AN-NAJAH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION - GRADUATE STUDIES - 2022
Restoration of Nablus Soap Factories: Typology Matters Prepared by: Diana Enab. Lenda Ba’rah Presented to: Dr. Eman Amad
Nabulsi Soap Characteristics • White and cube-shaped • Stays and does not change - Famous for not melting so easily. • Follows the abundant local production of olive oil • Considered as a Material Expression/ Metaphor of heritage.
• A product of everyday life and a signifier of the past – thus, in-between heritage‟ that can link to modernization, not only traditional. • Underlines the continuous internal resistance (sumûd) that characterizes Palestinian society under occupation. 2
Historical Significance of Soap Factories
Soap manufacturing in Nablus dates back to the fourth century. Structure of soap factories’ “Masaben”, production process, and raw materials remain similar to that of the Ottoman period with slight improvement. The number of Masaben in Nablus noticeably increased during the nineteenth century. Nablus was the center of the Arab soap-making industry with over 30 factories in 1882.
The industry of soap factories in the old city of Nablus affected its Economical Social - Cultural aspects.
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Traditional Components of Soap Factories (B)
1.
Ground Floor (Al Balat): Includes offices, reception, storage & packaging , oil wells, cooking Vat (Halleh) (A) : A circular concave piece of copper (2.5 cm thick 225 cm diameter and 249 cm high which stands 2 meters deep, around which a thick thermal wall is built. This wall reaches the lower part of the copper base and it is polished from the inside.
(A)
(C)
Below it comes a small room of (Qameem) that burns wood, and produce fire for the cooking process. 2.
Al-Mafrash (B) : includes the process of chamfering, polishing, cutting, stamping, assembling, and packaging the soap. The first floor is dedicated for the process.
3.
Fermentation Tubs (C) : Fermentation Tubs These tubs are used to keep the excess of sicky gelatinous mixture from the soap batch being cooked to be reused in the next batch. It can also be used to clean floors. Every tubs contain 48 liters of fermented soap mixture ( al-khameer), the size of each tub is 127 cm (in Depth)*60 cm (hight)*73 cm (width).
(A)
(C)
(B) Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
Relation to City’s Urban Fabric Following the old fabric of Nablus and its associated historic activity, most of the traditional soap factories are located at the Old City of Nablus.
The surrounding of the soap factories include residential blocks, where many families lived in traditional courthouses. Other non-traditional soap factories started to appear in the Industrial area, and other places outside of the Old City of Nablus. Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
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Impact on Soap Factories
Damage Assessment Report
Political impacts: Until April the third 2002, historic Old Town of Nablus was one of the most beautiful, economically viable, and lively historic centre, unfortunately it suffered the most devastation. • Many monumental buildings in the old city were detected fully destroyed. Pin point missile air attack on Nablus targeted number of traditional soap factories and exceptional historic family palaces.
• Destruction of soap factories endangered the adjacent buildings and influenced the structural stability of the whole surrounding residential blocks. The unstable conditions of the still standing structures threatened the safety of people who are living and moving in and near the site. • As a result of the initial evaluation of the structural and physical conditions of the site and its surrounding, immediate intervention was recommended 6
Impacts on Soap Factories Post political impacts: Immigration of local people was a reaction to loss of economic stability, and an aim for finding safer locations. This makes several locations of abandoned soap factories locations unprotected from the political threats and local misuse.
• Change of cultural significance: the value of the Nabulsi soap majorly changed in the trend of favorizing artificial products.
• Expansion of the city, and trends of people moving from the old city of nablus affected the social importance of the soap factories.
• Contemporary impacts: Some owners aimed for finding commercial alternatives to boost economy. Figure source: “Soap-Factories in Nablus: Palestinian Heritage (turâth) at the Local Level”, Véronique Bontemps, 2011, Hyper Article en Ligne - Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société
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34 Recorded Soap Factories
Soap Factories Intervention Type
• Impacts on soap factories - political and post-political, resulted in multiple intervention type
Still- in Use (Production)
Change of Use
No Use (Abandoned)
Total Destruction (Demolished)
Commercial Use
Cultural Use
Social Use
4 Soap Factories
27 Soap Factories
4 Soap Factories
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Demolished Soap Factories
Alghazawi’s Kanaan’s Nabulsi’sAlshaarawiye
Abdel Hadi’s
9 Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
Still-in use Soap Factories
Toqan’s
AlShakaa’s Al Nabloulsi’s
10 Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
Change of use/ Unused Soap Factories
Al Masaben’s Street
6 Remarked Soap Factories
11 Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
Commercial Change of Use use/ Unused Soap Factories
Al Khamash’s
Unused
Kanan’s AlMahmoudiye
Cultural Use
Al Nabolsi’s Kanaan
Commercial Use
Abdelhadi’s Arafat
Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
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Research Background
Factors for Successful (Intervention) Preservation/ Restoration Project
Governmental Supervision & Fund
Local & Communal Participation
Typology Selection (in case of change)
Culture of Heritage Respect
Context
Techniques & Strategies
Maintenance
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Research Question
What determines typology selection for the change of use?
Governmental Supervision & Fund
Place Components
Context
Local & Communal Participation
Concepts & Techniques
Culture of Heritage Respect
Maintenance
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Research Methodology
Comparison between two restored soap factories that follow a selective change of use typology
Site Observations
Interviews
Research Objectives
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(Change of use) intervention type includes the highest number of soap factories among intervention types, and there is no database organized to monitor the remaining closed soap factories. The originality of the research is in establishing a milestone for future (change of use) projects which includes diverse potentials and possibilities.
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Reflecting on the success of post-restoration use, which is needed in both academic and practice contribution.
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Enhancing the role of research in the decision-making process of the interventions. 15
Research Selected Scope
(Al Nabolsi Kanaan soap factory)
(Arafat soap factory)
Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
The Cultural Center of the Palestinian Narrative (CoPN)
Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center (CHEC) 16
Arafat Soap Factory
Overview - Governmental Supervision & Fund - Context - Place Components - Concepts & Techniques - Local & Communal Participation- Maintenance - Culture of Heritage Respect
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Overview ●
Typology: unique example of the Palestinian traditional housing-industrial compounds
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Location: centre of the Old City
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Built Period: during several periods between 1820 and 1860. The soap factory dates to 1918.
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Area: 914 square metres
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Restoration Period: 2 years (due to fund): 2004-2006. Before restoration it was closed for 70 years.
Governmental Supervision & Fund Restoration work was initiated from Architect Naseer Arafat, with the help of local workers. No governmental supervision was noted, neither a scholarship fund, so it was more of an extended family authority, and familial intervention.
The use, and reuse, of local materials, and local components such as doors, rails, and windows was efficient in cutting some of interventional costs. The design was made and supervised by the author, seed money was provided by the profit from selling calendars of old painted doors that were collected for this purpose. The main fund was provided by the owners, Saba and Afaf Arafat, and The Barakat Trust. The work was implemented by local workers and professionals. Some locals were participating as volunteers. 19
Context The area of the soap factory is considered mixed-use: residential, commercial and cultural. The outer gate of the soap factory shows neighbors of the place.
The soap factory can be accessed from the network of streets of the Old city of Nablus (as shown in the map). It is located next to a famous traditional restaurant (Ajaaj) and opposite of Al Salahi Mosque. The stairs also leads to office of Old city municipality.
Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
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Place Components ●
Previous Use Components: house of Sheikh Amr Arafat, the owner, a reception area (Diwan) that has an external entrance separated from the private area for the family, and a small soap factory where the owner used to supervise the work.
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Current Use Components: The Ground Floor : 1. Outdoor open courtyard 2. Guest Welcoming & Office (previously Diwan) 3. Entrance Hall & Gift Area as a permanent art gallery. 4. The main space that was originally for making the soap will remain as a small museum where traditional instruments are exhibited. 5. Open space for public lectures in the evenings. 6.Big hall for organising art workshops.
Figure source: Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012
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1. Outdoor Courtyard & Main Entrance :
The courtyard leads to 2 entrances: the main building entrance, and another entrance for guests. A fountain centers the courtyard.
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2. Guest Welcoming & Office (previously Diwan)
The Diwan currently hosts office of Architect Naseer Arafat, and the office contains a library which has a collection of the architect’s books.
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3. Entrance Hall, Gift & Exhibition Area
Art Pieces produced in the workshop area is usually exhibited, for vending, and some are prepared for local and national exhibitions. Work of the artist Afaf Arafat is produced in copies as souvenirs, and some is used in agendas and calendars.
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4. Museum & Exhibition ( previously Soap Mixing Area):
Local Tiles were reused as a cover to the oil wells. Elements of original use are preserved in the location of the (Halleh).
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5. Exhibition & public events ( previously Soap Mixing Area):
The space is now used for exhibiting art works. Mediums like wood shelves are penetrated to locate artwork at variable heights. The door can be open to an exterior plaza. Such can host multiple events.
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6. Workshop & Craft Area
The area hosts several workshops, and experimental projects. It accommodates 4 table, approx. up to 15 students, including university and school students, adults and children. Tools are materials are provided.
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Current Use Components: The First Floor : 1. A multi-purpose hall for exhibitions, workshops, and public meetings. 2. The first floor has a specialised library for children; it will also be used by cultural heritage researchers and for individual reading.
As for the need to provide a safe playground for children of the Old City or those whose parents want to benefit from the centre, the internal courtyard forms a safe playing area for children.
Figure source: Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012
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1. Cinema & Screening ( Originally Mafrash space)
A cinema is integrated and projected at one of the facing walls. The area is accessed directly from the stairs coming from the exhibition area at the ground floor.
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2. Children Library
The children library supports wide range of books and stories suitable for distinct ages. Proper lighting, and furniture type is integrated. To keep eye on children behavior, monitoring cameras are set. The computer hall is currently used for children seating.
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Concepts & Techniques ●
Spiral Staircase
The stairs connects the Children Library (first floor) to the circulation (at ground floor), therefore splines and spiral staircase is favored to be compatible with the user category.
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Toilets
The toilets use local doors that match use of doors at other locations at the soap factory. The doors are fabricated in a foldable manner to match the dimension of the space.
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Use of Contemporary building material
The space hosts the only concrete intervention of the restoration process. The space faced a demolition from a political Israelean attack on the facing wall. It functions now as a transitional space from the cinema to the children library.
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Restructuring Roof Patterns
Layers of destruction were removed and the patterns were reinterpreted from the previous layers located beneath.
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Roof Addition
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Maintaining Contrast of intervention
Enclosure for unused openings, and contrast in tiles Ottman types and colors both shows contrast in the architectural integration. Used the material of hydraulic lime as an innovative material at that time, imported from France. Cement structural columns to carry the roof are placed on a protective isolative layer on the wall.
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Flexibility- Space Distribution
The furniture items were designed in a flexible way; they can be moved and reassembled for different uses within the interior of the building. This helped to create the feeling of flexibility versus rigidity.
There is value added also in the sense of ownership of the place for the users, and the fact it was possible to keep costs down and purchase new materials.
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Intervention on infrastructure Integration: Electricity, Water, Internet, Sewage, Security Modern technologies needed for the new use of the building, i.e. electrical wiring, CCTV cameras and fire alarms etc. as needed for contemporary use, were seen as added value to the 400-year-old building.
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Shades and Shadows
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Local & Communal Participation
Doos include work of children narrating stories during the time of Entifadah and stories of heritage through artwork, and available medium
Use of 150 voluntary local workers from Municipality of employment
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Maintenance
Notes a lack of legislations towards neighbours affecting the heritage of the place
Dealing with issues of leakage from the neighbourhoods
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Culture of Heritage Respect ●
Promoting use of Local Materials
Intervention of Oopenings. Hybrid design with elements from Al Hijaz Railway
The use of materials saved from demolished houses, such as 13 painted doors,6 windows, 20 square metres of coloured tiles, 6 square metres of stone tiles, 26 pieces of pottery for lighting, three old rails were powerful symbolic elements. Such brings contrast.
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Promoting use of Local Materials - Lighting
Respect in Fixture Material & Type, Conceptual use, Ambiance
Lighting was also reused from elder Pottery pieces as lighting fixture for exhibition areas, and library. Some of the fixtures were placed with the coordinance to the place of artwork, so that it brings the dramatic ambiance and hierarchy they need. Other lighting fixture types were used at a selected areas, suited at grooves.
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Promoting culture of Reading & Cycling
Hybrid of cultures is innovative, especially for the category of children. The cultural center promotes for reading and cycling at the same time. Children were encouraged to read more, through offering free bicycle rent in return.
Cycling Program
A space for the rented bicycles is kept on the ground floor next to the spiral staircase leading to the children library.
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Preserving the cultural objectives of the past
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Objectives of initial built factory: ❖ provides a cultural and spiritual benefit to the local community ❖ regenerate the old societal fabric ❖ encouraged similar community organisations to move into the Old City
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Objectives after renovations: ❖ cultural activities are planned for inside the building, i.e. ceramic workshop, open spaces for public lectures, a permanent art gallery, a specialised children’s library, and a study area for cultural heritage researchers, as well as reading areas ❖ Open for university students to organize an exhibition
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Kanaan Soap Factory
Overview - Governmental Supervision & Fund - Context - Place Components - Concepts & Techniques - Local & Communal Participation- Maintenance - Culture of Heritage Respect
Overview ●
Typology: Residential Compound of Al Nabulsi House 18th century , it converted to Kanaan Soap Factory in 1930- 1987
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Location: centre of the Old City, Al masaben Street .
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Built Period: during several periods between 1850s .
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Area: 700 square metres
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Restoration Period: 2018 - 2022 ( 3 periods), before restoration it was in a abandoned condition
Governmental Supervision & Fund The restoration project was divided into three phases, according to the duration of fund. Agreement for restoration project was achieved from the owning family ( kanaan) and then Taawon organization took the lead to convert the place to the use of the cultural new organization. 47
Context The area of the soap factory is considered mixed-use: residential, commercial and cultural. The soap factory can be accessed from 2 entrances.
The soap factory can be accessed from the network of streets of the Old city of Nablus (as shown in the map). It is located in a street where 5 other soap factories used to exist, among them it is the only one converted to cultural use.
Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", 48 Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
Place Components The Ground Floor : 1. Entrance Hall . 2. Reception & Kitchen. 3. Open space for public lectures in the evenings ( Gallery ). 4. The main space that was originally for making the soap will remain as a setting area.
Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
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Main Entrance
Includes reception & front desk for registration & info, added at the place of previous toilets. Contemporary toilets are placed of the right of the entrance, with respect to roof height. 50
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Kitchen (Toilets + Fermentation Tub previously)
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Majlis (Mixing Area previously)
A decorative Steel cap was used to cover the surface of the Halleh. The soap factory included Qameem, however it is closed. Only an indication of the chimney is emphasized in lighting. 52
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Open space (oil wells previously)
The cultural place encourages children, students and adults to use the facilities of computers, Augmented reality, and touched screens, to get access to documentaries and films about history and heritage.
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Place Components The First Floor : 1. A multi-purpose hall. 2. Computer Room. 3. Office Room.
Figure source: Nablus city of Civilizations, Naseer Rahmi Arafat, 2012, Nablus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center
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Multi-Purpose Hall (Mafrash previously)
Additions include space dividers, ground tiles, and preparation for future technological use.
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Multi-Purpose Hall (Mafrash previously)
This area was restored in the third stages. It leads to the second entrance of the soap factory. Interventions like covering doorways in gypsum boards was part of controlling the circulation. 56
Concepts & Techniques ●
Archive Preservation
Some archive included records dating back to 1967, from accountants and other workers of the soap factory.
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Openings
Windows frames and glass were added, and interpreted differently than the original use in terms of material and geometry type.
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Preserving initial materials
The ottman tiles used in the stairs are preserved. Steel rail is added.
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Preservation of initial Material
The stairs leaded to an outdoor open space. Currently the curved opening is closed.
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Signage
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Supporting Structure
The supporting Structure is added as a protection for the house above it . The space beneath is occupied as a meeting area. It leads to other series of office rooms & storages. 62
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Sewage Contrast:
Here we see the modern sewage system and the old one. The contrast is in method and material use. The white pipe (contemporary sewage representation) is placed adjacent to pottery cylinders. 63
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Lighting:
Wide range of lighting fixtures is used. Cameras are added. 64
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Material Contrast:
Such is used in applying tiles, either in stairs and in rooms spaces.
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Demolishing Of previous storage space : This area was discovered in the process of restoration. It was closed and used for storage, argued to be added during the active use of the soap factory. This addition was demolished , as an attempt to bringing back the division of the original building. Concrete was added to close the openings that used to connect to the previous storage room.
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Local & Community Participation The center targets primarily locals. All of the facilities are provided for free. Facilities are provided for local and foreign visitors, and aimed to be a cultural centre for retired and elder people.
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Maintenance Some cracks, leakages, and material weakening especially from the roof is currently noted.
The problem recently appeared due to the water and humidity resulting from the chimney, which appears in green here.
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Culture of Heritage respect This is evident in the type of cultural events, and programs carried in the website. Several society groups are targeted. The website also shows some of the restoration process of the soap factory.
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Conclusion & Learning Outcomes
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Evident role of Observations, and personal engagement in understanding projects, researching and noting their challenges
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Lack of assessment / tactical urbanism in the selected restoration projects
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Lack of community participation in the decision making in the selected restoration projects
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Process and post-process limitations due to funds
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Context, and use age category and demographics is critical to success of cultural projects.
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Heritage and the new cultural use produce a Hybrid of knowledge
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Innovation is a Key!
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References Ahunbay, Zeynep, Arafat, Nusir R., Bartolomucci, Carla, Fiorani, Donatella, Ohs, Amanda, Forbes, Catherine, Clark, Winston and Wykes, Fiona (2021) ICOMOS-ICCROM Analysis of Case Studies in Recovery and Reconstruction. ICOMOS-ICCROM Analysis of Case Studies in Recovery and Reconstruction, 1 . pp. 1-278. ISSN 978-92-9077-304-7 [Article] Arafat, N. R. (2012). Nablus city of Civilizations. Nbalus : "Chec", Cultural Heritage Enrichment Center. Assi, Eman (2002) Heritage without paper. Recovery efforts for protection of cultural heritage in the historic city of Nablus, Palestine. In: Estrategias relativas al patrimonio cultural mundial. La salvaguarda en un mundo globalizado. Principios, practicas y perspectivas. 13th ICOMOS General Assembly and Scientific Symposium. Actas. Comité Nacional Español del ICOMOS, Madrid, pp. 227-230. [Book Section] Véronique Bontemps, (2011). « Soap-Factories in Nablus: Palestinian Heritage (turâth) at the Local Level », Hyper Article en Ligne - Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société Interviews: Adnan Odeh, Project Manager, The Social Charitable Center Society Musbah Kanaan, municipality of Nablus Naseer Arafat, Arafat Soap Factory Sameh Abdo, Office of Old city, Restoration Works 71
Thank you!