Vernacular Architecture in Open Marash area in Famagusta, North Cyprus

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Vernacular Architecture in Open Marash area in Famagusta, North Cyprus"

Elmer Hudson
7 years ago
Views:

1 Vernacular Architecture in Open Marash area in Famagusta, North Cyprus Assist. Prof. Beril Ozman Student: Hossein Ahmadi Saray Vernacular architecture is the case study of architecture based on area needs and materials which used in construction and totally in continue of local tradition. In design process, architects should analyze reflect of environment, culture, technology and history of the place, so accommodating the values, economies and ways of life of the cultures that produce them. Based on the history of this island and also this city we understand that after the war that happened in 1974, this city and Marash area s face has totally changed, cause of the war, Greek house owners left their houses in Marash area and moved to south Cyprus, but a huge area that called ghost city have been abandoned till today. While you are passing the Marash area especially Open Marash and seeing the buildings that are not in good living situation or some buildings abandoned and also in beyond the border, we see the buildings that are abandoned for more than 38 years, they are collapsing, main thing is that their architecture are collapsing. Based on this area s history that most of the inhabitants are immigrants that comes from south Cyprus or from turkey, they did not made their houses or choose them to buy, so their requirements from house did not answered well because their culture are a bit different in compare with this area, so they do not have sense of belonging, also during 38 years after the war the improvement of this areas accessibilities are being so slow. Open Marash and Closed Marash area s houses have especial architecture in their design; it shows that, the people who have been lived in this area had strong desire to architecture, by looking to façade, plan accessibilities inside of the house

2 and most important factor, their design were based on climatically design principles like care to sun light, using awnings to make shadow, verandas area for flower boxes and comfort space for sitting outside of the house, etc. also in façade of the buildings of this area we see the vertical and horizontal movements that mostly are like arcs, makes the building very beautiful in façade and more comfort in living. It seems that this architecture was successful in serving to their owners. This architecture that was used to in this area from the past, have been experienced some changes by the people who immigrates or moved to this area after 1974 and lived in these houses by choosing randomly. Different people requirements caused that people by their own starts to add some parts to the buildings in structural and furniture scale. These attachments did not fit to the buildings even if the new attachments are beautiful, the reason is that the attachments were second hand materials or totally they were cut from another building that did not have similarity with this building. These happenings caused to this pure architecture became vernacular architecture, the architecture that designed by professional architects is usually not considered to be vernacular. Poul Oliver describes the vernacular architectures like this simple definition: the architecture of the people and by the people, but not for the people. Also Frank Lloyd Wright described vernacular architecture as "Folk building growing in response to actual needs, fitted into environment by people who knew no better than to fit them with native feeling". Oliver claims that: As yet there is no clearly defined and specialized discipline for the study of dwellings or the larger compass of vernacular architecture. If such a discipline were to emerge it would probably be one that combines some of the elements of both architecture and anthropology with aspects of history and geography. For more research, by guide of professor Beril Ozman, we made an interviews with the people, our understandings are divided to two group, one the people who like this area because they think that living in one neighbor for more than 30

3 years, makes friendship with your neighbors, but second group thinks different, they wants to came back to their own homes, this group did not interview voluntarily, while they are speaking from past, they feel sad. These people are not fitted to any house that by chance they got and living there, as stated above, every house had designed for specific requirements and needs, do not considering these elements cause that people became stranger with the houses. About the Open Marash area that seems that from 1974, improvement of this area have been too slow and also by movement of people from this area to another part of Famagusta or other city in compare of new comers, the population of this area is not increasing. Beside this factor, by drying of the fruit gardens that before 1974, made this area to be beautiful and green area to live, but now changed to abandoned empty lands without any utilization. The blank spaces between neighbors come from this cause. The architecture are going to die in this area. Another factor that we can involve it as the reasons of law improvement is the less investment in this area, the people s accessibilities to supermarket, coffees, shopping malls, places for entertainment, etc. by the range of the area is law. For solving these problems we reach to the main problem of this area, people do not have their ownership papers, 38 years past but this problem did not solved, construction companies and investors call it risky to work in this area, also people who live in the houses are not sure about their future, again it makes less feeling of belonging. If this problem solved, maybe lots of the abandoned land will change to construction sites and people change their mind to this area. After seeing the situation of this area and by the theory that we believe, architects reply the requirements, and the requirements derive life style and also by the principles that Professor Nabeel Hamdi mentioned in vernacular settlements situation: Providing, Enabling, Adapting, Sustainability and call them briefly as a P.E.A.S, main task started, analyzing Open Marash:

4 In first step, Marash area needs a situation to prepare itself for improving, all of the building in ghost city and Marash should be analyze by professionals and asked the people who live in the houses about their requirements, needs, and neighbors, and they should work on abandoned lands. In second step, needs to make a comprehensive design for whole area, that everything, based on the first step must be analyzed. In third step, architects must be design the houses based on their needs, requirements, that should follow their culture and by respect of Famagusta s culture too, because this area have immigrants from different lands, different cultures. The last step, by providing proper situation and solve the ownership problem, this area need to absorb young families to live in this area to make balance with aged family. Now most of the people in Open Marash are aged people. Hope that by the help of researchers, architects and municipality, Marash area with this potential by construction sites, investment, etc. release from this current situation. In one half we see ghost city and in the other we see forgotten land, between them, the architecture that seems are going to be changed by outside effect. Best regards HOSSEIN AHMADI SARAY

5 EASTERN MEDITERRANIAN UNIVERSITY INFORMAL STUDING IN HOUSING II ASST. PROF. DR. BERIL OZMEN MAYER

Pacemaker World Geography and Cultures. correlated to. Florida Sunshine State Standards Social Studies Grades 6-8

Pacemaker World Geography and Cultures correlated to Florida Sunshine State Standards Social Studies Grades 6-8 Pacemaker World Geography and Cultures Pearson Learning Group correlated to Sunshine State