Housing in jerusalem: from a flourishing hope to slow “urbicide”
Date
2019-08-03
Authors
Saifi, Yara
Samman, Maha
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Open House International Association
Abstract
Urbicide, domicide and memoricide are terms associated with destruction, whether of the tangible or intangible human
and spatial capital. This paper discusses how, as a result of the Israeli imposed geopolitical map in Jerusalem, another
face of these three “cides” is experienced. The Dahiyat al-Bareed neighbourhood, built in 1958, demarcated outside
the municipal boundaries after 1967 and outside the Separation Wall boundaries after 2002, is used as a case study.
The study illustrates how both the political conflict and the produced geopolitical map have indirectly forced the inhabitants
of Dahiyat al-Bareed to abandon their homes. They need to reside in apartments within the municipal boundaries
of Jerusalem to maintain their legal status in the city. This produced a gradual process of domicide, memoricide and
eventually, slow urbicide in the Dahiyat al-Bareed neighbourhood. The three “-cide” attack is tackled by the owners
as a survival dynamic. This is done by deliberately accentuating neglect and decay of the built structures to camouflage
the owners’ sporadic presence and to affirm the abandonment dynamic.
The study discusses the dynamics of the urban battle-ground in three ways: By reading trails through architecture
and the measures Palestinians use to hold on to their homes, by observing and analysing the deliberate changes on
the buildings and gardens designed to expose abandonment and withering, and through interviews with the owners
of the houses. The purposeful withering and decay of spaces within the neighbourhood produces a state-of-being torn
between the past place of dwelling and the new place of residence. This perpetuates a continuous dual conflict which
inflicts a chronic trauma within the experience and memories of their homes as they tackle the memoricide dynamic.
The study shows that the tensious choice of practicing a sense of dwelling beholds lengthy suffering inflicted by political
injustice.
Description
Keywords
Jerusalem housing , urbicide , domicide , memoricide , urban abandonment , urban battle field
Citation
TY - JOUR AU - Saifi, Yara AU - Samman, Maha PY - 2019/08/18 SP - 27 EP - 35 T1 - HOUSING IN JERUSALEM: FROM A FLOURISHING HOPE TO SLOW “URBICIDE” VL - 44 JO - Open House International ER -