AAI Atelier de Arquitectura Independente

In a concious people mind this condition of duality is not tolerable but instead of throwing ashes to the conflict we should face it with realism. Israel is a recognized nation worldwide with legitimate rights over its own territories. Palestinian people living inside Israel's territory should be recognized as Israel's citizens with the same rights such as any jew. In this sense we think that the territory circunscribed in Israel's borders may be a source of wealth for every citizen without any kind of ethnic or politic restrictions.

In the specific case of Ein Hud, the legalization process opens a new window for the recognition of the palestinian families rights to the land surrounding the village. In the last years the restrictions imposed by the government to the village growth affected negatively the arab community, but at the same time they protected the natural resources of Mount Carmel National Park. This "forced imprisonment" confined Ein Hud population to scarcy portions of land creating at the same time a particular relation with nature, encouraging people to live in harmony with the park resources ( agriculture, growing cattle, hand-crafts).

In this context we would like to propose a model of sustainable growth to Ein Hud, an alternative plan to Mike Turner's masterplan. We hope to leave some suggestions, reinforcing the intentions behind the idea and leaving the formalization to someone which can be more acquainted with the geographies of the site. Therefore here we present our ideas....

URBAZIONISM

ECONOMY

1. In spite of not beeing so acquainted with the region we think that it's fundamental to reinforce the potentials found in the land (tourism) and in the cultural diversity (arab nomadic colonization and hand-crafts activities). We are thinking above all in the economic benefits that tourism can bring to the region and in the sustainability of a touristic model which could be compatible with the proximity of Mount Carmel National Park. In this sense, changing the concept of the land ownership is a priority. If we want to immagine a sustainable growth to the village of Ein Hud, we have to look to the territory at a much larger scale. Our concept was to develope an operative system in which all the population have the right to the same amount of land. This portion is divided in the owned land (built and non built) and in the managed/rented land – areas in the outskirts that are meant to be camping resourts (what we defined that would be the main economic activity). Therefore Ein Hud population is directly responsible for managing the touristic activity in this camping resorts and its economic income, maybe reporting the benefits of the rented land to the state. Nevertheless we should insure a progressive privatization, giving opportunity to the investors to acquire the land.

URBAN CONCEPT

2. On the other side, on an urbanistic and political basis, the construction of ecological based caravan camping sites inside the park limits will result in a kind of light nomadic urbanism, a controlled urban sprawl along the park borders in the former palestinian land, creating a small network of villages and touristic points connected directly with the main Park entrance located in the village of Ein Hud.
NOTE In the Israeli point of view perhaps this action can be seen as a positive tool to control the growth of the arab settlements, instead of opening the way to the expansion of Ein Hud to a larger size. It can also be profitable as it is the generator of an economic income in the region. On the palestinian point of view, it is the only way to protect the ecological nature of the site, giving at the same time the opportunity to colonize new territories. This type of tourism could be related to the arab population since the touristic products searched by foreigners could be related to the culture of the arab people that live inside the park.

ARCHITECTONIC ATMOSPHERE

3. The small new settlements could reproduce the nomadic atmosphere of the bedouin desert settlements and be runned by former Ein Hud inhabitants.The small village of Ein Hud should become one of the most searched week-ends destinations, famous for its traditional craft shops and mediterranean arab food ( a place where you can fullfill your wishes for a 1001 night tale). They should be equipped with a central office (camp base) and other camping facilities. This strategy may prove to be an efficient tool of ethnic reconciliation as it improves economic growth in the region. Not only are the camping facilities rentable, but they also work as attractive beacons to local commercial stores.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

4. We propose 4 main phases in the development of Ein Hud. The fist of these is the “infrastructuring” where roadways, utilities and the structures necessary to set up the site for a wide range of programs are installed; the second phase “programming” is intended to convey the dynamic and flexible system in wich the village will be occupied (the new land use); the third phase we call it “seeding”, the sprawl of camping sites along Mount Carmel and subsequent development of the village economy; finally “migration” where Ein Hud stops growing and the new “villages”(the camping parks) begin to be self-sustained.

5. In the next 10 years the economic growth introduced in the region by RENT-A-LAND will result in a large scale sprawl which will unify geographically all the settlements, giving birth to a medium size scale city. We hope that a decade of close but independent relation between the israeli and arab communities will leed to a peaceful integration, with respect for human and ecological values.

CINEMASCOPE >

After watching last month Wim Wender’s “ Land of Plenty ” it was inevitable to see the world through Lana’s eyes, with a mixture of precautious satisfaction and ingenuous optimism. Somehow, the reconciliation of opposites (in this particular case Lana and Paul) seemed the result of an hazardous happening, more than a diplomatic procedure, which clearly engaged a process of progressive brightness in the way they both perceived their differences. Though facing the opportunity to say something about the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, as an architect, can perhaps be the same type of challenge that Wender’s faced in the realization of this movie.

"The film is based on the hope that truth is not an altogether lost notion in today's political and social realities. Even in America, even in 2004," Wenders said.

In the Israeli and Palestinian conflict we hope that truth would one day be revealed. Even the most remote truth, forgetting all accusations, victimizations, the horror of the holocaust and the ethnic ravage that led to the endless violence. The only way we can see this happening is through the actions of their everyday lives and not through the words of the conflict intervenients.

In this sense we challenge their compromise in the dispute of land by introducing in the battlefield a third intervenient – the careless tourist. Neutral players in the conflict that can confront Israeli and Palestinians with the irrational process of aggression-reaction and make the real objectives of each side come to life.
The dispute of the land only makes sense for the zionist partisans, as it can be the only way to ensure a permanent source of wealth and richness. On the other hand, land for Palestinian people only makes sense, as it is the only guarantee of a nation, the land of their culture.

In this way tourism can be the hazardous event, the chance that leeds to a peaceful cohabitation between these two people - israeli and arab. Leaving behind the opportunity of wealth and economic growth, the native land and resources, which Palestinian culture so preciously preserved. The land should no longer be the battlefield, but instead the great leisure resort, no longer filled with panzers but with caravans, the land that can no longer be divided but united for a common goal of prosperity – THE LAND TO PLENTY.

Supporters of the project
Another Jewish Voice, NL
Amnesty International, NL
Association of Forty, Israel
I.C.C.O. Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation , NL
NOVIB OXFAM Netherlands Organization for Development Co-Operation, NL