Refugee Camp Design

Concept Statement:
Dbayeh Camp, located in the northern part of Beirut, Lebanon on a hill overlooking the highway, is established at 661,442 square feet in size. To make the space intimate for the family of four, one room encompasses all living spaces. Each room is around 235 square feet with 10-foot ceilings, a small balcony, windows for air ventilation, moveable tables, storage, and shelving for cultural displays. Both exterior and interior walls are made of brick, easily accessible and affordable. Other materials include wood and mortar.
Narrative:
Syrians have been forced to leave their homes, family, and culture due to unemployment, violence, collapsed infrastructure, extreme poverty, and diminished resources. Syria has been at war since 2011, and the country continues to experience extreme poverty. The country, once populated with lively markets and significant landmarks, is now rubble and abandoned. Most Syrian residents have faced fragile political imbalance their entire lives. Women and children continue to migrate to Lebanon due to war. Considering the living conditions of Syria, there is no choice but to migrate to Lebanon and adjust to the harsh situation in which they are in. Lebanon hosts over 1.5 million Syrian refugees, leading to over 20 percent of Lebanon to be of Syrian descent. The means of transportation varies amongst refugees as resources continue to change. Syrian culture is deeply traditional, mostly revolving around the importance of religion, family, education, respect, and self-discipline. This can become hard to practice as these families abruptly move from one country to the next. It is extremely important to provide a safe place for these families to take shelter and be as comfortable as possible. The designer has provided a design intent for a mother and her three children, ages of 5, 7, and 11. The mother has been forced to leave her husband in Syria, taking her children and beginning the journey into Lebanon. These conditions will be extremely difficult for the family of four to adjust to. Even though the family will undergo nothing like they have ever experienced, it is my job to make them feel at home as much as possible. Some details to consider for the families coming into these parts of Lebanon include practicing the Islamic religion, the importance of family values and gatherings, and food culture. This leads to many prayers and ceremonies throughout the day. In the design intent, having space for these activities is extremely essential.