collective Memory Revival – through the village market, simple housing, and a café, with future plans to restore and rehabilitate the Mafrat River and expand the village to include healthcare and education services.
The design is based on the principle of self-sufficiency, forming a practical response to calls for economic and cultural boycott—not as slogans, but as daily practice. The project begins with cultivating the land, reviving the local market, and extending its benefits to every household in Gaza (about 29 km away).

With this model, Karatiyya becomes a vital source of food security: vegetables and fruits are planted, harvested, stored, and sold by its own people. Thus, the village is freed from dependency and reclaims its role as a self-sufficient homeland.

The project follows the village’s old pathways as the main circulation routes. Places of shared memory are revived, such as the old pond, redesigned as a green water stream that recalls spatial memory. Remains of old houses are partially rebuilt as an open museum showcasing traditional building materials and everyday tools.
Central Library Area: Memory, Knowledge, and Future
At the heart of the design lies the red triangle, reimagined as the central library, symbolizing intellectual resistance. Even after displacement, the people of Karatiyya remained deeply tied to learning and reading—many became writers and academics. Today, the library rises as a landmark of resistance through knowledge.

The library’s design is rooted in the original village fabric, preserving old pathways as guiding lines for visitors through a layered narrative: from memory, to the present, to the vision of the future.

The library zone includes historic elements:
  • Partially rebuilt house walls – an outdoor museum showcasing old building methods and daily life tools, with seating areas for storytelling and community dialogue.
  • The old village pond – redesigned as a green open space with a water stream, connecting visitors sensorially to the memory of place.
The site has two main entrances:
  1. One leading directly to the library.
  2. Another starting at the open-air theater, which narrates the stories of resistance, with its lower floor dedicated to daily life and the Nakba.
Visitors then enter the library—the “present”—which holds old manuscripts and modern books, including works documenting the liberation of Palestine.

At its center, an open courtyard with trees where photos and mementos hang —a living symbol of memory. This courtyard bridges inside and outside, representing what was lost from Karatiyya and what has been replanted.

A special area honors every intellectual and teacher from Karatiyya, ensuring their impact remains alive.

The future section is a collaborative space for writing post-liberation history and academic research.

Thus, the library becomes more than a building—it is a time journey, memory keeper, and catalyst for collective storytelling and knowledge.
Architectural Language:
The library reflects the essence of Arab architecture through distinctive elements:
  • Glass domes for lighting and symbolism.
  • Arches representing openness and continuity.
  • Circulation inspired by Karatiyya’s historic pathways.
Karatiyya was once home to scholars and writers who never forgot it. The library embodies their legacy, immortalizing their names in collective memory.

Water and the Pond:
Karatiyya once had a pond where children played, an essential part of memory. Today, this memory is revived through a water stream symbolizing the pond, retelling the story of the place and reconnecting visitors with its beauty.
Housing Patterns:
(“Oh home, if your people returned, I would bring the henna and dye you with joy”)

The housing design follows three models:
  1. Courtyard Houses – reviving traditional family-based clusters around a shared guest space.
  2. Simple Agricultural Units – supporting household farming.
  3. Large Farms – for housing and commercial agriculture.
Each home connects to a plot of land for grapevines and seasonal fruits, with an outdoor room for farming tools or poultry. Surrounding lands are cultivated with crops distributed locally, while larger plots are used for commercial farming, with storage and distribution to Gaza and nearby markets.
Village Market:
The market is the heart of economic and social life, including:
  • A warehouse for storing and distributing crops.
  • Shops selling local products and handicrafts.
  • Four small restaurants.
It blends authenticity and renewal, providing sustainable income and reflecting the rural identity of the village.
Mosques:
Two mosques are rebuilt in Karatiyya, placed to serve different neighborhoods. Each mosque includes an open courtyard for gathering and education, reviving the mosque’s traditional role as a religious, cultural, and social hub.
Café “Athar” – A Living Memory:
A lively social café welcoming visitors and returnees. At its heart, a panel of visitors’ handprints will later be displayed in the library as an archive of the return.
The design is inspired by traditional rural homes, using local materials and simple details, embodying Palestinian hospitality.
Conclusion:

Karatiyya, like all Palestinian villages, dreams of returning to this land. Its lands are not meant to become tourist resorts visited once or twice and forgotten. They are to be lived in, expanded to meet educational, religious, and cultural needs.

The library can be designed as the center of knowledge, serving as the first step toward expansion, ensuring that the imprint of Karatiyya and its people remains alive through their ideas.

Its complete liberation is possible.

 
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Commendation: Hala Almonther Mohammad Abulaila
Coordinator name : Shaden Abusafieh
University : Middle East University 

Project Title: Roots of Memory, Resistance, and Flourishment


Architecture as an Act of Return
JUTHOOR (Roots) is an architectural project that aims to revive the village of Yazur, both as a cultural memory and as a space for future resilience. For me, the project carries a deep personal weight: my own family, like many others, was displaced from Yazur during the Nakba of 1948. The village was meant to be the place where I grew up, where culture and community would have shaped my life. Instead, it became a symbol of absence yet also of belonging that endures across generations.

The name JUTHOOR expresses the central vision: that displacement cannot sever what is deeply planted. Yazur’s roots run in the land, the orchards, the factories, the mosques, and above all, in the memory of its people. They remain alive, waiting to grow once again. The project, therefore, does not only seek to rebuild walls, streets, or factories; it aspires to rebuild presence, to reconnect people with place, and to give physical form to memory.

Yazur in Memory and History
Before its destruction, Yazur stood as one of the most prominent villages in the Jaffa district. Situated just six kilometers from the city, it thrived as both an agricultural and industrial hub. Its location along trade routes gave it strategic and economic importance, turning it into a space of productivity and cultural life.

The village was home to more than eleven factories, producing goods that connected it to surrounding towns and cities. It was also one of the rare villages to host schools for both boys and girls—a testament to its forward-looking spirit and its emphasis on education as a collective value. This emphasis on knowledge gave Yazur not only economic strength but also cultural depth, placing it among the few villages that embodied both tradition and modernity.

Its landmarks carried immense emotional weight. The mosque with its seven domes was once the spiritual heart of the village, but was later stripped of its identity and converted into a synagogue. The cemetery, with the shrine of Sheikh Qatanani, remains a silent yet powerful link to Yazur’s families. The Crusader fortress and adjacent smaller mosque stood as markers of layered history, testifying to centuries of resilience and change. These remnants are not just ruins; they are fragments of identity, anchors that resist erasure.

Even during the violence of 1948, Yazur’s spirit was one of defiance. Its youth transformed industrial spaces into spaces of resistance. In a local ice factory, they organized an ambush that killed seven Haganah soldiers, tying the village’s industrial strength to courage and sacrifice. After the occupation, the new Israeli settlement was almost named “Mishmar HaShiv’a” (“The Guardian of the Seven”), in direct reference to this event. Eventually renamed “Azor,” it was a deliberate attempt to overwrite Palestinian presence with biblical references, further distancing Yazur from its identity.

Yazur’s story, like so many other Palestinian villages, is one of attempted erasure—but also of endurance. Its memory survives in oral history, family traditions, and the unbroken hope of return. The aim of JUTHOOR is therefore to honor this memory and to transform it into a vision of return that is at once cultural, spiritual, and practical.

Conceptual Framework: A Spatial Journey of Memory and Future
The architectural concept of JUTHOOR unfolds as a journey—a continuous track that links Yazur’s surviving remnants while projecting its reimagined future. The sequence is designed to be experiential: each step not only recalls the past but also carries the visitor forward, symbolizing the transition from absence to presence, from exile to return.

The Cemetery (The Seed)
The journey begins at the cemetery, grounding visitors in reflection. Here, memory is planted as a seed, reminding us that those who rest in the soil are part of the living narrative of Yazur. It is a solemn threshold, where loss becomes the foundation of renewal.

The Tunnel (Memory in Transition)
From the cemetery, an underground contemplative passage slows the visitor’s pace. Its compressed space and dim light evoke the silence of mourning and the weight of displacement. Walking through the tunnel is like passing through history’s wound—an embodied recognition of pain and loss. Emerging from it is like breathing again, stepping from grief toward resilience.

The Mosque (Revival of Identity)
Arriving at the historic mosque, the visitor encounters a reclaimed spiritual pivot. Restored to its original function as a Muslim place of worship, the mosque becomes both an anchor of identity and a declaration of resistance against erasure. It is here that spirituality, culture, and memory converge, transforming the building into both symbol and sanctuary.

The Heritage Track (Cultural Continuity)
From the mosque unfolds a sequence of spaces for art, music, craftsmanship, and a farmers’ market. These are not museums of static objects but living spaces of cultural performance and participation. Designed as porous, flexible structures, they emphasize continuity, ensuring that heritage is experienced through practice, song, craft, and exchange.

The Fortress and Smaller Mosque (Ruins as Witness)
On the hillside, the Crusader fortress and smaller mosque are preserved as static monuments. They are not restored or altered but left as scars in stone—reminders of Yazur’s layered history and of the violence of displacement. Their presence closes the heritage sequence with a direct confrontation with endurance and loss.

The Bridge: Linking Past to Future
At the heart of the project lies the bridge, both physical and symbolic. It acts as the hinge that unites memory with future, heritage with renewal. Crossing it is an act of transformation: the visitor moves not only in space but also in time.

The bridge itself tells two stories. On one side, an archival image of Yazur before and after 1948 testifies to the violence of erasure. On the other hand, open views frame the mosque, the fortress, and the surrounding landscape, affirming continuity and resilience. Ahead, the visitor sees the vision of Yazur’s future, the orange juice factory and orchard signaling that the journey of return does not end in mourning but continues in renewal.

The Flourishment Points: Future-Oriented Programs
Having crossed the bridge, the visitor arrives at spaces that reimagine Yazur’s future. These programs revive their industrial, agricultural, and educational legacies while rooting them in communal life. They are called Flourishment Points because they symbolize growth, resilience, and hope.
 
  • Orange Juice Factory – Inspired by Yazur’s industrial past, this factory is both a production site and an architectural experience. Visitors walk along an elevated pathway to witness the full cycle—from orchard harvest to sorting, extraction, and pasteurization. The factory embodies both heritage and renewal: industry becomes resilience, and production becomes testimony.
 
  • Café (The Social Node) – Strategically placed on the main street, the café becomes a hub of community life. Serving fresh juice, it acts as an everyday meeting point, reinforcing the role of cafés in Palestinian culture as spaces of dialogue, continuity, and belonging.
 
  • Development Center – Honoring Yazur’s historical emphasis on education, this center offers workshops, a bazaar, and agricultural innovation labs. Here, traditional crafts such as candle-making, soap production, and jams coexist with digital farming technologies. The architecture fosters both heritage-based economies and forward-looking innovation, ensuring continuity between past and future.

Together, these flourishing points ensure that Yazur is not frozen as memory alone. Instead, it is reborn as a thriving community that cultivates knowledge, fosters production, and promotes social cohesion.

Landscape Integration: Memory Rooted in Nature
The orchards and open landscape are not treated as passive surroundings but as active participants in the spatial narrative. They are the living fabric that ties memory and future together.

The orange orchards, once the economic lifeblood of the village, have become both productive fields and symbolic layers of renewal. They connect the factory’s production to the soil, provide shaded gathering spaces, and anchor the site in its agricultural heritage. The landscape thus acts as both archive and promise, a ground where memory is rooted and future growth is nurtured.

Conclusion: JUTHOOR as Manifesto of Return
JUTHOOR (Roots) is not simply an architectural reconstruction; it is an act of cultural resistance and regeneration. By choreographing a journey from cemetery to tunnel, mosque to fortress, bridge to factory, café, and development center, the project ties memory to future growth.

It asserts that:
 
  • Memory is a seed that cannot be erased.
 
  • Architecture can transform history into resilience.
 
  • Community can flourish even after displacement.

Ultimately, JUTHOOR transforms Yazur into more than just a village. It becomes a living manifesto, a place where heritage is preserved, culture is reactivated, and resilience is cultivated. It demonstrates that the story of Yazur is not only one of loss, but of rooted endurance. Its spirit endures in the soil, the orchards, and the collective will to return.

JUTHOOR is therefore both testimony and prophecy: testimony to what was destroyed, and prophecy of what will rise again. It is proof that the architecture of return is not only possible, but also inevitable.







 

Special Award for Engagement and Contribution:
Afnan Yasser Baraka (Team leader), Manar Yousef Aziz
Coordinator name : Zakaria Al Assar
University : Islamic University of Gaza 

Project Title: Al-Wisal – The Compass of Return

Design Statement
Introduction
Al-Wisal – The Compass of Return is not merely an architectural proposal to revive a destroyed Palestinian village. It is both a symbolic and practical act that aspires to rebuild the Palestinian collective memory and embody it within a living architectural space.

This project presents Dayr Suneid as a national compass that guides Palestinians back to their roots, reconnecting people to the land, memory to hope, and past to future.

The site is not read as ruins or remnants, but as a renewed architectural narrative that retells the Palestinian story through spaces and forms imbued with meaning. Here, return is transformed into a tangible architectural and cultural act, not just an abstract idea.
 
 
 
Design Vision
The vision adopts the metaphor of the compass as a symbolic framework that directs spatial and narrative experience. Each direction opens to a path of memory that tells a story of Dayr Suneid and embodies a dimension of the Palestinian journey:
North – towards Haifa: The railway line that once connected Dayr Suneid to Haifa, symbolizing national continuity and the promise of liberation.
South – towards Gaza: Depth of connection and attachment, where Dayr Suneid stood as a gateway between the village and the city, between rural life and the urban center.
Northeast – towards al-Majdal (and beyond, Jerusalem): The path of the Mamluk bridge, symbolizing the historical and spiritual road leading towards Jerusalem, the ultimate symbolic capital and horizon of liberation.
West – towards Hirbiya, and East – towards Dimra: Harsh routes of displacement, the first through Beit Lahiya, the second through Beit Hanoun, each recalling the pain of exile and the trauma of dispossession.
Southwest – towards Beit Lahiya and al-Majdal: The path of trade and resilience, where villagers exchanged crops and handicrafts with Beit Lahiya, and bought embroidered garments from al-Majdal. It is also the road of resistance, for Dayr Suneid was the last standing outpost before al-Majdal fell.

Thus, Dayr Suneid becomes a Compass of Memory: each direction preserves a story, and every path redraws the road to return. It is a compass where past and present converge within a symbolic architecture that opens towards liberation.
 
  
Design Principles
1. Integrating Identity and Heritage
The project draws inspiration from Palestinian vernacular architecture – arches, courtyards, local stone – but reinterprets them with a contemporary language that fuses authenticity with modernity.
2. Arches as Temporal Gateways
More than structural elements, the arches serve as spiritual and temporal portals, carrying memory across exile and into return.
3. Reviving Collective Memory
Through the Memory Walk (The Memory Box), stories of the Nakba and resistance are displayed in a built environment that merges artistic documentation with visual exhibitions.
4. Restoring the Cycle of Life
Cultural and commercial centers bring back art, crafts, and social activities, reviving communal life and sustaining identity.
5. Spiritual Rootedness
A dedicated Martyrs’ Corner stands as a sacred space honoring sacrifice and linking architecture with spirituality.

 Architectural Elements
The Station – Al-Wisal Station: Reviving the historic railway station that once connected Dayr Suneid to all of Palestine.
The Bridge – Bridge of Memory: Inspired by the Mamluk bridge, a symbol of continuity across generations.
Memory Walk – The Memory Box: A dedicated path to document and narrate collective Palestinian memory.
Cultural and Commercial Center – Heart of Life: A hub for revival, creativity, and social interaction.
Martyrs’ Corner – Space of Resilience: Honoring sacrifice and embodying devotion.
The Old Village: Restoring the vernacular fabric as a testament to identity and roots.
The Arches – Temporal Gateways: Marking transitions between past and future, exile and return.
 
  
Embedding Palestinian Identity
Palestinian vernacular architecture is not seen as a frozen image of the past, but as a living language, capable of renewal and reinterpretation:
Arches = Spiritual and temporal symbolism
Local stone = Solidity and memory
Courtyards = Community and social bonds
Traditional motifs (embroidery, crafts) = A contemporary architectural language

This approach turns architecture into a development of identity, not its preservation in stasis, proving that Palestinian cultural space endures despite dispossession.
 
 
Objectives
1. Revive Dayr Suneid as a Compass of Memory and Return.
2. Reintegrate Palestinian vernacular heritage into a contemporary architectural framework.
3. Create an architectural landscape that tells the story of Nakba, resilience, and hope for liberation.
4. Provide cultural, commercial, and social spaces that restore the cycle of life.
5. Materialize the Right of Return as an architectural reality.
 
 
Conclusion
Al-Wisal – The Compass of Return is not simply an architectural project, but a declaration of identity and resistance. Through its stations, arches, and pathways, the site becomes a living architectural text that narrates the Palestinian story in a space open to the future.

It affirms that Palestinian memory is not a burden of the past, but an active force shaping the present and envisioning liberation.

In this vision, Dayr Suneid is not ruins, but a living compass that redraws the paths toward Jerusalem, proving that return is not a distant dream, but a tangible journey embodied in architecture, identity, and memory.






 

Special Award for Engagement and Contribution: Lina Hussam Erbia 
Coordinator name : Zakaria Al Assar
University : Islamic University of Gaza 

Project Title: Al-Batani Al-Sharqi Reconstruction: Narratives from the Valley

​1.Introduction
Battani Sharqi, located east of the Gaza Strip, was a vibrant village characterized by agricultural, social, and cultural life before it experienced displacement and destruction during the Nakba and subsequent events. Today, the presence of a military base and airport on its lands prevents the return of its inhabitants, exacerbating their hardships in Gaza in 2025. This reality makes the reconstruction project a significant challenge, aiming to develop a comprehensive vision for reviving the village on contemporary foundations while preserving its cultural and heritage roots.

The valley remains the sole witness to what once was; it served as the natural lifeline of the village and a source of its continuity. In the design, it has been adopted as a “natural timeline” linking the past, present, and future.

2.Methodological Dimension
The Battani Sharqi reconstruction project is based on a comprehensive scientific methodology, beginning with the collection and analysis of historical and social data through available sources, including the book “Battani Sharqi” by Ghazi Muslih, recorded interviews, and archival maps and photographs. The village’s architectural and agricultural heritage was analyzed to identify key elements that reflect its identity, forming the basis for a sustainable design integrating historical memory with contemporary life.

Housing needs were calculated based on the average family size in Battani Sharqi, which is 7 members, and the current expected population of around 12,766. This results in 1,824 residential units distributed across different areas. Population estimates were derived from the 2015 book, which recorded a fourteenfold increase, then adjusted using a 1.5% annual growth rate. The design of the new neighborhoods is inspired by the traditional organization of the old village, considering family ratios and clan-based distribution, thereby connecting past and present in population distribution and urban planning.

The project also incorporates urban studies theory, using the concept of a “natural timeline” via the valley to connect past, present, and future. Clustered residential planning enhances social interaction and quality of life. Quantitative indicators, such as the allocation of agricultural land, green spaces, and the potential for solar energy use, reinforce the integration of practical design with academic analysis.

Furthermore, the project includes an educational and cultural dimension, where the museum, theater, and interactive workshop spaces provide informal learning opportunities, raising awareness among visitors and the local community of the village’s history and agricultural and equestrian heritage. It emphasizes design as a tool for transmitting knowledge and cultural identity across generations.
 
3.Design Concept
The project focuses on reviving the spirit of the old village within a contemporary context while preserving its agricultural and architectural heritage, linking past, present, and future through three main centers along the valley:
3.1 First Center – The Old Village
Represents village life before the Nakba and includes:
  • Simulation of the village layout and traditional alleys.
  • Tourist housing units mimicking original Battani Sharqi homes.
  • Museum of remaining artifacts.
  • Visitor and tourist center.
3.2 Second Center – The Nakba Phase
Focuses on documenting the village’s suffering and displacement, including:
  • Museum documenting the Nakba and the village’s story.
  • Outdoor circular theater for cultural and interactive events.
  • Visitor and tourist facilities.
3.3 Third Center – The Return Phase
Reflects the return of the village residents and includes:
  • Service and social buildings: hospital, educational center, commercial center, women’s empowerment center, administrative and business building.
  • Open-air exhibitions and green spaces.

 4.Types of Housing

4.1 Contemporary Residences:
  • Inspired by traditional Arab family-based distribution.
  • Practical design with residential clusters, parking, gardens, small mosques, and playgrounds.
4.2 Agricultural Housing:
  • Each unit includes a ground floor with basic services and a flexible upper floor.
  • Agricultural plot to support self-sufficiency.
 5.Other Components
5.1 Cemetery
The cemetery is designed as a symbolic dimension reflecting the Nakba, visually connected to museums and the valley to reflect the village’s historical journey.
  • Paths and orientation: Paths allow calm walking and reflection among gravestones and cultural symbols.
  • Gravestones and inscriptions: Local materials and traditional Palestinian engravings highlight identity and heritage.
  • Social and cultural space: Seating areas provide spaces for contemplation, allowing visitors to engage respectfully.
  • Environmental sustainability: Local plants and fruit trees enhance ecological and symbolic value.
5.2 Equestrian Club
Reflects the village’s agricultural and equestrian heritage, serving cultural, economic, and recreational roles:
  • First area: Hotel, cultural center, commercial shop, recreational center, seating areas, and parking for an integrated visitor experience.
  • Second area: Horse arena, track, and stables reflecting equestrian traditions
  • Cultural and educational aspect: Educational programs and horse shows strengthen residents’ and visitors’ connection to heritage.
  • Economic and social sustainability: Creates local employment, promotes tourism, and enhances community interaction.
  • Historical site integration: Located on the old airport runway to reuse the site positively and ensure continuity of community life.
5.3 Traditional Market:
  • Located between the First and Third Centers, the market is designed based on the layout and character of traditional Arab bazaars. It serves as a commercial hub that meets the daily needs of residents.
 6.Design Principles
  • Environmental Sustainability: Protecting and revitalizing the valley, integrating housing with agricultural land.
  • Identity and Heritage: Preserving traditional architectural features while incorporating modern design.
  • Natural Timeline: Using the valley as a line linking centers and residential areas.
  • Social Dimension: Residential clusters, public gardens, theaters, and cultural facilities.
  • Diverse Functions: Service, educational, health, commercial, and cultural buildings.
  • Economic Sustainability: Supporting agriculture, tourism, and women’s empowerment.
 7.Integration of History and Heritage
  • The three centers form a temporal journey from the past to the return phase.
  • Reconstruction of traditional neighborhoods and alleys in the first center.
  • Museums, theaters, and cultural centers document Palestinian heritage.
  • The cemetery, equestrian club, traditional market, agricultural land, and gathering spaces represent physical and historical fragments of the village according to the book, reflecting continuity of life and culture.
  • Contemporary and agricultural housing link past and future, providing a model for sustainable living.
 8.Conclusion
The project goes beyond physical reconstruction, representing a contemporary revival of Battani Sharqi’s narrative. The valley serves as a natural and temporal connector between centers and elements, allowing visitors to experience the village through its historical phases. The design reconneacts people to their land, preserves identity and heritage, and creates a sustainable, living model for the village in the present and future.






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