Case Study #3 Typology: Bicommunal Derelict Village

case study #3 TYPOLOGY: BICOMMUNIAL DERELICT VILLAGE CURRENT ISSUES Latent Conflict Area The village is located in a conflict zone and has a young population which suffers from high unemployment and is constantly affected by economic crises which occur particularly on one side.

Depopulation The village has been losing population due to local emigration to cities. Due to the political situation, a population exchange agreement is in place, whereby each community makes sure to balance the numbers out with new immigrants.

Apart from destabilising a possible organic development, this has also decreased the level of education as well as the GDP.

© Clear Village 2010

HISTORY This community has historically swung between the domination of various authorities. Politically, religiously and culturally the situation has been tense between two equally present communities since the mid-20th century. The international community has mediated for a long time. As a result, there is a “green line” in place as a spatial representation of the mediation, ongoing negotiations and the attempt to build up activities that bring together rather than divide the community. As a contextual starting point, the “green line” includes ruins and threatened cultural heritage that both of the communities have built on and equally appreciate. This case study focuses on a village in the green-line zone.

Water Shortage There is sea water intrusion to the island’s largest aquifers, increased salination of arable lands, water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes as well as loss of wildlife habitats from unplanned urbanisation. There are no natural reservoir catchments in the area even though there is seasonal disparity in rainfall.

Underproduction There is not much local production which could sustain paid jobs for villagers.

Agricultural production has decreased because of existing water resource problems. Additionally, applied agricultural production techniques, choice of grains and fertilising are not controlled to increase harvest.

FACTS Typology: Mediterranean island Climate: Mediterranean, mild winters and dry summers Population base: Partly unemployed, farmers and regionally employed commuting builders Population density: 81.61 people /km2 (denser than other local villages) Marked area: 0.7 km2 Built portion: 3% GDP /Capita: 7500€ (whole island 18600€) Production and main source of income: Agriculture remains the main source of income despite the problematic, inefficient farming methods. The farmers harvest wheat, grapes, citrus fruit, olives, carobs, and all sorts of vegetables.

Besides that, inhabitants include talented craftsmen, masons, and builders, many of whom cross the “green line” to seek occupation.

© Clear Village 2010

Public amenities:

No hospital Open summer restaurant, three cafes No accommodation or tourist services Successful football club, well kept football pitch Carob Tree Peace Park, with a public picnic area

VISION DEVELOPMENT CONTINUITY CULTIVATING COMMUNITY EVOLVE FROM EXISTING RETAIN & ATTRACT

Build on the existing activities that have been accepted by both sides Cultivate spaces and zones that are shared by the communities into public spaces, suitable both for intercultural meeting and activities Diversify the built environment toward business and collective use Retrofit existing building stock to retain and respect the past, yet upgrade the space to reflect the contemporary lifestyle and aspirations of the community Tie in all reburbishment and retrofitting locally to upgrading local skills, youth employment programmes and lifelong learning Define and encourage local aspirations, past and present Allow a common ground to grow from inside the communities, helping to accelerate integration and the community spirit

Š Clear Village 2010

Let cultural harmony and/or understanding act as a catalyst for future development on all levels

SOLUTION OPPORTUNITIES GLOBAL external education of mediation international peace village meeting place

destination building

PRESENT

FUTURE cultural diversification

cafés visible cycles of life & visible cycles of economy

housing

mobility

public buildings

traffic

culture financial + social

LOCAL internal

education

POTENTIAL & EMPHASIS On the a whole, this area has a reasonable level of development in motion. There is a public peace garden and agricultural improvements are taking place, but implementation on the level of the individual farmer remains a struggle. There is a solid, core focus on energy resources and children’s education, and the communities gather actively around cultural, economic and political issues.

But more often than not, these developments follow the historical, cultural and behavioural patterns of the village and both activities and outcomes are kept within the confines of each community and not shared. Therefore they tend to split the village still further rather than unite it.

water

architecture & infrastructure community

© Clear Village 2010

energy

agriculture crafts sports

social dimension & community

health

food

natural environment

#3 Community well-being

economy & governance

waste

well-being biosphere

innovation/ networks

climate economic capacity

civil society

governance participation

COMMUNITY & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Š Clear Village 2010

Resource Management By using rather than overusing its resources, the village can become an exemplary permaculture center for food, agriculture and living. Rather than producing food for the world market, the focus here is on taking care of the land, protecting and reintroducing biodiversity, and reintroducing methods of water management and water infrastructure that are appropriate to the scale of the village and the climate.

Community Diversity as a Tool Being a place with a bicultural story, the village can utilise its internal process and become a learning center for intercultural understanding. Cohabitation of, and communication between cultures can be experienced here on a basic, everyday level. Methods and catalysts of celebrating diversity can be developed and trained.

One of the catalysts is the emphasis on distorted cultural identity through artistic means of expression to tell the story of a fusion of ethnic heritages.

BUILT ENVIRONMENT & SKILLS UPGRADE

© Clear Village 2010

Building Skills & Refurbishing Houses In the transformation of the village, the skills of local masons and craftsmen are valued and harnessed. This is done in various fields and on various scales: • in the refurbishment of existing, abandoned buildings into guesthouses and other facilities accommodate guests and create business opportunities for villagers • in the establishment of a peace park as a meeting centre for different cultures and as location for communal activities • through the revitalisation of traditional local forms of artistic expression (song, dance, story telling and symbolism) • and in defining, building infrastructure to harness the renewable energy potential -particularly solar energy- for the village

Summary of the analysis, designs and findings from the Clear Village Lab at the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Barcelona. Three-day participatory design process with 90 participants working on specific site scenarios