Open Call for: Individuals with a background in Architecture, urbanism, art, environmental,
social or political studies (students and young professionals)
Workshop Dates: 6-10 July
At the heart of Hebron’s Old City stands the Ibrahimi Mosque, built above a network of cave tombs. Around it extends a dense historic fabric of narrow alleys, vaulted passages, and irregular courtyards shaped over centuries. West of the mosque lies another important monument, Tel Rumeida. Israeli settlements are concentrated around these two sites, surrounded by heavily militarised infrastructure that fragments the Palestinian city.
Grey concrete military towers stand next to historical sandstone buildings, armed soldiers, surveillance cameras, and crossing points control the movement. The Old City resembles a ghost town, emptied of visitors and its original residents. In this way, Hebron becomes a condensed representation of the wider condition in occupied Palestine.
Here, space is not a mere background to human life. It must be continuously produced, claimed, and maintained through everyday practices. In this workshop, we ask: How can architecture serve as a tool to create clearly defined spaces that enrich the everyday lives of Palestinian residents?
We will begin by mapping the systems, infrastructures, and spatial relationships at the scale of the Old City. From there, we will design individual briefs, defining site lines, institutional frameworks and stakeholders.
The students will develop speculative proposals that directly intervene in the urban fabric, challenging and altering existing relationships. We will use narrative, drawing and physical modelling to test and demonstrate our proposals.
The workshop offers architects, researchers and designers a chance to engage with the Old City of Hebron by sharing, testing and developing ideas together.
All interested participants must send an email by the 29th of June with the subject line “Reclaiming Everyday Life” attaching a CV or samples of their work, specifying their year and field of study, and providing their contact information (email and phone number) to workshops.kaf@gmail.com
Workshop Agenda:
Day 1
Introduction to Hebron and its position within the wider Palestinian context. Analysis and documentation of the Old City’s urban fabric through open-source research, mapping, and visual investigation. Group discussion and identification of key spatial conditions.
Day 2
Lecture and discussion on public space, spatial justice, and everyday urban practices. Development of individual project briefs – defining site lines, institutional frameworks and stakeholders.
Day 3
Introduction to project methodologies, including drawing, mapping, and physical modelling. Development of individual design proposals and testing of intervention strategies.
Day 4
Individual tutorials focused on refining proposals and developing modes of representation. Preparation of final drawings, models, and presentation materials.
Day 5
Final presentation of individual projects, followed by feedback, critical discussion, and collective reflection.
