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The Takhayali Workshop

Ramallah, Jerusalem North  |  5-9 September 2022

 

How do we define wasted space in contemporary urban morphologies? And how do the municipalist aspirations and endeavors of indigenous populations in neocolonial, apartheid geographies survive, operate, and advance? These were the two guiding questions for the Takhayali (Arabic: imagine, feminine) international workshop that took place from 5 to 9 September 2022 in and around Ramallah, one of the segregated northern districts of Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine. The workshop was organized by UR°BANA interdisciplinary research and design studio, Sakiya art academy, and alMasna (Cartoon Factory). The five-day workshop combined field trips, exercises, film screenings, and working sessions at multiple venues. Ilana Boltvinik, CMMM Advisory Committee member, together with her co-founding partner Rodrigo Viñas from the TRES art collective, led the sessions related to exploring the notion of wasted space, which included (field) exercises and discussions. Iva Čukić and Jovana Timotijević contributed by presenting an inspiring story and some of their experiences at the Ministry of Space and discussing the main lessons they have learned along their twelve-year journey.

 

Note: Pictures were taken by K LAB. Exceptions are credited.

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Day 0 // Upon arrival, we attended the opening of the “Takhayali Ein Qiniya” exhibition of 20 imagined master plans by women from the village and the workshop’s organizers.

 

Day 1 // We kicked off the workshop with a tour of several parts of Ramallah, its peripheries, and... 

 

... and the notorious Rawabi mega development.

 

It has been several years since the construction of Phase 1 was completed and although most apartments are said to have been purchased, yet, Rawabi largely remains a ghost town. Picture by Jovana Timotijević.

 

Day 2,3,4 // Over several sessions, we explored the notion of wasted space...

 

... we mapped examples of it, and debated how wasted space can serve as an entry point to change urban planning policies and discourses.

 

Day 5 // To close, after giving feedback on an advocacy short film that the organizers are developing to alter urbanization trajectories in Ramallah, MoS shared their story and we reflected on future options.