The Unit

Since the beginning of the modern era, construction in general and architectural planning in particular, have constituted a spatial manifestation of human life in the city. Concurrent to urban existence within the developing formal systems, an informal mode of life has developed, generally, though not exclusively, evinced in the construction of residential buildings on the outskirts of cities. Informal existence spans all aspects of life and manifests itself, for example, in the nature of employment, education, commerce, use of public structures, movement and traffic patterns in the city.
Urban existence outside the confines of formal systems is not new. Its spatial expressions may be found all over the world. At the same time, it is also a quintessentially local phenomenon, whose unique architectural form is the product of the spatial, technological, and political conditions of the specific place. Our research unit has ventured to study the spatial characteristics of this phenomenon at present, by focusing on local case studies. Our basic assumption is that an analysis of informal construction in a particular space over a limited period of time may yield invaluable general insights about the conditions of existence in today’s global city. We place great importance on an interdisciplinary approach to urban planning, one that combines professional know-how with local knowledge, in the belief that it makes for critical thinking and creativity, which are lacking in the formal planning system. The latter is incapable, at times uninterested, in confronting the complexity of the processes of planning and construction for society’s weaker populations.
The relationship between the power holders and the weak populations, as manifested by informal architecture, creates a “third space.” It is a dynamic space involving complex states of struggle and negotiation, which give rise to new existential and spatial forms, among other things. Through critical analysis and architectural planning, the unit examines the products of informal construction which are perceived as the most authentic or “real”: the manner in which they are influenced by the space designed by the regime via statutory tools, and the way in which they influence it by means of civil practices.

The site presents projects by undergraduate students of architecture who participated in the research unit’s planning studio. The projects offer diverse possibilities for the construction of public buildings, public spaces and residential units. The program of these structures, as well as their planning and building strategies, were set following a dialogue with the residents and analysis of the existing informal situations. The architectural development relied on professional tools and on fundamental understanding of the planning and construction laws. The projects strive to provide solutions for the residents’ immediate needs by creating a space for social and political communal existence, while making room for unpredictable future developments.