I am just a number in another world…different completely from the world that I came from. - Hasan, Syrian Refugee
I hope the war stops and that we can go to our house and our family. - Rama, 10, Syrian refugee
Refuge(e)
REFUGEE: a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster
REFUGE: a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble
REFUGE: a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble
Coursework this semester will focus on the development of useful shelter, resources, and infrastructure that can be successfully deployed in response to the current refugee crisis in Iraq and Syria. The goals of this work are twofold, to house refugees in their displacement (without a home) and to speculate ways to help these same people re-inhabit the homes and communities they have left. Through this work, we will have the opportunity to explore architecture as a HUMANITARIAN tool – architecture that supports, strengthens, and heals PEOPLE in need.
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To explore the complex issues of this crisis and propose relevant solutions, the CCE architecture studios have been divided into collaborative teams. Each team was assigned a "city of conflict" that students identified as a critical urban setting for the refugee crisis. The Architecture Design II and Practicum studio teams were then combined and tasked with developing a professional identity as an architecture firm.
Through their projects, each team proposed solutions for two different urban conditions at two different scales. First, students designed housing and community resources to support refugees in a refugee camp. Each team designed a camp inspired by an analysis of their assigned city of conflict following United Nations guidelines. This was done to provide refugees with a culturally, socially, and geographically familiar environment in which to live. Second, students designed housing and community resources within each city of conflict to support refugees as they return home after their cities are liberated.
Through their projects, each team proposed solutions for two different urban conditions at two different scales. First, students designed housing and community resources to support refugees in a refugee camp. Each team designed a camp inspired by an analysis of their assigned city of conflict following United Nations guidelines. This was done to provide refugees with a culturally, socially, and geographically familiar environment in which to live. Second, students designed housing and community resources within each city of conflict to support refugees as they return home after their cities are liberated.
Follow the links below to see each team's work:
Hebron Associates: Mosul, Iraq
214 Bureau: Raqqa, Syria
Cult Architecture: Aleppo, Syria
Hiraeth Architects: Fallujah, Iraq
Student Reflections
Upon project completion, each student was asked to reflect on the impact that this project had on them and what they valued about this experience. Their responses are shown in the video below. Many thanks to the Career Center East Audio/Visual department for their support in making this video for our public exhibition.