HOMES WITH DIGNITY
We build to live
Design & Consultancy services, donated by Hani Hassan Architects
This may not be my largest project but it is my most important one. During the hottest weeks of summer, I was Lead Architect in an international effort to help a Palestinian village design affordable eco-friendly homes and create a detailed town plan as the best way to assure their village a sound future.Although the Israeli Army holds demolition orders against 97% of this village, in a few days time, the Al Aqaba Village Council will issue building permits and, with the help of generous people around the world, the first three families will start building their new Homes with Dignity.
Al Aqaba is a small village located in the Jordan Valley near Tubas, in that 62%of the Occupied West Bank administered slowly by Israel, known as “Area C.” This is a village with a history of peacefulness despite terrifying duress: In 1967, the Israeli Army built three bases in and near Al Aqaba and from 1982-2002 conducted live-fire military training within the village. 12 residents were killed, 38 injured. To escape danger, 700 villagers left their land and moved to nearby towns leaving Al Aqaba with a population of 300.
In 2001, the village won a historic victory when the Israeli High Court ordered the Israeli Army to remove one of its military bases and cease using the village for training.Al Aqaba together with the American nonprofit Rebuilding Alliance built a thriving kindergarten for the children of both current and returning residents. While construction was underway, the Israeli Army issued demolition orders against nearly all the homes, the mosque, the medical clinic, and the kindergarten. The village petitioned the Israeli High Court with limited success. Now diplaced villagers fear if they wait any longer to return home, their whole village may disappear.
ver the course of 8 days, I joined in an architectural design charrette in Al Aqaba, working with the first three returning families, and Mayor Haj Sami Sadeq Sbaih, the village council, and the Rural Women’s Association to understand their housing and community development needs. While simple and economic solutions are challenging and difficult to achieve, when we succeeded in delivering solutions to this needy community, it was a moment of joy!
Design Process
Three types of units where designed, one of these types was selected by the community, the home prototype starts from 100 M2 up to 118 M2, with the posibility of vertical expansion up to 200 M2.
Home design aproach
- Functional and simple.
- Modular.
- Flexible.
- Expandable to respond to future needs.
- Material & labor low cost.
- Afordable.
- Energy efficient homes.
- Colorful architecture to bring joy and hope.
- Community participation.
Architecture enables us to transform design ideas into places and spaces that serve us and generations yet unborn. The families require 3 bedroom, 119 square meter homes, expandable someday to include a 2nd floor for their son’s future family — but the construction cost of $33,300 exceeds their ability to repay a mortgage loan, if one could even be found. Although Al Aqaba’s families hold undisputed title to their land, Israel’s policy of denying building permits to Palestinians means that no bank provides financing in Area C
With wonderful creativity, we found a way to fund construction by both spreading-out and reducing the risk of demolition: many donors, many advocates. Unlike a loan from a bank,Rebuilding Alliance’s Crowdsource Financing affirms that if the home is demolished, the remaining mortgage loan is forgiven.Donations providea $5,000 down payment, a $15,000 mortgage loan, and $4000 to coordinate worldwide outreach to affirm the village’s right to issue building permits. Al Aqaba’s families will help with construction. The villagers even formed a Cooperative Assembly and raised a fund to match worldwide contributions.
Architecture above all is the expression of peace, love and humankind development, and it should help lead us to a better life as we continue to learn from people and nature. What then is expressed by Israel’s policy of demolition? While issuing tenders to buildIsraeli settlements on land they do not own, the Israeli Army issues demolition orders to Palestinians who build on their own land. Detailed Israeli Army maps recently received by theIsraeli human rights group BIMKOM: Planners for Planning Rightsshowover 12,500 demolition orders issued to Palestinian homes, schools, and shops in Area C.
I believe Architecture is a language of villages, cities, and nations, poor and rich individuals and communities, expressed through their structures. Al Aqaba Village, a model of neighborliness, hopes that their colorful, loveable homes will grow in value. They want to give their town a future and provide a constructive and reassuring example of what peace looks like. Their success can end Israel’s policy of demolishing of Palestinian homes and begin to meet the needs of the 150,000 Palestinians who live in Area C. In Al Aqaba, our mission is architecture making peace.
Bring to reality this projects is a huge challange, becuase it affects hundreds of diplaced families eager to return to there village, rebuild there homes and harvest there camp. It’s about architecture contecting people with there land and bringing life to important country side of Palestine.
Architecture is about dreams comes true, and I believe that homes with dignity in Al Aqaba village is a dream, and it started days ago to become true.
I invite my colleagues to join our peacefull effort to be part of Architecture to give, for Families who Face Risk of Demolition, beacuse building our homeland starts in our hearts and in Al Aqaba.
We build to live
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Palestinian-Colombian – American Architect Hani Hassan lives and works in Palestine. Arch. Hassan won the European Center’s & The Chicago Atheneum 2010 International Architecture Award for his energy-efficient Dessert House in Jericho.
All Architectural services where donated by Arch. Hani Hassan
GLOBAL DONORS FORUM TO FEATURE REBUILDING ALLIANCE AS TRENDSETTER
“Rebuilding to Remain in Palestine” Helps Jordan Valley Villagers Build Homes on the Land They Own
Architecture, Worldwide Advocacy, & Crowd source Mortgage for Families who Face Risk of Demolition
A’ Design Awards 2014 Winners Announced
A’ Design Awards 2014 Winners Announced International A’ Design Award & Competition announces the bestdesigns of 2013 – 2014 in all design disciplines.A’ Design Award &Competition, the worlds’ largest and most diffused international design awards announced results of the 2013 – 2014 design competition.
The A’ Design Awards are given for Good Spatial Design (Architecture, Interior Design, Urban Design and LandscapeDesign), Good Industrial Design (Product Design, Appliance Design, Vehicle Design and Machinery Design), Good Communication Design (Graphics Design, Interaction Design and Marketing Design), Good FashionDesign (Garment Design, Fashion Accessory Design and Footwear Design), Good System Design (Service Design, Design Strategy, Quality & Innovation) as well as for Achievements in Arts & Literature.
Arch. Hani Hassan winner of A’ Design Award 2014, received two Awards for his projects Design , Desert House and Arab American University Sports Hall. In Como, Italy.
Architecture Award – Italy
Laureates are invited to attend the glamorous gala-night and award ceremony in Italy where they would be called to stage to collect their trophies, award certificates and yearbooks. Winner are also provided exclusive space to take part in the “best designs of the year” exhibition to showcase their works in Italy. Laureates are also entitled to receive the “A’ Design Prize”.
International Architecture Award 2010
The international architecture awards are the highest and most prestigious distinguished buildings awards that honor new and cutting-edge design.
This annual program , organized by The Chicago Atheneum: Meusum of Architecture and Design, and The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, received a rocord number of projects for new buildings, Landscape Architecture, andurban planning from most important firms practicing globally.
The 2010 Jury for awards was held in Mexico City, under the auspices of the Colegio deArquitectos de la Ciudad de Mexico and 95 projects from 38 nations were selected bydistinguished group of Mexican architects, educators, and critics.
Hani Hassan was awarded the 2010 International Architecture Award for his Desert House design in Jericho, Palestine, design that was presented in Madrid, Spain as one of the 6 most distinguished projects.
SURDA GREAT MOSQUE
Design & consultancy services partially donated by Hani Hassan Architects
In October 2009, Arch. Hani Hassan was commissioned by Surda Village council, to design Surda Great Mosque, immediately Arch. Hassan decided to donate his consultancy services to join the community effort to make this project come true.
Surda; a growing and prosperous village, located north of Ramallah and Al Bireh Cities, is facing today a great urban expansion and needs to be prepared for such development, I believe that this project is a crucial point on it’s preparation for such a challenge.
The design created a welcoming great open public space “ Plaza “ as part of the mosque extension, reflecting the importance of integration between religious buildings and public space.
DESIGN APPROACH
1. Lot area: 3000 M2
2. Mosque construction area: 2000M2
3. Exterior plaza area: 850 M2
4. Parking area for 22 cars: 750 M2
5. Prayers capacity: 700 person.
6. Cost Estimate: US2,500,000.
I believe Mosques are symbols of faith and peace, and places to spread the world of God, knowledge and love between humankind. This spirit must be reflected also in it’s architecture.