The Gardens of broken Shadows

<p dir="ltr"><b>Contemporary Palestinian architecture oscillates between pragmatic survivalism and static historic preservation, often reducing its rich cultural identity to reductive tropes, flattening diverse communities into monolithic labels like ‘the Arab world,’ ‘Muslims,’ or ‘refugees,’ while erasing their histories, agency, and lived complexities.</b></p><p dir="ltr">This thesis challenges this reductive paradigm by proposing that Palestinian narratives and ephemeral practices such as sumud (steadfastness), tatreez (embroidery), Arabic calligraphy and oral storytelling can be spatialised to generate dynamic architectural possibilities. Employing an iterative, design-led methodology, the research interrogates Palestinian identity through three lenses: Architecture + Identity, Atmosphere + Architecture, and Speculative Architecture.</p><p dir="ltr">Drawing on participatory engagement with Palestinian voices (in diaspora and Palestine), the study uses narrative analysis and speculative mapping to translate lived experiences into spatial strategies. The thesis proposes ephemeral interventions that resist colonial spatial hierarchies while embodying hope and critique.</p><p dir="ltr">By centring Palestinian voices and utilising speculative design, this work reimagines architecture as a vessel for cultural regeneration, fostering public discourse through exhibitions that bridge academia and advocacy. This methodology, offers a blueprint for future designers to reinterpret Palestinian identity through their own voices and experiences, ensuring narrative sovereignty and spatial justice.</p>