Yara Ramadan
Ramallah, November 2024
Temporary Architecture of Palestinian Refugee camps
Refugee camps, by their very nature, are intended as temporary shelters, transitional spaces bridging the gap between displacement and an eventual return home. However, for Palestinian refugees, these “temporary” settlements have become synonymous with a protracted and painful exile, a physical manifestation of the ongoing Nakba, now spanning over 75 years. The very existence of these camps is a stark reminder of the unresolved displacement of a people and their unwavering hope for a future in their homeland.
Aerial photo of Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem 2021, Source: Extracted by the author from ArcGIS application.
The architectural and urban development of Deheishe refugee camp
The architectural evolution of these camps tells a story of adaptation, resourcefulness, and an enduring connection to the lost homeland. Take Dheisheh Camp, near Bethlehem, as a case study. Established in 1949, it began, like many others, as a collection of tents provided by UNRWA. Images from various archives offer a visual timeline of this transformation, from canvas tents to makeshift shelters of zinco and asbestos roofing, gradually replaced by more permanent structures built with whatever materials could be found. As families grew and the occupation persisted, residents expanded their homes, adding rooms and building upwards, as there was no space available for horizontal expansion, vertical expansion resulted. These additions, often unplanned and organic, created a densely woven urban fabric, a testament to resilience and the enduring will to create a sense of home amidst displacement. Yet, within this growth, a deep connection to Palestinian heritage remained. The layout of the camps, with homes frequently clustered around shared courtyards, mirrored the traditional structure of Palestinian villages—a poignant attempt to recreate community and belonging within the confines of exile, for example families who originated from Jerash village, shared a Harra حارة in one of the camps areas called Jarshia neighbourhood (حارة الجراشية), as other families from the same village origins, clustered their homes together, as a sign for social cohesion, and similarity in culture and traditions.
A view of Dheisheh camp in 1950, showing the tents of refugees after about a year from its foundation, Source: Awraq Birzeit University digital archive.
A view of Dheisheh camp in 1959, kids posing in Duhisha refugee camp in 1959, the photo shows the development of the camp's structures from tents to concrete block rooms with temporary zinco roofing, Source: Palestine Remembered website.
Dheisheh camp in Bethlehem, date unknown (approximately in the 1950’s-1960’s ), it shows the development of the urban fabric and architecture of the camp, stonewall (sanaselسنسال حجرية ) are showing here, as they were built in the original villages, women holding water buckets on the heads fetched from nearby water spring ,Source: Awraq Birzeit digital archive
Image from Dheisheh camp alley (2015) showing the vertical expansion of the camp’s houses ,Source: DAAR; decolonizing architecture art research Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti
Refugee camps as a world heritage site?
The significance of these camps extends far beyond their physical form. They are repositories of memory, preserving the narratives of the Nakba and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian self-determination. As argued by architect and researcher Sandi Hilal, these camps can be seen as sites of cultural heritage, embodying the resilience and enduring spirit of the Palestinian people. Hilal’s work, culminating in the “Refugee Heritage” project, highlights how these camps, specifically Dheisheh, meet UNESCO’s criteria for World Heritage Site designation. The architectural style of Dheisheh, shaped by the Nakba and ongoing occupation, represents a unique chapter in human history (Criterion IV). Moreover, the camp is inextricably linked to the Palestinian struggle, their unwavering belief in the right of return, and their continued fight for justice and equality (Criterion VI).
Dheisheh Camp’s history is deeply entwined with the larger Palestinian narrative of resistance. During the First Intifada (1987-1993), the camp became a focal point of resistance and, subsequently, a target of Israeli repression. The Ma'ta (معاطة), the imposing metal revolving gate installed by the Israeli military at the camp's entrance, still stands as a potent symbol of that era. The gate, designed to control movement and restrict access, transformed Dheisheh into a virtual prison. Photographs below depict a landscape of checkpoints, barbed wire, and constant military presence, highlighting the daily struggle for survival under siege. Oral histories, captured in documentaries like Until When…, reveal the resilience of the residents, their courage in the face of adversity, and their unwavering hope for a future free from occupation.
The iron rotating gate called Ma’ta معاطة in Dheisheh camp 1989, one of a few gates in the wired siege that confined the refugee camp in the first Intifda, source: The Palestinian Museum digital archive.
The wired siege on Dheisheh camp during the first Intifada around 1989, as seen from outside, source: The Palestinian Museum digital archive.
Palestinian Refugee camps after October 2023
After October 2023 Israeli forces' attacks on UNRWA facilities marked a dangerous escalation in the ongoing Nakba. The deliberate targeting of UNRWA, an organisation vital to the survival of Palestinian refugees, is a direct assault on their right to basic necessities like healthcare, education, and food assistance. This assault, along with ongoing land confiscation, home demolitions, and displacement, constitutes a new chapter in the decades-long struggle against dispossession. As detailed in UNRWA's official statements and numerous news reports, the Israeli government's attempts to dismantle UNRWA's operations aim to erase the very memory of the Nakba and undermine the Palestinian refugees' right of return.
Refugee camps in gaza strip are still facing urbicide, in of the moment of writing this blog Jablia camp is besieged , Jenin camp and Ein Shams camp among others in the west bank have been getting invaded, bulldozed and bombed for over a year.
New camps have been established in Rafah, Dier Al- Balah and other places, resulting from the forced displacement of Palestinian within the Gaza strip. The struggle of Nakba is repeating itself in the most horrific ways!
New refugee camps emerged in Gaza strip on the beaches in Deir AL Balah, as attacks on the strip and forced displacement continues, tents made from quilts, agricultural plastic, panel woods, and other simple and available material. Source: Skynews arabia website.
Nakba as an ongoing narrative
The Nakba is not a historical footnote; it’s an ongoing reality. The narrative of the Palestinian refugee is not confined to the past. It continues to unfold in the daily lives of those who remain displaced, those who struggle to rebuild their lives in the camps, and those who still dream of returning home. The act of planting a garden, of celebrating a wedding, of teaching children the stories of their ancestral villages – these are all expressions of resilience and unwavering hope in the face of ongoing adversity. This hope, fueled by a deep connection to their land and culture, is a powerful force, refusing to be extinguished by displacement and oppression. The very existence of these camps, transformed through generations of struggle into vibrant communities, is a testament to this enduring spirit and a powerful symbol of the right of return.
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Yara Ramadan a cultural heritage consultant and researcher, with a master's degree in "World Heritage and Cultural Projects for Development", and a background in civil engineering and architectural restoration. Yara is interested in cultural heritage preservation and promotion, especially Palestinian heritage since it's a narrative of a nation under colonization. Yara is a refugee from Jerash village south west of Jerusalem, she works on a personal research tackling the Palestinian on-going Nakba heritage.
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