Refugee-led socio-spatial organization in Al Baqa’a camp, Jordan
Authors : Rania Aburamadan
Abstract : The increase in refugee numbers is an increasingly important concern globally. Many countries in different regions have been accommodating refugees by providing temporary shelters made from ineffective and inadequate materials to provide thermal comfort for refugees. However, the shelters provided are often inadequate solutions for shelter and neglect the social and cultural diversity of the refugees. Socio-cultural norms, practices and values are rarely considered in the design of shelters and this has an adverse impact on how refugees live in these spaces. Using insights from the Al Baqa’a refugee camp in Jordan as a case study, this paper uses a mixed-method approach to explore how the challenges of inadequate shelter has consequently led refugees to self-organize and create new socio-cultural spaces to adapt to the place. The findings suggest that historically, Al Baqa’a camp has reorganized by users due to social needs and climate challenges. When the camp was created in 1967, the inadequacy of the housing and infrastructure to provide comfort influenced refugees to self-organize and create adaptive spaces of comfort. However, over the decades, these spaces have evolved into spaces of enterprise, belonging and memory of their homeland. Therefore, this paper argues that refugee shelter design should have an integrated consideration of the climatic elements and the social and cultural aspects of refugees. The paper concludes with lessons learned drawn from the evidence to act as guideline for the consideration of official humanitarian organizations in other camps and local communities.
Keywords : Refugee, Refugee shelters, Shelter design, Socio-cultural, Al Baqa’a camp, Jordan
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INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY AND WELLBEING: THREE CASES FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Authors : Alireza Moghayedi1, Abid Mehmood2, Vasilena Vassilev3, Rania Aburamadan4, Karen Blay5, Dori Nguyen6, Prabina Shrestha6
Abstract : This paper seeks to advance the understanding and analysis of the role and impact of housing and neighbourhood characteristics on the wellbeing of communities in the informal settlements in the global south. It provides a holistic view on the relationship between household features, housing design and neighbourhood conditions to assess further their effects on wellbeing constructs in Nepal, South Africa, and Jordan. The COVID-19 pandemic has added to the prevailing challenges for population wellbeing in all cases. The study assessed the relationships between housing design, neighbourhood form, social inclusion, and mental and physical wellbeing through a detailed questionnaire. A comparative analysis allowed identifying the innovative changes and strategies in conjunction with local stakeholders to improve individual and public wellbeing. The study proves the significant relationships between the three dimensions of housing: house conditions and design, household characteristics and neighbourhood conditions, and individual and community wellbeing in informal settlements. The findings discuss multilevel (housing and neighbourhood) solutions and unique social groupings that support livelihood strategies and how these strategies impact the social, economic and environmental sustainability in informal settlements. The resultant importance of specific constructs and sub-constructs offers a toolkit for evaluating informal settlements and potential improvements. This work is also a demonstration of how an interdisciplinary methodology can help mediate societal challenges, particularly when it comes to the wellbeing of inhabitants in informal settlements.
Keywords : Urban Density; Housing Design; Informal settlement; Wellbeing; Global South
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A Novel Approach for Establishing Design Criteria for Refugees’ Shelters
Authors : Claudia Trillo, Rania Aburamadan
Abstract : Unlike social science and positivist science, architectural design research methods lack a disciplinespecific conceptual framework, clarifying the nature of design as performative science aimed at producing outcomes for future use and therefore needing a robust methodological approach encompassing different techniques and methods supporting an evidence based architectural design development. This paper suggests that Design Science can be successfully applied to the Architectural Design Development and provide architects and designers with a powerful tool bridging between research and design. At this goal, this paper explores the application of Design Science to carry out a user centered design approach. A design challenge is reframed within the robust framework of the Design Science by referring to a case study, a refugees' camp. The traditional way in which the shelters optimization is pursued by the designers is questioned by involving the final users through an ethnographic approach in the design process. In so doing, the authors argue that a user centered design outcome can be achieved and validated through Design Science. The design outcome produced through this process is a list of specifications, allowing designers to create different architectural solutions, all matching the requirements expressed by the future users.
Keywords : Design science, Architectural design research methodology, user centered design, refugees’ shelters.
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Applying design science approach to architectural design development
Authors : Rania Aburamadan, Claudia Trillo
Abstract : Unlike research methods for social and positivist sciences, those for architectural design lack a discipline-specific conceptual framework. Performative science aims at producing outcomes for future use and therefore needs a robust methodological approach that encompasses different techniques and methods supporting an evidence-based architectural design development. This study suggests that design science can be successfully applied to architectural design development and provides architects and designers with a powerful tool bridging the gap between research and design. In so doing, this study explores the application of design science to implement a user-centered design approach. A design challenge is reframed within the robust framework of design science by referring to a case study on refugee shelters. The traditional method by which shelter optimization is pursued by designers is questioned by involving the final users through an ethnographic approach within the framework of design science. The design outcome produced through this process is a list of specifications allowing designers to create different architectural solutions and matching the requirements expressed by future users. The authors argue that a user-centered design outcome can be achieved and validated through design science.
Keywords : Design science; Architectural design, research, methodology; User-centered design; Refugee shelter
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Towards a systematic approach to digital technologies for heritage conservation. Insights from Jordan
Authors : Claudia T., Aburamadan R., Mubaideen S., Salameen D., Makore B.C.N
Abstract : Consensus exists on the importance of heritage for ensuring sustainable futures, due to its impact on political aspects, ethical reflection and local economic development. Nowadays, using technology has become crucial in the construction industry, including heritage conservation. This paper aims to compare a selected sample of digital platforms, gathering data in support of heritage documentation, both for heritage and archeological sites. Despite the huge potential of digital technologies for contributing to heritage conservation, still there is a need for more clarity on what should be used to achieve different goals and what is the best approach under various circumstances. A team of five experts on digital technologies applied to different types of heritage worked collaboratively to gather the case studies in this paper and to analyse them comparatively. Jordan is a Middle East and North Africa country chosen as unit of analysis, because of the huge potential of digital technologies for heritage documentation. The findings from the comparative case review offers a reflection on what should best adopted for achieving different goals. Differences of approaches were revealed between the characteristics of heritage site and those of archaeological sites in Jordan’s conservation history. The findings called for a prioritization of using digital technology in both heritage and archeological sites. The discussion on digital platforms currently available in Jordan allows for highlighting strengths and limitations of different approaches and methodologies, thus drawing lessons for addressing the strategic choice of the most appropriate digital solution under different circumstances and in different contexts.
Keywords : heritage; digital technology; Jordan; heritage conservation; archaeology
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Heritage Conservation and Digital Technologies in Jordan
Authors : Rania Aburamadan Claudia Trillobc ChikaUdeajabcAthenaMoustakabcKwasi G.B.AwuahbcBusisiwe C.N.Makore
Abstract : Heritage cities are challenged by a combination of pressures, including climate change effects, rapid urbanization and abandonment. Conversely, a plethora of new methodologies and instruments are now available, thanks to digital technologies, which hold the potential to support planning conservation of heritage cities. This study seeks to explore the applicability of digital technologies to heritage conservation planning practices, in Jordan, with a more general applicability of some findings to the larger international context. Opportunities and limitations in supporting plans for heritage conservation in heritage cities through digital technologies are discussed. This study analyses several forms of data, including secondary data, semi-structured interviews with heritage experts and focus groups. Recommendations are made to maximise the potential of digital technologies in both eliciting awareness on heritage and documenting it for the purpose of developing more robust and effective conservation plans for heritage cities.
Keywords : Urban heritag,e Digital technologies and heritage, Urban planning and management, Cultural heritage, Jordan's heritage
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Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM) as a tool for heritage conservation : observations and reflections on data collection, management and use in research in a Middle Eastern context
Authors : Aburamadan, R., Moustaka, A., Trillo, C., Makore, C., Udeaja, C., & Gyau, K.
Abstract : The rich architectural and urban heritage of Jordan is under continuing threat not only through means of physical attack but also physical disaster, increasing urbanization and a diminishing value from multiple stakeholders such as owners and users. This research study explores the potential of digital technologies in documenting and preserving urban architectural heritage in Jordan. Data was collected from diverse stakeholders on heritage conservation in Jordan. The findings evidence that Building Information Modelling (BIM) has the potential to create a classification system for heritage buildings under threat and set forth the application of legislation and regulations about heritage . The study demonstrated that the collection of data information needs to be understood through the context of cultural sensitivity. Lack of awareness in the value of cultural heritage from local communities exacerbates the diminishing efforts in preserving cultural assets. In collecting information for the documentation of this heritage, this study categorizes the challenges of preserving urban heritage as either hierarchical or cultural. The collection, management and storing of data for digital heritage requires an awareness of the issues of time and the power structures that are involved in their collection and upon which they have a profound effect.
Keywords : Cultural heritage • BIM • HBIM • Point cloud • Middle East • Data collection • Culturally sensitive data
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Enhancing Heritage and Traditional Architecture Conservation Through Digital Technologies. Developing a Digital Conservation Handbook for As-Salt, Jordan
Authors : Trillo, C., Aburamadan, R., Udeaja, C., Moustaka
Abstract : Heritage cities are facing unprecedented pressure, due to the combination of climate change impacts, rapid urbanization and uncontrolled growth. Historic urban centres in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are particularly exposed. This paper discusses the benefit of applying digital technologies, and in particular Building Information Modeling (BIM), in supporting heritage conservation, by developing a proof of concept based on a purposely chosen case study, i.e. the traditional Jordanian city of As-Salt near Amman. Building on and moving forward the tradition of paper-based Conservation Handbooks for historic cities, this study aims at exploiting the potential of digital technologies for enhancing the development and implementation of Digital Conservation Handbooks. Documentation and promoting of As-Salt will be conducted through developing a set of virtual models (3D models and BIM objects) suitable to support the construction sector and traditional architecture and heritage, framed and delivered in form of Digital Conservation Handbook. This will be achieved by: developing a new set of BIM (Building Information Modeling) objects related to the traditional architecture heritage in Jordan, suitable to be used by engineers and architects in the development of interventions on the built environment; creating a library of 3D models of exemplar buildings (Jordan heritage and traditional architecture), suitable to be used to promote the tourist image of Jordan. This will set a precedent for further documentation and heritage conservation of traditional cities in Jordan, MENA countries and internationally. Finally, the paper will discuss issues and challenges of documenting traditional heritage and architecture in As-Salt and the impact that such process may achieve in raising awareness across the local communities, thus offering insights to the larger community of architects, conservationists, and planners.
Keywords : Heritage conservation Conservation handbooks Heritage and BIM
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Towards Smart Planning Conservation of Heritage Cities: Digital Technologies and Heritage Conservation Planning
Authors : Trillo C., Aburamadan R., et al.
Abstract : Consensus exists on the importance of local identity and diversity in the sustainability discourse, including community resilience. As result, cultural policies are essential to enable sustainability goals. In the construction industry, digital technologies are playing a significant role in flattening the richness and distinctiveness of local contexts and homogenizing languages and practices, under the pressure of the constant urge to reduce costs and the necessity to comply with a sometime overwhelming plethora of technical and legal requirements and standards. The ambition of this paper is to shed light to the interplay between digital technologies, planning practice and tangible heritage conservation in the city, by clarifying the dynamic among the three fields and their implications in the practice. In so doing, this paper aims at offering recommendations that can inform the smart heritage conservation planning practice worldwide, and can be used by experts working for heritage conservation authorities, local authorities, professional practices, charities and digital technologies companies.
Keywords : Smart heritage, Smart cities, Heritage conservation, Planning, Digital technologies, India, Jordan
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