Syria: A place beyond displacement

<p><b>In a state of emergency with multiple transitions and disorientation disasters, wars and political conflicts have resulted in a humanitarian crisis and the displacement of more than 11 million people in the Syrian Arab Republic, transforming their homes, livelihoods, and lives of individuals (UNESCO). The reality of these issues has seen the fields of architecture and preservation become a catalyst for representing these events, documenting and recording the importance of fear that, one day, such historic places may no longer exist. This thesis argues for a more subjective representation of these circumstances through abstracted narrative and allegorical architectural form by testing a reality-based displacement. </b></p> <p> This design-led research investigation argues that the fields of architecture and preservation can contribute to a tailored experiential story of war-torn heritage sites by managing, manipulating, and renewing the build conditions, to sustain a place and its cultural identity. Over the last few decades, technological advancements have transformed how the world sees a conflict. This investigation applies Al Sanobi’s novel The Battle of Homs as a literacy provocateur; the research investigates and translates how architecture can play a fundamental role in conveying critical underlying ideas and how architecture and preservation can become more of a speculative exploration by asserting more active roles in present-day struggles. Using Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as the area of study, this thesis undertakes a speculative position reimagining the historic fabric of the city as a malleable asset for survival and outlining the escalated journey of displaced refugees and their relationship to identity and place of site.</p> <p> As a design-led research thesis, the research focuses on the design exploration of post-conflict preparations. This alternative narrative reconsiders design thinking as a tool for intervention, mutual collaborations, tactics, and policies that can be more actively employed during times of conflict, safeguarding the site’s historical narrative while envisioning a more pragmatic solution for a reality affected by the war.</p>