ma’man

from Summer 2023 Portfolio

Ma’man IDEC Competition

The goal of this space is to provide a haven to the refugees that will occupy the space for a year or less.

The space planning was designed to reflect traditional Syrian housing in Damascus in order to provide the family with a sense of familiarity.

The space has a centralized social area that draws inspiration from courtyards found in Syrian houses, identified by materiality. Feelings of safety and security were also prioritized by placing the sleeping areas away from external access points.

TheSamaansareafamilyfromSyria.There is a father (Hasan age 40), mother (Amena age 36), grandmother (Abia age 65), daughter (Habiba age 7) and son (Adil age 4). Initially, the couple and grandmother lived in Damascus, not wanting to leave their home behind, but later decided to flee two years after Adil was born, as the conflict stretched on and the climate worsened. Knowing the journey would be long, they did not bring much. Their most important valuables included pencils for Habiba to draw, a stuffed animal for Adil, a holy book and an ancestral book that have been in the family for generations for Abia, and wedding rings and their Ktab for Hasan and Amena. The family sold their home in January, 2020 and used the money to pay a smuggler to take them to Kilis, Turkey by truck. Unfortunately, Hasan had to stay behind due to lack of room, but was to be brought later.

Concept Statement:

this space is to provide a refugees that will occupy it temporarily. The space planning was designed to reflect traditional Syrian housing in Damascus in order to provide the family with a sense of familiarity. The space has a centralized communal area that draws inspiration from courtyards found in Syrian houses.

Upon arrival at Kilis, the family settled in the Kilis Refugee Camp, claimed refugee status, and awaited the arrival of Hasan. They only planned to stay in Kilis for as long as it took for the German government to grant them asylum, however, before Hasan could reach them, all the European borders closed due to Covid-19, and the pandemic made it much harder for smuggling, stranding him in Syria. The family had to wait it out and spent 2 years in Kilis until they were finally contacted by the German government in January 2022.

A plan was made to bring the family over and reunify them with Hasan. After a short flight to Berlin that same month, the family was placed in housing

Hasan was able to join them a month later in February. They are currently still living in the initial reception center and are being provided with food and clothes. As the 6 months are coming to an end, they are looking for a permanent place to move within Germany.