SURVIVING HOME
REFUGEE CAMP INTERVENTION IN TURKEY IDIL GUMRUK | PROF. HAJO NEIS | UNIVERSITY OF OREGON | SPRING 2016
Refugees have some of the most difficult, ambiguous and stressful living conditions on the planet today. The media has made the issue of “Syrian refugees� common knowledge through its constant repetition of that phrase. Unfortunately, it is not only Syrians who are affected by the ongoing wars and irrational fear of middle easterners, but rather all peoples of the region including Iraqis, Afghanis, Burmans, and Somalis, among others. Furthermore, unlike what one might think, the refugee crisis will not be over even if the Syrian War ends. With increasing tension, western involvement in this large region, and climate change, I believe the refugee population will only increase. Unless we decide to solve this issue effectively, and not just try to push it away into the background, it will only bring larger populations of refugees to the west. Currently, with the existing regulations of both Turkey and the West, we are only delaying a bigger catastrophe and more human tragedy. Keeping that in mind, I believe the refugee crisis will not be solved by just building housing for the affected populations. As opposed to the current temporary solutions, such as building refugee camps and various special voucher systems; education, training and jobs will create a much better and more long-term solution for refugees. As the world resources diminish and problems get more complex, we need to come up with simple but effective solutions. Taking all this into account, I propose the addition of a Maker Space into a refugee camp: using local, inexpensive materials and efficient construction methods, aiming to create skills and jobs that will help them define their own structures and therefore lives.
TABLE OF CONTENTS PROBLEM SELECTING THE SITE SITE ANALYSIS URBAN DESIGN CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE FORM FINDING DESIGN MODELS PRESENTATION
This project aims to create a space for refugees in Turkey to provide tools and education, so that they can create their own homes and fulfill any other needs they might have. It is a maker space designed for refugees. Currently, it is unknown where they can live or stay for long term in Turkey, as they are legally only given rights to stay temporarily in Turkey. Therefore, permanent structures for refugees are not welcomed. However, providing tools for refugees to shape their own future, and create a space where they can build their own preferred skill set for their future seems to be a more acceptable and applicable solution. Given this situation, the structure needs to be low cost. As a result, I proposed to use local materials: soil, and a low-cost construction technique: timbrel vaults. This type of structure provides wide-spanned domes, thin shells and requires a small amount of form work, and almost no scaffolding. This way the materials would be much more affordable and the construction cost would be low.
UNDERSTANDING THE REFUGEE CRISIS Problem: This refugee crisis has many layers of complex problems, and the sum of all these problems places refugees in a position of great uncertainty, which posed the greatest challenge of this project. Understanding the constantly changing legal framework for the refugees, acknowledging the refugees’ needs in that vague framework, and coming up with a program that would still fit in the constantly changing laws and conditions but also improve and benefit the lives of refugees, even if the conditions change again, for or against them.
DATA & FACTS & PROPOSAL
WHY DO REFUGEES ESCAPE AND WHY TO TURKEY? There are three major reasons that defines three paths refugees are taking in Turkey: - Going to south-east Turkey as the initial point of refuge - Going to major cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir to make money. - Going to coastal towns close to Greek Islands: Kos, Lesbos, Samos and Cios, in order to cross to Greece and the EU.
GUEST
is what the Turkish government chose to officially call Syrian Refugees in Turkey. This was not an accidental word choice. It was in fact very intentional, to signify Syrians’ status in Turkey. Turkey always designed its regulations with the intention of keeping Turkey as a transition place for Syrians
REFUGEES’ RIGHTS IN TURKEY PUBLIC HEALTH CARE
PUBLIC EDUCATION
OWNING/RENTING PROPERTY
Refugee Camps Cities with Refugee population Project Site Refugee Route
ROMANIA BULGARIA Istanbul Ankara GREECE
Izmir
IRAN
TURKEY
JOBS
SYRIA
Number of People Affected by the War
Number of Internally Displaced People
Number of Refugees
11,000,000
REFUGEES’ NEEDS IN TURKEY
Number of Refugees in Turkey
GUIDANCE & INFORMATION
TRAINING & ORIENTATION
IRAQ
2,181,293
7,632,500
Number of Asylum Applications
689,365
4,632,500
People in Camps in Turkey
217,000
1,182,261
1,964,293
54.2% of the refugees are under the age of 18
Refugees are living outside the camps
That is approximately the population of Brussels. 440,621 of these are at school age. They need to get back to their education. 305,308 of the rest are at high school level, who also need to continue their education. About 436,259 of these are under school age. Even though they do not need education yet, they will need education in the near future.
Even though this number is an approximation, it is still a very large population. It is unknown how many of the refugees are living in which cities or how many are homeless or how they manage to create an income. Looking at refugees’ general paths in Turkey, they mainly stay in south-eastern cities close to the Syrian border for immediate refuge; on the west coast in cities close to the Greek islands to escape; and in large cities for better chances of income.
CHOOSING THE SITE - RESEARCH IN BODRUM I started my research in Bodrum, a towns close to the Greek Island Kos. For many refugees, Bodrum was the exit point from Turkey.
One of the Areas Refugees Depart from at Night
RESEARCH ON SANLIURFA
WHY A CAMP BUT NOT A CITY?
1. Cities are more vulnerable to political instability, something that Turkey has been experiencing for sometime. 2. For a population of “transits”, it is more acceptable to have a permanent structure in a camp that is designed only for refugees than a city that is designed for “non-transits”.
FINDINGS Refugee Camp - Project Site Border Check Point Urban Areas Farmland Euphrates River Border Major Roads TURKEY SYRIA
Unsupervised Refugee Path Kos Island Departure Points Hospital & Police Station Search & Rescue Base Supervised Refugee Path Urban Areas
1. Refugees only spend a few days in Bodrum before leaving Turkey
2. Police are doing their best to catch refugees before they leave Turkey
3. Once refugees are caught, they are sent to camps or larger inner cities
Conclusion: Bodrum is not the right place for permanent structures. Larger cities and camps are better alternatives for architectural intervention.
TURKEY SYRIA
CAMP ANALYSIS
CAMP PROPOSAL
Currently, the camp is divided into neighborhoods that are divided by steel fences. In order to transform this camp into a more friendly and welcoming environment, I proposed to remove the fences and implement a street system that more closely adheres to the existing pattern of tents. Replacing fences and lining streets with local plants creates an overall more positive environment with minimal interventions.
PUBLIC TENTS PRIVATE TENTS
PARKING PUBLIC BUILDING REGISTER
NEW BUILDINGS
HOSPITAL
TEMPORARY RESIDENCY
MOSQUE
SCHOOL
MARKET -
HOUSING
-
MAYOR
P
P
SANITARY STATION
MAKER SPACE
PERMANENT STRUCTURES
EXISTING SITE
PROPOSED SITE - 2016
VISION - 2020
TIMBREL VAULT MODEL
CONSTRUCTION METHOD - TIMBREL VAULT
LOCAL STONE FINISH A layer of local stone (Urfa Tasi) has been used for the finish. This will help the structure to stay in compression. It will protect the dome from exterior forces, while also creating a nice local look.
TARP In this assembly, I used tarp as a vapor barrier. Even though brick is a relatively durable material, the structure still needs a layer of protection, especially from the sun.
SECOND LAYER OF THIN BRICK This layer is to strengthen the structure by keeping it in compression. Fast curing mortar is not required for this layer. There can be more than one layer on the first layer depending on the dome’s span.
INITIAL LAYER OF THIN BRICK This layer is built by using fast curing mortar. It doesn’t require scaffolding, but based on the complexity of form, guides can be used to achieve the intended form.
FORM FINDING
PLAN
COMPRESSION ONLY STRUCTURE = 1 / TENSION ONLY STRUCTURE
FLOOR PLAN SCALE 1:100
RHINO + GRASSHOPPER + KANGAROO + WEAVERBIRD = FORM FINDING FOR COMPRESSION ONLY STRUCTURE FORM VS PROGRAM LANGUAGE
WORKSHOP 1 IS DESIGNED TO BE THE GENERAL WORKSPACE WITH ITS EIGHT DISTINCT YET SEAMLESSLY CONNECTED ROOMS WHICH PROVIDE A GREAT DEAL OF FLEXIBILITY FOR THE CREATIVE PERSON, AND VISUAL CONNECTIVITY TO THE OTHER CREATIVES.
WORKSHOP 2 IS DESIGNED TO BE THE WORK SPACE FOR JOBS THAT REQUIRE A HIGH TEMPERATURE. WORKSHOP 2 HAS THE HIGHEST DOME OF THE WORKSPACES. PARTS OF THE DOME HAVE OPENINGS TO CREATE A PASSIVE AIR CIRCULATION. THE THERMAL MASS FROM THE BRICK AND THE CONSTANT PASSIVE AIR CIRCULATION CREATES A ROOM THAT IS PASSIVELY COOL AT ALL TIMES
WORKSHOP 3 IS DESIGNED TO BE AN ASSEMBLY SPACE FOR THE OBJECTS CREATED IN WORKSHOP 1 & 2. WORKSHOP 3 PROVIDES AN EVEN LARGER SPACE THAN WORKSHOP 1. WITH NO STRUCTURAL COLUMNS INSIDE ITS WORKSPACE, WORKSHOP 3 DOESN’T NECESSARILY HAVE A CEILING AS HIGH AS WORKSHOP 2, BUT THE CEILING HEIGHT IS MUCH MORE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE ROOM, WHICH CREATES AN IDEAL ROOM TO COMBINE OBJECTS FROM WORKSHOP 1 & 2.
THE WALKWAY CONNECTS ALL THREE WORKSHOPS AND THE OUTSIDE, WITH AN INTERIOR AND AN EXTERIOR CIRCULATION. IT CREATES A SEQUENCE OF WORKSHOPS FROM GENERAL WORKSPACE TO ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER IT DOES NOT DICTATE WORK FLOW, AS IT ALSO CONNECTS EACH SHOP TO THE OUTSIDE.
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Each small rectangle represents a tent in the camp. Each tent houses about 4-5 people. There are close to 30.000 people in the camp. Model Scale 1:1000