ALEPPO / REVITALISING THE
CITY
I. INTRODUCTION
A. History
B. Post War Situation a) Damage b) Social Effects c) Economic Effects
d) International Organizations e) Psychological Effects
II. SYRIAN ARCHITECTURE A. Courtyard Houses B. Traditional Elements III. PARK A. Lafayette Park B. Parks in Aleppo IV. PROPOSAL A. Area a. Damage Analysis b. Al Aqabah Neighborhood B. Masterplan C. Drawings
I. INTRODUCTION
A. History
“The evolution of the Arab cities vividly appears by the transformation of residential units into communities that encompass bazars, Madrasas, Bimaristans, and a lot of newly introduced terms. One of the first murals discovered in Syria depicts a multistory building that goes back to around 1000 A.D., which totally conforms to the urban pattern of Syria nowadays.” (Alsuliman, 2015 )
‘’The revival of traditional architecture in the Arab World is every architect and sociologist responsibility as its strong, sustainable structure has proven to adapt to and withstand environmental and social changes throughout the years. Visual elements of traditional revisited and incorporated within modern architecture and design as a visual heritage for new generations to experience and study. Modern building materials have cause structure to look and feel the same no matter how different their uses are; hence, one should take a step back and examine traditional architecture in order to reintroduce an individual identity for each building.’’ (Alsuliman, 2015 )
B. Post War Situation
a) Damage
I. Public Buildings
The UNITAR satellite images were used to identify the damage analysis of 210 structures which are considered as World Heritage Property, including the citadel, city walls and gates, 73 historic buildings, 83 religious buildings (mosques, madrassas, mausoleums, shrines, churches and a synagogue), the National Museum, and the souqs/markets (comprising 45 sections). The reports show that 50% of these conserved sites were significantly damaged, while 25% were completely destroyed. Studies indicate that the damages were seen in mostly the areas that are located in the east and southeast parts of the citadel, covering the areas of Bab Antakya and Umayyad Mosque. Most of these damages were made by the shelling impacts and the bomb explosions. It is reported that the cause of damage in 35 of these structures were made by the internal fires.
II. The Souqs
Between 35 to 45 of the souqs were greatly damaged in a fire in 2012. Inside the souqs, around 1500 shops were reported as damaged or destroyed. Although the reports are not accurate, it was reported that 4 of the souqs were considered to have minimum damage while 19 were reported to be severely damages and 11 completely destroyed.
III. City Walls and Gates
The studies in the area show that while Bab al-Nasr and Bab Jinan gates were moderately damaged, Bab al-Hadid gate was severely damaged.
IV. The Great Umayyad Mosque
The mosque was first damaged by an attack in October 2013, only few weeks after the old souq of Aleppo was largely destroyed by a fire. It was stated by the witnesses that the minaret was hit by the tank shells, which was constructed in 1090 AD. The videos of the event show an excessive amount of rubble in the mosque’s courtyard, where the minaret was originally built. The courtyard is also severely damaged with many numbers of bullet and shell-holes. The attacked raised questions since the attackers were a Sunni group of militants, who aimed to destroy a Sunni mosque.
V. The Citadel
A visible amount of damage can be seen in the stone claddings which can be dated back to 2012. Other minor damages are mostly seen on the towers of the walls. The most damaged structure in the citadel is the Temple of the Storm God, with its roof completely destroyed.
(Figure 3)
VI. People
Since the beginning of the almost 8-year conflict of Syria, U.N. was collecting data to determine the number of people dead and wounded yearly. The final report they published showed that until 2014 August, approximately 191.000 people have died since the beginning of the conflict. After this report they stopped collecting information thus, the final report that can be obtained is by the Syrian Centre for Policy Research which was published in 2016 February. This final report states that 470.000 people were killed and 1.9m wounded, which means around 11.5% people of the total population were affected by the conflict.
b) Social Effects
Between the years 2014-2015, 1004 people from Aleppo were surveyed by CEU’s Center for Conflict, Negotiation and Recovery. The survey was generally about urban issues such as, transportation, education, migration, damage, public services etc. They were questioned for their personal thoughts for the future of the city and if they have thoughts on returning back to the city or not. The first few questions were for gathering information about the participants such as their gender, age, occupation, religion and if they are currently in Syria or abroad. The next questions were about where they lived in the city and their memories on Aleppo before the conflict, if they were content with the public spaces, services, the government, etc. Various numbers of outcomes can be deduced from the survey as the participants were not chosen with similar backgrounds or personal information. When they were asked for their ethnicity, the participants mostly replied as they had Arab descents but there were many other answers such as Kurdish, African, Armenian, Turkmen, Turkish, etc. For their religion, while most answered as Sunni, there were few answers such as Christian, Atheist, Agnostic, etc. The level of education varied between secondary school and college/university. Since most of the them were participating from abroad, they were asked the year when they left Aleppo. The answers mostly varied between 2011-2015, the years of the conflict. There were also many that replied they never left the city. The further question that was addressed to them was their reason for not leaving the city. Some answered they believe in the revolution and they are a part in it, while others thought they could not leave their homeland in any cases. There were also few that could not leave their work or their loved ones behind or scared to leave since they are scared of what might happen in the case of an attempt. When they were asked whether they had any problems before the conflict, most of the replies were about electricity and water still, incomparable with the current situation. When they were asked for the current situation of their houses most replied as severely damaged or destroyed.
Their common answer for what to be built first after the conflict was generally the public places and the structures that were under protection as a heritage. The answers on who they expect to rebuild the city shows that they do not rely on the government much, but he unity of the people and the locals. The next question was if they wanted to return Aleppo in the near future and their reason for returning. The replies were almost similar, as they mostly were homesick and wanted to reconnect with their loved ones, but they were pessimistic about the future of the city, thinking it will not be possible to return since the war will continue for a long time.
Another survey was done to people with the main question of “Do you think you will return to Aleppo?” and the results were classified considering the participants age, gender and occupation. The study showed a high number of people would like to go back if they were given the chance. Comparing the ages, the younger generation were more eager to return, as they replied yes 5% more. The answers did not vary much when considering the gender, but this changed when it came to the level of education. The people with more education were hesitant to return as they were trying to have a more realistic perspective and were worried that things could not go back to as it were in short term. Since the city is controlled by different authorities, the replies varied among the participants. The people living in the areas controlled by the authorities were more likely to return than the areas controlled by the government. The reason for their return varied as some were trying to secure their future and their loved ones, while there were also other that felt as if they ran away and wanted to return to regain their dignity. The people who answered as no were thinking that the situation will not be easily solved in the near future and even if it does, nothing will be the same since a great amount of the city is destroyed and their loved ones passed away.
c) Economic Effects
Between the years 2014-2015, a research has been done by surveying 1000 Aleppians (within their city or abroad) by the organization named “The Aleppo Project”. A significant amount of change can be seen between the before-after phase of the conflict. For the research, the participants were divided by gender, age and their locations. The first data was gathered to analyze the change in the numbers among different professions. A significant increasement is seen in the public sector, which can be interpreted that the participants are quite likely residents in the rebel-held Aleppo, working for the areas managed by the opposition groups. This analyze especially points out the rise of unemployment, which increased from %9 to %19. The same survey was also done to people who are living abroad. In this data, it can be seen that the number of unemployment increased even more than the people living in Aleppo, from %9to %24. There is a significant amount of decrease in the number of students, since the financial support from their parents were not sufficient for continuing their education, also given a large number of schools were destroyed during the conflict. The data also shows that the unemployment level of people with a secondary education increased more than people with a lesser education level. Since most of the people were forced to immigrate to another country, the language barrier and the bureaucracy disabled them to work in a place where their higher education is appreciated. When the data is divided by the genders of the participants, it can be seen that the conflict affected mostly the male population, as their number of unemployment increased %20. The unemployment data was further analyzed, classifying the participants by their ages. The results show that the conflict affected generally the younger generation since they are not well experienced in the job market thus, were not able to adapt to the changes in the market as the experienced. When the unemployment rate is compared between the neighborhood that are controlled by the opposition and the government, it is seen that the opposition-controlled areas unemployment rate increased more, since the government was able to create more job opportunities in the public service.
d) International Organizations
Karam Foundation, Islamic Relief, Project AmalOu Salaam, Asayish, General Union of Syrian Women (GUSW), Kurdish National Council (KNC), Heyva Sor,
-International:
Airlink, CARE USA, Concern Worldwide, GlobalGiving, Global Communities, Handicap International, International Medical Corps, International Orthodox Christian Charities, International Rescue, Committee (IRC), Life for Relief and Development, Mercy-USA, Mercy Corps, Save the Children, Oxfam America, Relief International, Unicef USA, UNHCR, UNOCHA, World Food Program USA (WFPUSA), World Vision, Zakat Foundation of America, Sunrise USA, Refugees International, ORAM, World Relief, Refugee One, HIAS, Doctors Without Borders, World Help, Humanity& Inclusion, Global Giving, War Child
e) Psychological Effects
The UNHCR reports state that during the conflict, people experienced multiple abuse and right violation such as massacres, murders, executions, torture, hostage taking, rape and sexual violence. The constant bombing was causing terror among people and they were forced to evacuate without any food source given. The hospitals were inadequate to secure and treat such a high number of people. These events were caused an immeasurable damage on people’s mental health and psychology. People had to suffer through both material and relational losses. The ongoing conflict continues to traumatize and stress people who are still located in the danger zones or abroad. The constant mourning and grief of lost family
members, the displacement and the longing for a homeland disables people to continue with their daily life. The discrimination, assaults and the isolation are also many of the biggest problems that people have to suffer through in the refugee camps. It is cited in the reports that: “Emotional problems include sadness, grief, fear, frustration, anxiety, anger, and despair. Cognitive problems, such as: loss of control, helplessness, worry, ruminations, boredom, and hopelessness are all widely reported, as are physical symptoms such as: fatigue, problems sleeping, loss of appetite and medically unexplained physical complaints. Social and behavioral problems, such as: withdrawal, aggression and interpersonal difficulties are also common. Most of these phenomena among Syrian refugees, and for most people, are the result of ongoing violence, displacement and the difficult circumstances in which they currently live and do not necessarily indicate mental disorders. Difficult life circumstances often lead to demoralization and hopelessness and may be related to profound and persistent existential concerns of safety, trust, coherence of identity, social role and society. Symptoms related to past experiences have also been widely documented, such as nightmares, intrusive memories, flashbacks, avoidance behavior and hyper arousal.” (2015, UNHCR).
(Figure 8)
(Figure 10)
(Figure 12. Average Housing Damage Percentage by City – Comparison Dec 2014, Mar 2016, and Feb 2017)
III. PARK
A. Lafayette Park
Architects: Mies van der Rohe
Location: Lafayette Park, Detroit, MI, United States Category: Housing
Project Year: 1959
Located at Downtown Detroit, the park contains world’s one of the largest building settlements, occupying 78-acre area. It is one of the examples of the “urban renewal, which focuses more on a neighborhood scale reconstruction and design. The design has various types of building varying from a 22-floor tower to smaller scaled housing. Though the project is very central, it has a distinctive characteristic of a neighborhood feeling disconnected from the city. The design differs from high-rise buildings to townhouses and courtyard houses, also few rental apartments. The general design for works very geometrical and symmetrical but the green spaces in between softens the sharp edges. There are various public spaces used by the residents such as the carparks, communal lawns and the lay areas. The project was considered to appeal middle- class people, with affordable prices.
B. Parks In Aleppo
There are few main parks that are reported in Aleppo Municipal Council that are; the Azizia Grove, Mari Pasha orchar and the Sabil Park.
ALEPPO PUBLIC PARK
The park is located in Gare de Baghdad district, covering a 17-hectare area, with a hexagonal design. It was constructed in 1949 by the Aleppo City Council. The park has various landscape typologies including water basins, courtyards, paths with trees and flowerbeds. There is a circular building with marble pillars used for national events. The garden area is 20ms wide with two fountains at each side. There are many statues built for famous poets and writes known by the whole nation, surrounding the pathways. There is a main pond at the center of the garden where there is usually traditional song are usually played. The general geometry and the symmetry of the parks design was influenced by famous French landscape examples of the day, such as the gardens in Versailles. For a final design, the council planned on building an opera house and a library for the public, which was never constructed.
III. PROPOSAL
A. Area
a)
Damage Analysis
Al . Aqabah neighborhood has an important location in Aleppo, which is a connection between Citadel and the new construction area of the city. Nearby the neighborhood there are a lot of significant elements of the city such as Great Mosque of Aleppo, souq, Antakya Gate and Paradise Gate. There are also a lot of cultural and historical points; directorate of culture and the touristic part of the city.
In addition, being in such in this location, Al Aqabah neighborhood is the most damaged zone of the city center after bombardment. Almost all the buildings have damages; some of them still exist with missing parts, meanwhile some of them are totally collapsed. According to Unitar – Unisat; Al Aqabah neighborhood has the % 42.53 of damage from the analysis of 2015. (Figure 16)
In the figure 17, it is shown that there are 2 main zones that controlled by 2 different forces. The north-west part of the city is controlled by regime force, meanwhile the south west zone is controlled by free army. In the map it is seen also the degrees of the damages in the city center of Aleppo. The colors of points show the amount of damage in the area. The red points show the damaged parts.
(Figure 17)
b) Al Aqabah Neighborhood
Al Aqabah area, by being as a bridge between the historical part and new part of the area has a crucial role of connecting the old and new. For this reason, the project is located in the Al Aqabah neighborhood, under the name of ‘’Aleppo – Revitalizing the City’’. To give the users and public the best solution and to create new life in the city is possible with the enough approach to the area.
The project focused on connecting the two different zones, at the same time
connecting different elements in terms of architecture, public space, landscape. Combining the traditional Syrian architecture with the contemporary architectural elements and solutions helps and develops to be a logical and useful design. The residential buildings have the private courtyards with the traditional elements such as iwan, entrance corridor, courtyard furniture; on the other hand, the plan of the houses has the features from both traditional and contemporary architecture.
In the residential areas of Aleppo, it is not prevalent to have public spaces. There are generally private courtyards that only one family can use it. From history till now, people prefer not to use public spaces closer to their private lives. Especially women live behind the doors or closed courtyards. With the change of times, nowadays it is necessary for the city to have a common space that people go around and spend time together.
B. Masterplan
The project consists both private courtyards and open gardens and spaces that all people can go around. The buildings closer to the park have their own courtyards and the other buildings closer to the road has more modern approach with the open areas around. In the middle of project area there is a neighborhood park that all people from city can make use of. (Figure 19)
The area is totally car – safe zone, at the outside of the area there are car parks that all the users can leave their cars. Between all the housings, there are pedestrian ways people can reach everywhere in the area by walking. All the pedestrian ways lead to each other and the most important parts of the area; the main park and auditorium. (Figure 20)
(Figure 19)
In the project, all the plans have the same planning system with different types and numbers. There are inner and outer grids that the buildings have and provide them coherence. The housings consist of the rooms which have the determined dimensions and located in the buildings like puzzle pieces. Through this dimension, all the plan has the inner and outer grids comprise all the project area. (Figure 21)
In the public park there are green elements, waterfall and pedestrian ways. The green area consists of different kind of green elements and special trees. There are mainly 8 types of trees which are appropriate for the Aleppo weather and climate. These trees are; pomegranate, lemon, olive, Aleppo Oak, Aleppo Pine, Mediterranean Cypress and Date Palm.
(Figure 22)
(Figure 22) (Figure 21) (Figure 21)
(Fi gu re 2 3 . G roun d F lo or Pl a n ) C. Drawings
(Fi gu re 2 4 . G e ne ra l Roof Pl a n )
(Fi gu re 2 5 . G roun d F lo or Pla n Sc a le : 1 / 1 0 0 )
(Fi gu re 2 6 . S e c tio ns )
(Fi gu re 2 7 . Ele v a ti on s )
(Fi gu re 2 8 . Audi tori um F loo r P la ns )
(Fi gu re 2 9 . Audi toriu m Se c ti on s a nd E le v a tio ns )
The project locates in Aleppo, Syria; which has the coordinates of Latitude : 360 12’
60.00’’ and Longitude : 370 09’ 60.00’’. On average; the warmest month is July with the
maximum temperature of 35 – 400 and the coolest month is January with the minimum
temperature of ( -1 ) – ( 30 ). In summer the sun hours are around 400 hours and in winter it is
around 100 hours in a month. The main wind comes from the west ( 28 – 30 km/h ).
REFERENCES
I. Alsuliman A. (2015). Revival of Traditional Architecture in Old Cities - Aleppo, the oldest inhabited city in the world as an example. Journal of American Studies, 11(1s), 15-16.
II. Alsuliman A. (2015). Revival of Traditional Architecture in Old Cities - Aleppo, the oldest inhabited city in the world as an example. Journal of American Studies, 11(1s), 19.
