Guardians of the Desert : Empowering Bedouins Existence

The Bedouins are one of the components of the Palestinian people, and they suffer from the Zionist occupation of Palestine, as do other components. However, because of their Lifestyle that hinders settlement expansion, they have become the first victim of settler’s arrogance in the occupied West Bank, demolishing homes and facilities and stealing livestock, especially in Area C. The west bank is divided into Areas A, B and C. area c is entirely under Israeli rule, and constitutes 61% of the Palestinian territories, most Bedouins are located in area C. and they act as the first line of defense for those lands. Bedouins refuse to leave the desert although the occupation is trying to marginalize and deport them from those lands.

Therefore, the project aims to empower and strengthen Bedouin communities in the Palestinian context by working on the Pillars of Society, such as education, health, economy and peace. 

Education rate among the Bedouins is meagre because they have schools only for sixth grade, after children are forced to move schools that are very far away. Therefore, females are prevented from education females in Bedouin communities do not go outside the framework of society.

Our program is divided into two sections: The first section in area A which represents the mother station that is fixed. It serves civilians and Bedouins through pillars of society(Medical Centre and veterinary clinic, Educational core, cultural spaces, economical Centre).

The second section is in area C which represents the substations that are Movable.it serves the Bedouin communities through medical and educational movable stations. It works on a certain schedule: weekly in medical stations, seasonally in educational stations in area C. The sub-stations goes back to the mother station in area A according to the schedule to sterilize and charge equipment to start a new shift  in a new Bedouin clan.  

The program was reflected on the plans in layers according to the Bedouins tents distribution and the relationship between in and out; where the outdoor space is a main core between different functions. The site contains the main functions: 

• Medical Centre: Which has direct accessibility to the main street for emergencies, and it includes clinics, emergency, Medical Labs and x-rays, veterinary clinics.
• Educational core: which contains classes, workshops, library, studying spaces. 
• Economical Centre: contains an Arabic Bedouin style restaurant, outdoor and indoor shops for Bedouin products, workshops for pottery and weaving.
• Cultural spaces: contains an indoor and outdoor exhibition, meeting halls, multi-function spaces, outdoor theatre and projector.  

The site topography is two hills, the masses were set on the Foothills between the top and bottom of the Hills. The educational, economical and cultural masses were placed on one hill for mutual spaces. And the Medical and veterinary masses were placed on the other hill for privacy. The veterinary clinic was oriented down wind to take away the smell of animals from the other functions according to the Bedouins placement of the animals tent. 

The massing is divided into layers according to the research of the Bedouin’s lifestyle.

3 main concepts 

Platforms: connected to the topography acts as the entrance where the masses are hidden beneath it. The Bedouins always preserve their privacy. Entering a Bedouin Clan a guest tent will be the main tent facing strangers for privacy and after entering the guest tent the person gets exposed to the other tents. Also works as ventilation system (passive cooling)   

Entrance structures: the entrance for the functions are structures covered with goat hair placed on the platform, where ramps connect between different platform until reaching the main function 

Ventilation structures: Also placed on the platforms, one on each function and underneath it is always a public gathering space. It works in a cooling tower technique. 

Walls are made of rammed earth to preserve the natural air and thermal insulation. 

The movable stations connect to the platform. They are flexible Made of PVC material. Divided into 4 parts to fit in the truck and click on site.