The practice of conservation in Palestine (Post-Oslo era) technical and architectural study

Abstract

This research discusses architectural and technical issues of the conservation/restoration practice and its approaches in Palestine of the vernacular architecture in villages and cities located in the Highlands of Palestine. This is considering the international and regional scene in the post-Oslo era, and briefly to address the scene in the pre-Oslo era. The Oslo Agreement had a huge impact on the local political and economic situation and lifestyle, through the establishment of Palestinian NGOs that work with cultural heritage. In the post-Oslo era, construction grew as a main economic sector, with consequences and threats to the built heritage. Also, as accessibility was restricted the attainable areas to work in, are now the West Bank, East Jerusalem (Central Highlands), and partially Gaza. Under the current political circumstances, cultural heritage is a crucial part of the Palestinian identity and so it is important for their resilience and resistance. Palestinian conservation professionals from the Palestinian NGOs, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and private firms are working on the restoration of the Palestinian traditional architecture, in particular, the vernacular and important Holy sites and monuments in Palestinian cities and villages. In addition to the rehabilitation of historic centres in rural Palestine for youth, women, and community members through creating cultural and social spaces and adaptive reuse, being focused mainly on bringing life back to buildings and historical centres. This has been taking place on buildings of the Ottoman era and the British Mandate, which are in the majority, the living, and reusable parts of the Palestinian heritage and are connected to the inhabitants' social, commercial, and economic activities in Palestinian villages and cities. Historically, Palestine is part of the Sham Region (Great Syria), and also part of the Mediterranean. This is highly reflected in the traditions, cuisines, customs and the architectural style, and the building typology. Palestine has the same building characteristics of what exists in the Levant Region. The Levant Region built environment and architecture are the main cradles of influence on the development of the Palestinian built heritage. This is not only due to proximity and belonging to the same region but also due to the same colonial movements such as the Ottoman, the British, and the French Mandates. Borders and divisions were created at later stages creating differences politically and economically. This will form the background and the context of the architectural and technical study and so a great part of the dissertation will be devoted to the context within which the current "Practice of Conservation in Palestine" is developing. The conservation process as analysed and compared not only within the Palestinian cultural heritage organizations but also with the international scene and the regional experience in the Levant Region. The main conclusion is that reusing the built heritage/satisfying all needs is the main concern for the Palestinian practitioners that has ruled the restoration practice, which is related to the Palestinian context and reality. The main focus of the Palestinian practitioners is the vernacular buildings because of the need for a "use" for the buildings, the lack of land, and restoring a sense of identity and belonging to the Palestinians. Clarity (honesty) and distinguishability in the reconstruction and additions, compatibility of the reuse with the traditional character, using compatible materials, and encouraging the practitioners to undertake a formal assessment of values are the main recommendations that Palestinian practitioners are encouraged to comply with in light of the International Charters' concepts.