Open Gaza: Architectures of Hope

350 Pages·2020·77.2 MB·English

by  Michael Sorkin (editor), Deen Sharp (editor)

The Gaza Strip is one of the most to create the ordinary conditions Sorkin
beleaguered environments on earth. of the everyday and to reject their Sharp
Crammed into a space of 360 square exceptional status. Inspired by Gaza’s
kilometers (139 square miles), 1.8 inhabitants, this book brings together
million people live under an Israeli siege, architects, designers, environmentalists,
enforcing conditions that continue to urban planners, activists, and scholars O
plummet to ever more unimaginable from around the world to create hopeful
depths of degradation and despair. interventions that consider how life can
Gaza, however, is more than an endless be improved inside the limitations
P
encyclopedia of depressing statistics. imposed by the Israeli blockade
It is also a place of fortitude, resistance, and outside the idiocy of violence
and imagination; a context in which and warfare.
inhabitants go to remarkable lengths
E ARCHITECTURES OF HOPE
This remarkable collective volume
includes architectural contributions
“Remarkable”
that imagine a better future, touching N
accounts of the tragic present, and
historical and ethnographic portraits —Rashid Khalidi
that together enable us to see the
community of two million people living
in the Gaza Strip as they really are

and could be, and not as they have
been made out to be by the incessant G
campaign of dehumanization to which
they have been subjected.
Twenty years ago, I was part of a group
Rashid Khalidi, author of The Hundred
of architects, historians, and activists
Years’ War on Palestine: A History of
asked to think about Jerusalem as a
Settler Colonialism and Resistance,
single, undivided city. Led by Michael A
1917–2017
Sorkin, we toured the area and
formed a community of practice still
Open Gaza provocatively shows how operating today in opposition to Israel’s
Gaza continues to be a source of life occupation. The results were collated Open Gaza succeeds in providing
in its ingenuity, love, and possibilities. in The Next Jerusalem, and some a balance between works that Z
Simultaneously, it makes clear that of its contributors reappear in this highlight the dismal, wanton
current conditions in Gaza are not volume. In Open Gaza, they are joined destruction of Palestinian lives
inevitable but have been constructed, by a new generation of practitioners and those that are underpinned
reproduced, and justifi ed by lawmakers and scholars, who continue this most fundamentally by an optimistic,
indentured by a political present. vital investigation and struggle against constructive vision of the future. A
From a journey through a network Gaza’s continued imprisonment. This imaginative collection addresses
of tunnels, an alternative digital grid, many of the practical questions
Eyal Weizman, Forensic Architecture
agriculture zones, and transportation posed by urban planning. Yet most
routes that rehabilitate a fragmented usefully, these essays cast Gaza as a
Arab world, this collection of essays is constituent urban space, interactive
a powerful retort to the tired discourse ISBN: 978-1-649-03071-9 with the sites and cities around it.
that has framed Gaza’s future as a This frame permits the reader to
security question contingent upon imagine a future that breaks from our
demilitarization and containment. present-day reality of “containers,”
siege, borders, and tunnels.
Noura Erakat, author of Justice for
Some: Law and the Question Ahmed Moor, CEO of Liwwa, Inc.
of Palestine T
9 781649 030719 E TERREFORM
R Edited by
R
E
TERREFORM F Michael Sorkin
O
R
The American University in Cairo Press M and Deen Sharp
www.aucpress.com
OPEN
GAZA
Open Gaza is dedicated to the memory of Michael Sorkin,
who fought tirelessly for the social and spatial justice of Palestinians
and whose vision enabled this book to come into being.
First published in 2021 by Deen Sharp Open Gaza: Architectures of Hope is
The American University in Cairo Press Michael Sorkin part of the Middle East Urban Studies
113 Sharia Kasr el Aini, Cairo, Egypt Editors in Chief series edited by Deen Sharp and
One Rockefeller Plaza, 10th Floor, New Noura Wahby. Published by the
York, NY 10020 Nic Cavell American University in Cairo Press,
www.aucpress.com Maria Cecilia Fagel the series explores new research
Vyjayanthi V. Rao from a progressive and critical lens on
Senior Editors the wide-ranging implications of
Copyright © 2021 Terreform
This edition is co-published by the Sarah Abdallah urban transformation in the Middle
American University in Cairo Press Corinne Butta East. It engages with the intensifying
and Terreform Research Assistants prergoicoens, sfreosm o fl aurrgbea-nsizcaatleio inn farcarsotrsusc tthuer e
Isaac Gertman and projects to the construction and
All rights reserved. No part of this Jenny Rosenberg, destruction of new cities and urban
publication may be reproduced, stored The Independent Group regions.
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in Book Design
any form or by any means, electronic,
Marieke Krijnen
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
Copy Editor
otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Stephen Hoban
Proofreader
ISBN 978 1 649 03071 9
Terreform is a non-profit, urban
research studio and advocacy group.
Library of CongressCataloging-in-
Founded in 2005 by Michael Sorkin,
Publication Data
its mission is to investigate the forms,
policies, technologies, and practices
Names: Sorkin, Michael, 1948–2020,
that will yield equitable, sustainable,
editor. | Sharp, Deen, editor.
and beautiful cities for our urbanizing
Title: Open Gaza : architectures of
planet.
hope / edited by Michael Sorkin
and Deen Sharp. Terreform and all the contributors to
Description: First edition. | New York : Open Gaza: Architectures of Hope
Terreform : The American are deeply grateful for the generous
support to this book by:
University in Cairo Press, 2021 |
Includes bibliographical references. Omar Al-Qattan
Identifiers: LCCN 2020028150 (print) |
Jay Schnitzer and Sara Roy
LCCN 2020028151 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781649030719 (board) | Fonna Forman and Teddy Cruz at the
ISBN 9781649030733 (pdf). Center on Global Justice, University
of California, San Diego
Subjects: LCSH: Architecture—Gaza
Strip. | City planning—Gaza Strip. | Malkit Shoshan at the Foundation for
Gaza Strip—Environmental Achieving Seamless Territory (FAST)
conditions.
Classification: LCC NA1478.G39 O64
2021 (print) | LCC NA1478.G39
(ebook) | DDC 720.95694/3—dc23
1 2 3 4 5 25 24 23 22 21
Printed in China
Edited by Michael Sorkin and Deen Sharp
TERREFORM
The American University in Cairo Press
Cairo•New York
CONTENTS
6 PREFACE
Sara Roy
10 INTRODUCTION
Michael Sorkin and Deen Sharp
16 GAZA’S SKIN
Tareq Baconi

26 ARCHITECTURE OF THE EVERYDAY
Salem Al Qudwa
42 RING CITY: A METROPOLIS — 
NOT AN ENCLAVE
Terreform
60 FOUR TUNNELS
Bint al-Sirhid
76 THE QATAN CENTER FOR CHILDREN
Omar Yousef
84 TIMELESS GAZA
Mahdi Sabbagh and Meghan McAllister
96 ABSURD-CITY, SUBVERT-CITY
Yara Sharif and Nasser Golzari
120 PLANNING RUINATION
M. Christine Boyer
142 RE-ECOLOGIZING GAZA
Fadi Shayya and Visualizing Palestine
158 THE INTERNET PIGEON NETWORK
Helga Tawil-Souri

174 COLLECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Royal College of Art, ADS7
196 FRONTIER URBANIZATION
Francesco Sebregondi
212 NORMALIZING THE SIEGE: THE GAZA

RECONSTRUCTION MECHANISM (GRM)
Pietro Stefanini
224 CITY OF CRYSTAL
Craig Konyk
240 NATURAL GAZA
Romi Khosla
256 ZOO, OR THE LETTER Z,
JUST AFTER ZIONISM
Malkit Shoshan
266 SOLAR DOME
Chris Mackey and Rafi Segal
278 SOCIAL HYDROLOGY: A DESIGN RESISTANCE
Denise Hoffman Brandt

292 REDRAWING GAZA
Alberto Foyo and Postopia
302 INTERDEPENDENCE AS A POLITICAL TOOL
Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman
326 HYPERPRESENT ABSENCE:
SUGGESTED METHODS
Hadeel Assali
338 TIMELINE
340 CONTRIBUTORS
PREFACE
Sara Roy
PREFACE 7
The Gaza Strip is a part of the world clearly articulated to me by Israeli
whose small size belies its profound officials over thirty years ago—
significance. Gaza has always been was to prevent the emergence of
the heart of Palestinian nationalism a Palestinian state, to ensure that
and the core of popular defiance, no viable political or economic
adamant and unrelenting in its entity would ever be established
resistance to Israeli occupation and on land Israel claimed as its own.
in its rejection of any attempt to A key feature of Israel’s strategy
displace it, insisting on its presence was the division and separation of
in the world. Because of this, Palestinians living under occupation,
Gaza, fundamentally, has defined which meant separating and isolating
Palestine’s relationship with Israel.1 Gaza—the source of nationalist
In this vein, Edward Said writes: resistance—from the West Bank
and Jerusalem, which Israel sought
To the Israelis, whose to annex. Gaza’s transformation
incomparable military and political into something distinct and apart,
power dominates us, we are at removed from any meaningful
the periphery, the image that will exchange—political, economic, and
not go away. Every assertion of social—with the rest of Palestine,
our nonexistence, every attempt was crucial.
to spirit us away, every new effort Israel’s strategy proved to be
to prove that we were never prescient. Without Gaza, the national
really there, simply raises the collective has been diminished, if
question of why so much denial not destroyed. Without Gaza, the
of, and such energy expended geographic basis of a Palestinian
on, what was not there? Could it economy has ceased to exist, and
be that even as alien outsiders with it any possibility of a viable
we dog their military might with state. This reality was affirmed by
our obdurate moral claim, our Israel’s Minister of Education, Naftali
insistence . . . that ‘we would Bennett, who years ago concluded
prefer not to,’ not to leave, not to that the “idea that a Palestinian state
abandon Palestine forever?2 will be formed in the land of Israel
has come to a dead end . . . Never
This refusal to leave is most in the annals of Israel have so many
powerfully expressed in Gaza. From people expended so much energy on
1. Dina Matar, “Gaza: Image
the beginning of the occupation over something so futile.”3
Normalization,” in Helga
Tawil-Souri and Dina Matar
fifty years ago, Israel has never really Invalidating Gaza’s place in
(eds.) Gaza as Metaphor
(London: Hurst and Company,
known what to do with Gaza. Gaza Palestine, and the rights that
2016).
is dogged and relentless, the “image naturally emanate from this, has
2. Edward Said, After the Last
Sky: Palestinian Lives (London:
that will not go away.” Despite the been achieved through a number
Vintage, 1986), 41-42, quoted
in Matar, “Gaza: Image as
many attempts to subdue and disable of Israeli policies, prominent
Normalization,” 182-83.
it, Gaza’s place in Palestine is assured, among them the transformation
3. Barak Ravid and John
Khoury, “Idea of a Two-State
for there can be no meaningful of Gaza from a political issue
Solution Has Reached ‘Dead-
End,’ Bennett Says,” Haaretz,
resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian into a humanitarian problem. The
June 17, 2013; see also Sara
Roy, “Forward,” in Decolonizing
conflict without it. struggle between political claims
Palestinian Political Economy:
De-development and Beyond,
Israel’s principal strategy from and humanitarian needs has
eds. Mandy Turner and Omar
Shweiki (London: Palgrave/
the outset—in terms that were become acute and is expressed
Macmillan, 2014).
OPEN GAZA SARA ROY 8
by “the consistently profound and he describes Gaza’s power and
expanding need of the population significance when he writes:
on the one hand [primarily due to
Israel’s blockade of Gaza’s economy, [Gaza] is not the most elegant
now in its thirteenth year], and the or the biggest, but it equals the
deliberate use of humanitarian aid to history of an entire homeland,
frustrate or achieve specific political because it is more ugly,
ends, including the prolongation of impoverished, miserable, and
conflict and suffering, on the other.”4 vicious in the eyes of enemies.
A senior official at the Israeli Because it is the most capable,
human rights organization, GISHA, among us, of disturbing the
which monitors the Gaza Strip, enemy’s mood and his comfort . . .
captured the core of Israel’s Enemies might triumph over Gaza
approach to Gaza: “In the rest of the . . . They might break its bones . . .
world we try to bring people up to the But it will not repeat lies and say
humanitarian standard. Gaza is the “Yes” to invaders. It will continue
only place where we’re trying to push to explode. It is neither death,
them down—to keep them at the nor suicide. It is Gaza’s way of
lowest possible indicators.”5 Gazans declaring that it deserves to live.6
are reduced from a people with
political and economic rights and The collection of works that follows
nationalist claims into charity cases is inspired by, and itself embraces,
in constant need of sustenance Gaza’s declaration of life. Open
(which is provided by a compliant and Gaza rejects Gaza’s state of
complicit international community). exception, insisting instead on its
In this way, Israel creates and rightful and normal place in the
maintains a humanitarian problem in world, and envisions real ways of
order to manage a political one. Gaza securing that place by engaging the
is not only isolated but also made potential that resides in Gaza. Some
irrelevant and expendable; human authors consider Gaza’s oppression,
life is wholly vulnerable without, in providing a powerful and compelling
effect, any legal or juridical status, examination of the challenges that
recourse, or appeal—reduced to must be addressed. Others consider
what the Italian philosopher Giorgio these challenges through the
Agamben defined as a state of discourses of architecture, planning,
exception—while Israel remains and environment, where space can 4. Sara Roy, “Humanitarianism
in Gaza: What Not to
distanced from the violence it embody Palestinian aspirations and Do” (panel, The Syrian
Humanitarian Crisis: What
inflicts. In this state of exception, dreams. They envision possibility is to be Done?, Middle East
Policy Council Capitol Hill
Gazans are rendered “unnameable” and meaningful change that is Conference, April 21, 2015);
see edited transcript in:
in Agamben’s terminology, except for predicated, of course, on peace (and Sara Roy, et al., “The Syrian
Humanitarian Crisis: What is to
their biological needs. They cease the demilitarization of space), human be Done?” Middle East Policy
22, no. 2 (Summer 2015),
to inhabit space that is animate rights, and the end of division and which provides a more detailed
examination of the role of
and resonant, or endowed with any separation, where physical borders humanitarianism in Gaza.
meaning or potential. are no longer determinative. 5. Roy, “Humanitarianism in
Gaza.”
In his poem “Silence for Gaza,” The ideas presented here do
6. Henry Norr, “Mahmoud
Mahmoud Darwish rejects any notion not emerge from “outside the box” Darwish: ‘Silence for Gaza,’”
Mondoweiss, November 24,
of Gaza’s inconsequence. Rather, but from the absence of a box.
2012.
PREFACE 9
Gaza’s capabilities are real and its that of the region as a whole—lies
potential realizable. In the practical in inclusion and in the promise that
and energizing ideas found in this such inclusion embodies, which, as is
volume, Gaza’s well-being—and argued, is truly worth pursuing.
WORKS CITED
Matar, Dina. “Gaza: Image Roy, Sara. “Humanitarianism in
Normalization.” In Gaza as Gaza: What Not to Do.” Panel,
Metaphor, edited by Helga The Syrian Humanitarian
Tawil-Souri and Dina Matar. Crisis: What is to be Done?,
London: Hurst & Co, 2016. Middle East Policy Council
Capitol Hill Conference, April
Norr, Henry. “Mahmoud 21, 2015.
Darwish: ‘Silence for Gaza.’”
Mondoweiss, November 24, Roy, Sara, Karen AbuZayd,
2012. Denis J. Sullivan, and Susan
M. Akram. “The Syrian
Ravid, Barak, and John Khoury. Humanitarian Crisis: What is to
“Idea of a Two-State Solution be Done?” Middle East Policy
Has Reached ‘Dead-End,’ 22, no. 2 (Summer 2015): 1-29.
Bennett Says.” Haaretz,
June 17, 2013. Said, Edward. After the Last
Sky: Palestinian Lives. London:
Roy, Sara. “Forward.” In Vintage, 1986.
Decolonizing Palestinian
Political Economy: De-
development and Beyond,
edited by Mandy Turner
and Omar Shweiki. London:
Palgrave/Macmillan, 2014.