Syria Pre/Pro/Post Change Workshop
Location: Damascus- Copenhagen
Type: Architectural Workshop and exhibition
Date: 2014
Participation:
IWlab
Damascus University - Faculty of Architecture
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture
Architects Without Border – Denmark
Foreword
The 2014 Pritzker Winner Architect Shigeru Ban Stated Recently That Architects, Especially Younger Ones, Are Turning More Towards Humanitarian Architecture Than Before, Thus Explaining That Architectural Ambition Is No Longer Limited To The Creation Of Huge Buildings That Perpetuate Personal Aims, But Has Become More Attached To Working For Society.
The Workshop, Pre/Pro/Post Syria, Left A Great Impression On The AUG Team Regarding The Need To Continue And Develop The Project. It Showed The Willingness Of Individuals To Participate In Effective Positive Activities Regardless Of Their Specialties. In Damascus, Participating Students And Architects Demonstrated A Great Ability To Use Genuine And Creative Mechanisms To Read The City During Conflicts With A Critical Eye. In Denmark, The Workshop Showed A Huge Interest In Humanitarian Architecture And The Social Role Of Buildings In The Aftermath Of A War. In AUG, We Are Now Working On The Future Steps Of This Project.
In Practice, The Workshop Identified A Set Of Future Trends, That Can Be Summed Up Into Three Main Initiatives:
The First Initiative Is To Work On Steady Cooperation With Architects And Students Of Architecture In Damascus. We Are Trying To Establish A Permanent And Independent Unit To Work As A Potential Architectes Sans Frontières Unit In Damascus. The Future Collaboration Will Simply Consist Of Continuing To Observe And Evaluate What Is Happening In Life And The City During The Conflict. Contrary To The First Workshop, The Work Will Be Centered On The (Timeline) Idea, With Changes In The Same Subject Monitored Throughout Time.
The Second Initiative Is To Work With Specialists And Institutions Concerning The Technical Parts Of Materials And Construction. The Initiative Focuses On Construction With Local Materials And Traditional Construction Applications.
Following The Proposed Idea From The First Workshop, The Focus Should Be On Establishing A Model For Local Involvement Rather Than Designing And Constructing Actual Projects, Thereby Positively Narrowing The Scope Of Work, And Making It Viable For Practical Applications, Whatever How Limited The Economic Factors Are.
The Third Initiative Is To Develop A Collaboration With Architectes Sans Frontières International And Other Similar Organizations, Especially Those That Currently Exist In The Neighboring Countries Of Syria. We Will Attempt To Find A Formula For Joint Work With These Organizations.
Finally, It Must Be Recalled, That The Project On Syria Is Based On A Series Of Workshops That Will Produce Similar Reports To This One. The Sum Of These Reports Will Make An Extensive And Comprehensive Study. Therefore, We Are Working On The Next Workshop In The Coming Months.
Acknowledgment:
Damascus University - Faculty Of Architecture
Royal Danish Academy Of Fine Art- School Of Architecture
Syrian Project Group
Arkitekter Uden Grænser/ Architecture Sans Frontieres Denmark: Caroline De Francqueville, Joann Busk, Louise
Hjerrild, Per Arnold Andersen
