Next Project

'the inhabited wall' olive oil factory in palestine

Part 2 Project 2009
Rosie Saunders
 University of Lincoln Lincoln | UK
Olive Oil and Bottle Wash Factory; Market and Base for International Volunteers in Qalqilia, The Palestinian Territories

The construction of the separation wall in the Palestinian territories has impacted enormously on the day-to-day lives of Palestinians in Qalqilia. Once described as ‘The West Bank’s Fruit Basket,’ serving Israel and the West Bank as an affluent market town, the people of Qulqilia are now cut off from their land, schools, universities, places of work, medical care, friends and family

The negative chain reaction that has resulted from the construction of the wall can be seen in the sharp rise in unemployment, shop closures, shrinking market size, and reduced fruit and vegetable prices

My initial exploration work included tracing the companies involved in constructing the barriers, and documenting the structures and defence mechanisms. As a result and conclusion to my initial research, a number deceives were designed which represent my research of the structures and the attributes I attached to the disruptions

The construction process of my proposed building begins with tapping into an existing artesian well in Qalqilia. Natural resources will be used wherever possible as a reaction to the unpredictability of power supply in the West Bank

Two concrete walls are constructed on the site in front of the existing separation wall. The walls act as a divide between the process of selling goods, making olive oil and washing bottles, and the waste created by the factories and the delivery of goods, olives and used bottles

The accommodation, laundry, and communal block are temporary. The structures can be moved to other destinations in the West Bank or other countries where an international presence could benefit areas of conflict

The concrete wall uses Palestinian earth and crushed rubble from demolished houses for the aggregate. The factories and market are permanent buildings and act as a legacy, eventually serving the surrounding Israeli towns and West Bank as a market when the international volunteers are relocated, in the event of an end to the occupation



Rosie’s work displays political maturity and artistic adventure at equal measure. Her project in Qalqilia, Palestine, is rigorously researched and beautifully directed. She resists ostentation and sensitively studies networks and logistics of occupation and disruption. At the same time, she is bold and unapologetic about poetic, beautiful and artistic investigations leading up to an architecture of urgency and restraint, functionality and symbolic strength.


Tutor(s)
Alex Graef
2009
A detailed investigation of the companies involved in the construction of the structures of the occupation, tracing their locations and transport networks in to the west bank from Israel
The negative chain reactions resulting from the construction of the Israeli wall
an investigation in to the production of razor wire and tracings in the landscape
device relating to the mechanisms and reactions of the structures of the occupation. Traces in lead
device relating to the negative implications of the sporadic tunnel closure connecting Qalqilia and Habla
the construction process begins with tapping in to the existing artesian well on the site of Qalqilia’s demolished market, followed by the construction of permanent and temporary structures
Natural resources will be used where ever possible as a reaction to the unpredictability of power supply in the west bank
The construction process.
ground floor plan
First Floor Plan
Section through bottle wash factory and housing for international volunteers, positioned in between the walls
back elevation, in between the walls
the construction process demonstrating the temporary nature of the international volunteers accommodation
the olive oil factory
the inhabited wall
• Page Hits: 19528         • Entry Date: 04 September 2009         • Last Update: 15 September 2009