PROJECT PROLOGUE
The lines, strokes and point on the atlas make up the stitches of societies. The following project outlines and questions the vulnerabilities within these borders and different forms of resistant architecture. The research deals with the haunting presence of ghostly forms from past and present war-fares through the Northern Sinai Peninsula, along the route to the Rafah border. Allowing for the understanding and interrogation of such spatial and architectural forms, will clearly show the haunting displacement within these atlas lines, borders and routes.
The research deals with a multiplicity of borders, from natural, cultural borders to more political, destructive lines. The study of borders in all aspects highlights and widens the scope of research and knowledge. This will in turn allow for a deeper citing into the function of all societies which house resistant, refugee and political struggles.
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The project runs along the Rafah border, between Egypt and Gaza, and sets its roots into the refugee camp present in Rafah. The works highlight a variety of forms of resistance and smuggling, from the apparent tunnels to fortified walls and barricades to dilapidated housing and routes. Politics and Architecture are key fundamentals in all aspects. The power in politics, gives rise to the influence of architecture and urbanity.
An engraved terror which plays along the balance of humane and inhumane is one which seizes to engulf people, places and territories. The engravement of destructive and devastating infrastructure and facades play a vital role in the way architecture is seen. Through a scope of terror, fear and the unknown, a new age of architecture was built.
This body of work aligns itself to be referenced against the works of artist Saba Inaab as well as Dima Srouji The above two artists are key artists in the representation of this work due to the apparent research. Both have allowed for the exploration of memories to be present and recaptured within hollow, ghostly forms which aligns to key principles of basic architecture. Architecture which holds meaning, value and emotion. The research methodology used in this work encompasses the deconstruction and reconstruction of articles and the understanding of the work through a South African lens, with the addition of verified newspaper and article findings in order to validate all aspects of the research..
The aim of this project is to understand, highlight and deconstruct such vivid vulnerabilities brought to the architectural world, Vulnerabilities which have been brought about due to the in capabilities of man, the map and societies. Architecture is drawn through a lens of politics, treaties and policies and one must correct such vulnerabilities present due to the cracks in all of these aspects.
This project enfolds in a series of mapping techniques, be it hand-made, structural and digital. Such mapped out drawings will in turn highlight a new atlas of political architecture. Furthermore, the project will dissect these “new forms” in a series of hand-made models and sections in order to uncover deeper explorations within these vulnerabilities present.
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