THEأرض LAND OFاﻟﻔﺮص OPPORT UNITY عدد خاص Decembre - Decembre ديسمبر 2019 - THE MEDINA: THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY! UCL JERIDA INTRO

In June this year, in a collaboration between my university, What fascinated me the most was how much life there is in the University College London, and Blue Fish consultancy led by Leila Medina – how much local life. Ben Gacem, we organised a series of workshops to bring together individuals and collectives connected to the Medina of Tunis with The Medina of Tunis is open and welcoming to visitors like me, the aim of discussing the values, aspirations and needs of this making us feel at home while we marvel at the decorated doors, historic city. the captivating patios, the sounds of the mosques, the buzzing bazars, the transforming rooftops… But the Medina is, above all, These workshops gave me the opportunity of getting to know the heart of the city of Tunis, with deep imprints of its history, its the Medina better and engaging with many highly motivated architecture, its art and, most importantly, its people. people who are actively contributing to its live and conservation. I had the joy of meeting a large group of young professionals and This is why this issue of Journal de la Medina is dedicated to the students who are leading beautiful initiatives to brighten the live views and the feelings that those who love, live and work in the of the narrow streets and hidden squares. I also had the honour Medina have about the heritage embodied in this breath-taking of meeting some of the most renowned architects and heritage city. It is a tribute to what the Medina means for those who care professionals in Tunis, engaged in the conservation of the Medina for it. We hope you find your own emotions represented in the for decades. contents of these pages.

Through these encounters, the recent history of this World +++ Heritage Site began to unfold in front of me as we explored Dr Alejandra Albuerne its relevance and dynamics. The magic of the old town was Institute for Sustainable Heritage, also painted through their words as they highlighted the many University College London « For start, I wish for them to aspects that residents and locals value and come looking for. experience the same intact “magic” that I and millions of

My first encounter with a Medina was when I was around twelve others have once experienced years old when my father took me there along with two of my when they first sat foot in this classmates because we had to conduct research on Tunisian heritage as part of our school work. Like many of those experiencing unique World Heritage site. » the Medina for the first time, I was immediately blown away by its striking beauty and unique atmosphere: the intricate architectural details, the labyrinth-like streets, the appeasing courtyards, the So when I was asked to share “my vision” for the Medina as part of this playful patchwork of rooftops, the lively ambient sounds, the edition of Journal de la Medina, these two parallel first encounters with colorful handicraft…It was simply magical. the Medina, set in different times, came to mind and with my outsider perspective of a city-lover, urban innovator, entrepreneurship ecosystem But the magic didn’t last long… builder and mother of two digital natives I wondered about what would be they kind of exploration that I would wish my future grandson or My father being who he is, has decided to end our trip by letting us inside daughter to experience two decades from now? a oukela, one of the hundreds of traditional houses that were converted into boarding houses where migrants from other rural regions of Tunisia For start, I wish for them to experience the same intact “magic” that I and ended up settling in after they came to the capital to seek new economic millions of others have once experienced when they first sat foot in this opportunities and a better quality of life for their families. As I entered unique World Heritage site. the oukela, I was shocked by the contrast with the outside. The states of the building was crumbling and the living conditions were horrifying: I wish also for them to find it convenient to reach the Medina from other families crammed up in tiny spaces, unhygienic, dark, a far cry from the parts of the city and to navigate its streets more with ease thanks to the dream that these men, women and children came to pursue. availability of a number of low- and carbon-free transport options.

Fast forward… I wish they would see more greenery and food growing, in pocket parks, along the the streets, on windows and balconies, in courtyards, and on A couple of decades later, I visited the Medina with my two sons (both rooftops. under twelve at the time) and I loved experiencing the Medina through their eyes. As they were navigating its curvy streets on their push scooters, I wish for them to learn that once many residents and workers struggled they too were stricken by the magic of the place and the ingenuity of the to live and work in decent conditions and that this no longer the case, craftsmen and women that they have encountered along the way. That most likely thanks to initiatives and projects that came out of the Medina Journal de la Medina Project Coordination : We would like to thank our blue day, I decided to end our visit by letting them inside Dar Ben Gacem, one Lab, a unique co-creation space dedicated to exploring problems faced [email protected] Leila Ben-Gacem, contibutors : fish of a very few boutique hotels in the Medina set in a renovated traditional by citizens and to design solutions to address them. www.facebook.com/JDLMedina Alejandra Albuerne. house. A labor of love of my friend Leila Ben Gacem who came from Abu www.journaldelamedina.tumblr.com Editorial Manager : Rym Baouendi, This issue of Journal de la Medina is funded thanks to Dhabi to the Medina to seek a more meaningful economic opportunity and I wish for them to meet and to be inspired by hundreds if not thousands www.instagram.com/journaldelamedina Wajdi Borji, Amel Meddeb Ben Ghorbel, the contribution of Thec, awarded by the Bartlett Faculty, a better quality of life for herself and for the members of the community of people from all walks of life and social, cultural and economic Brahim Boughalmi, University College London (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/). around her where she set up shop. My sons left Dar Ben Gacem amazed, backgrounds who now call the Medina as their home and who are Design : Nokta Production Dhafer Ben Khalifa, describing the place as “pretty cool” and I left as a hopeful mom happy building creative, modern and responsible businesses that contribute Distribution: www.noktaproduction.com Maya Boureghda Chebeane, Journal de la Medina is a participatory newspaper created that my children got to meet an inspired role model changemaker like to preserving heritage and creating value for citizens in the Medina and • Dar El-Harka, 42bis Rue du Pacha Pauline Pepin, for and by the community of the Medina of Tunis. • Espace Diwan, 9 Rue Sidi Ben Arous Photography : Faïka Béjaoui, Leila. beyond. Maker spaces, shared kitchens, courtyard pools, game design • Café El Anba, Rue Souq Ar Rouba @981David Leila Ben Gacem, ما تلوحش الجريدة بعد ما تقراها, اعطيها ,Wildtunis Emily Sarsam@ @Lostintunis Sana Frini. Ne jetez pas le journal après lecture, faites le passer 3 @Dartynes Don’t throw this magazine away after reading it, pass it on studios, coworking spaces, alternative schools, So when I was asked to share “my vision” for citizen labs, gyms, rooftop farms, sky cinemas, the Medina as part of this edition of Journal de indoor and outdoor playgrounds, alternative la Medina, these two parallel first encounters tourism agencies, handicraft schools… with the Medina, set in different times, came to mind and with my outsider perspective of a I wish for them to visit traditional houses city-lover, urban innovator, entrepreneurship that were respectfully fitted out with modern ecosystem builder and mother of two digital المدينة: living amenities, powered by the sun, recycling natives I wondered about what would be water, naturally comfortable, true models of they kind of exploration that I would wish my sustainable living. future grandson or daughter to experience two decades from now? I wish for them to take part in world-renowned « I wish for them to events and happenings, the kind that fill the city For start, I wish for them to experience the same leave so inspired that with joy but also those where the best minds intact “magic” that I and millions of others have from around the world gather up to discuss and once experienced when they first sat foot in they would want to أرض الفرص! collaborate to shape a better future for all. this unique World Heritage site. return because they too I wish for them to leave so inspired that they I wish also for them to find it convenient to reach will be convinced that would want to return because they too will be the Medina from other parts of the city and to convinced that the Medina is indeed a land of navigate its streets more with ease thanks to the Medina is indeed a opportunity. the availability of a number of low- and carbon- free transport options. land of opportunity. » The Medina: the Land of Opportunity! I wish they would see more greenery and food My first encounter with a Medina was when I growing, in pocket parks, along the the streets, was around twelve years old when my father on windows and balconies, in courtyards, and took me there along with two of my classmates on rooftops. » نتمنالهم باش يروحوا because we had to conduct research on Tunisian ملهمين لدرجة أنهم heritage as part of our school work. Like many I wish for them to learn that once many of those experiencing the Medina for the first residents and workers struggled to live and يوليوا يحبوا يرجعوا خاتر time, I was immediately blown away by its work in decent conditions and that this no هومازادا شيقتنعوا باللي striking beauty and unique atmosphere: the longer the case, most likely thanks to initiatives intricate architectural details, the labyrinth-like and projects that came out of the Medina المدينة هيا بالحق أرض streets, the appeasing courtyards, the playful Lab, a unique co-creation space dedicated to متع فرص. « patchwork of rooftops, the lively ambient exploring problems faced by citizens and to sounds, the colorful handicraft…It was simply design solutions to address them. magical. I wish for them to meet and to be inspired by But the magic didn’t last long… hundreds if not thousands of people from all walks of life and social, cultural and economic My father being who he is, has decided to end backgrounds who now call the Medina as their our trip by letting us inside a oukela, one of home and who are building creative, modern the hundreds of traditional houses that were and responsible businesses that contribute converted into boarding houses where migrants to preserving heritage and creating value for أول مـــررة نشـــوف المدينـــة عمـــري كان ثنـــاش from other rural regions of Tunisia ended up كأم متفائلة وفرحانة خاطر صغاري جاتهم الفرصة باش يقابلوا قدوة ملهمة نتمنّى انهم يعرفوا القبل, الناس كانوا يعانيوا باش يعيشوا ,citizens in the Medina and beyond. Maker spaces ســـنا تقريبًـــا وقتلـــي هزنـــي الوالـــد مـــع زوز يقـــراوا settling in after they came to the capital to seek shared kitchens, courtyard pools, game design وعندها تأثير كيف ليلى. ويخدموا في ظروف محترفة وتوّيكة معادش, لأكثرية بفضل معايـــا علـــى خاطـــر عنـــا بحـــث للمدرســـة علـــى ,new economic opportunities and a better quality studios, coworking spaces, alternative schools المشاريع ومبادرات الي صاروا في جرّة مختبر »المدينة لاب«: ,of life for their families. As I entered the oukela اذاك علاش كيف طلبوا مني نشارك بـ«رؤيتي« للمدينة في العدد هذا من ,citizen labs, gyms, rooftop farms, sky cinemas التـــراث التونســـي. كيـــف شـــطر اللـــي يكتشـــفوا بلاصة فريدة من نوعها للابداع المشترك يكتشفوا فيها مشاكل I was shocked by the contrast with the outside. indoor and outdoor playgrounds, alternative مجلة المدينة, أول حاجتين جاو لمخي هوما الزوز تجارب اللوالة الموازيتين هاذم, المدينـــة أول مرة,دخـــت كيـــف شـــفت الزيـــن المواطنين ويلقاولها حلول. …The states of the building was crumbling and tourism agencies, handicraft schools كل وحدة ووقتها -بالنظرة البرّانية متاع وحدة تحب المدن متاعي, كمبدعة والجـــو متاعهـــا: التفاصيـــل المعماريـــة المعقـــدة، the living conditions were horrifying: families حضارية, وكمتعهدة أعمال وأنظمة الإيكولوجية,، وكأم زوز صغار كبروا في نتمنى أنهم يتعرفوا ويتعلموا من عند ميّات ولا حتّى ألاف crammed up in tiny spaces, unhygienic, dark, a I wish for them to visit traditional houses والشـــوارع الـــي كيـــف المتاهـــة ، والبطاحـــي عالم رقمي ، سألت روحي زعمة شنوما باش يكونوا الاكتشفات متع صغار الناس من العقليات والثقافات والوضعيات الاقتصادّية far cry from the dream that these men, women that were respectfully fitted out with modern المفرهـــدة، والجـــو متـــع الســـطوحات, والحـــس صغاري في المستقبل عشرين سنا القدام؟ الكل, اللي يحسبوا المدينة كدارهم ويخلقوا في مشاريع خلاقة and children came to pursue. living amenities, powered by the sun, recycling متاعهـــا ، والحـــرف اليدويـــة علـــى كل لـــون … وحديثة ومسؤولة. تساهم في الحفاظ على التراث وخلق قيمة water, naturally comfortable, true models of أول حاجة، نتمنّالهم يعيشوا نفس »السحر« الي عشتوا أنا وملاين آخرين أول للمواطنين في المدينة والبرّةا. مساحات للمصنعين ، مطابخ .Fast forward… sustainable living تقولـــش عليهـــا ســـحرتني مرّة دخلنا لموقع التراث العالمي هذا الي ماكيفو شي, مشتركة ، حمامات سباحة في السقيفة ، استوديوهات لتصميم A couple of decades later, I visited the Medina I wish for them to take part in world-renowned الألعاب ، مساحات عمل مشتركة ، مدارس بديلة ، مختبرات نتمنّا زادا ينجموا يجيوا للمدينة من أي بلاصة أخرى في تونس ويلقاوا كيفاش with my two sons (both under twelve at the events and happenings, the kind that fill the city أما السحر ماطوّلش ... للمواطنين ، صالات رياضية ، فيرمات على السطوحات ، يدوروا شوارعها بالمرتاح خاطر فمّة وسائل نقل منخفضة أو عديمة الانبعاثات time) and I loved experiencing the Medina with joy but also those where the best minds صالات سينما في الهواء الطلق ، ملاعب لداخل والبرّة ، ا�لكربونية. through their eyes. As they were navigating its from around the world gather up to discuss and الوالد كي عادتو هزنا لوكالة في الأخر. وحدة من الوكالات اللي كانوا ديار وكالات سياحية بديلة ، مدارس حرفية … .curvy streets on their push scooters, they too collaborate to shape a better future for all عربي قبل مايوليوا ديار يسكنوا فيهم الناس اللي جايين من ريف تونس نتمنى يراوا أكثر لمساحات خضراء والغذاء المتنامي ينبت في جناين على طول were stricken by the magic of the place and نتمنالهم انهم يزوروا ديار تقليدية مجهزة ومحترم, فيها وسائل I wish for them to leave so inspired that they يلوجوا على فرص اقتصادية جديدة وباش يحسنوا حياتهم وحياة عايلاتهم. الشوارع ،في الشبابك والبراكن ، في الساحات ، وفوق الأسطحة. the ingenuity of the craftsmen and women كي دخلت الوكالة تصدمت من التناقض بينها والبرّة. البنية كانت باش تطيح الراحة الحديثة الكل ، اللي تخدم بالطاقة الشمسية ، وإعادة that they have encountered along the way. would want to return because they too will be وظروف المعيشية تخوف: عايلات مكدسة في بلايص صغار ، مسخة ، ظلام تدوير المياه ، وتبدى بطبيعتها مرتاحة, مثال للحياة المستدامة. That day, I decided to end our visit by letting convinced that the Medina is indeed a land of ، بعيدة كل البعد على الحلمة اللي يجريوا وراها هالرجال والنساء والصغار .them inside Dar Ben Gacem, one of a very opportunity نتمنالهم انهم يشاركوا في فعاليات العالمية, مالنوع اللي شتفرّح few boutique hotels in the Medina set in a نقدموا شوية في الوقت ... المدينة الكل أما زادة اللي باش يلمّوا أقوى الأمخاخ الجايّين renovated traditional house. A labor of love of مالعالم الكل باش يتناقشوا ويتعاونوا ويلقاوا مستقبل خير my friend Leila Ben Gacem who came from Abu » أول حاجة، نتمنّالهم يعيشوا Dhabi to the Medina to seek a more meaningful بعد عشرين سنة من الزمان ، زرت المدينة مع ولادي الزوز )الثنين أعمارهم للناس الكل. economic opportunity and a better quality أقل مالثناش( وحبّيت تجربة المدينة من عينيهم. وقتلي قاعدين يدوروا في نفس »السحر« الي عشتوا أنا نتمنالهم باش يروحوا ملهمين لدرجة أنهم يوليوا يحبوا يرجعوا of life for herself and for the members of the شوارعها على التروتينات متاعهم,حسوا هوما زادا بسحر البلاصة وبراعة +++ ومالين آخرين أول مرّة دخلنا خاتر هومازادا شيقتنعوا باللي المدينة هيا بالحق أرض متع .community around her where she set up shop الصنايعيّة نساء ورجال اللي عرضوهم.نهارتها قررت ندخلهم في الأخر لدار Rym Baouendi لموقع التراث العالمي هذا الي فرص. My sons left Dar Ben Gacem amazed, describing بن قاسم ،وحدة مالديار العربي المجددينها, ثمرة تعب وخدمة صديقتي ليلى بن ريم بوندي the place as “pretty cool” and I left as a hopeful قاسم اللي جات من أبوظبي للمدينة تلوج على الفرص الاقتصادية اللي عندها ماكيفو شي « mom happy that my children got to meet an [email protected] معنى وتحسن من نوعية العيشة لروحها وللمجتمع وين استقررت. ولادي inspired role model changemaker like Leila. www.medina-works.com خرجوا داهشين من دار بن قاسم وقالوا عليها »تحفونة برشة« وأنا خرجت 5 4 WELL-BEING IN THE MEDINA: “HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE URBAN QUALITY CHARTER IN THE MEDINA OF TUNIS? “

The Medina of Tunis has chosen, ever since it became part of humanity’s patrimony, culture and all that is societal as its local identity. Its future depends on the implementation of an urban BIEN VIVRE EN MÉDINA : quality charter as a common planning tool for shared quality.

This will be a joint participatory project between the city of Tunis, “COMMENT METTRE EN PLACE Medina inhabitants, and professionals in the fields of trades and crafts. All of those involved together will commit to achieve the objectives of LA CHARTE DE QUALITÉ preserving an exceptional heritage setting and to guarantee conditions favorable of commercial and tourist appeal. URBAINE POUR LA MÉDINA Thanks to aesthetic appeal, the souks, the tourist attractions, and the urban paths, facades will reflect an undeniable heritage and a living environment appreciated by all. DE TUNIS?”

In fact, building restoration, facade enhancement, public space layout, terraces, and the creation of paths, all express the personality of a street, a neighborhood and the Medina itself. They also reflect the quality of services and products available to customers and encourage sharing and harmony.

In this context, the planning of public space takes everyone’s interest in consideration, regardless of its use, it makes sense to take into account all possible uses even if they are temporary. La Médina de Tunis a fait le choix, depuis « la charte de qualité urbaine pourra être l’un son inscription sur la liste du patrimoine de Thus, planning the public space is to above all set it on a path of l’humanité, de la culture et du social comme des outils communs d’aménagement pour une sustainability and durability in order to stand the test of time. It should marque de son identité locale. Son avenir est qualité partagé. » also improve the living environment and provide the best conditions tributaire de la mise en œuvre d’une charte for “well being in the Medina”, guaranteeing balanced partitioning of de qualité urbaine comme outil commun public space for all. In fact, when the inhabitants, the tradesmen, and the d’aménagement pour une qualité partagé. craftsmen assume ownership of urban requalification projects, and take part in the various projects of development and restoration, they actively Cela va constituer un projet commun participatif partake in a common and shared approach with the local authority to Ainsi, aménager l’espace public c’est avant tout s’inscrire dans la durée , la pérennité et entre la ville de Tunis, les habitants de la Médina, la durabilité, c’est améliorer le cadre de vie pour créer les meilleures conditions d’un “ help preserve and promote both its identity, that of its inhabitants, its « the urban quality et les professionnels du commerce et de l’artisanat. craftsmen and finally its local trade. bien vivre en Médina”, garantissant un partage équilibré de l’espace public pour tous, charter could be Tous les intervenants vont s’engager ensemble en effet, pour les habitants, les commerçants et les artisans s’approprier les projets de à répondre à des objectifs de préservation d’un requalification urbaines, participer aux différents projets d’aménagement et de restauration To conclude, the urban quality charter could be one of the common one of the common cadre patrimonial exceptionnel et à garantir les planning tools for shared quality. Its objectives would be the following: , c’est s’inscrire activement dans une démarche commune et partagé avec l’autorité locale planning tools for bonnes conditions d’une attractivité commerciale afin de contribuer à préserver et valoriser à la fois son identité, celles de ses habitants , de et touristique accrues. ses artisans et enfin de son commerce local. 1 / Conserving and promoting the heritage of the Medina of Tunis, as shared quality. » it’s the reason behind its attractiveness, all the while maintaining the Par la qualité esthétique, les souks, les espaces authenticity of its architecture and its historic character. Pour conclure, la charte de qualité urbaine pourra être l’un des outils communs touristiques et les façades des parcours urbains d’aménagement pour une qualité partagé. Ses objectifs recherchés se résument comme seront le reflet d’un patrimoine indéniable et 2 / Strengthening commercial and tourist appeal by harmonizing the suit: d’un cadre de vie appréciés par tous, en effet, la facades of restored buildings, while also integrating new touristic restauration des bâtiments, l’embellissement des facilities with the distinctiveness of the old center. 1/ Conserver et valoriser le patrimoine de la Médina de Tunis, sera à l’origine de son façades, la création de parcours, l’agencement attractivité, en respectant l’authenticité de son architecture et son historicité. 3 / Ensuring joint and profitable management involving all users of the de l’espaces publics, des terrasses , expriment public sphere through mutual respect of property quality, signage, la personnalité d’une rue, d’un quartier et de la 2/ Renforcement de l’attractivité commerciale et touristique par l’harmonisation de la and terraces Médina elle même. Ils renvoient également à la qualité des façades des bâtiments restaurés, en intégrant également les nouvelles qualité des services et des produits proposés aux structures touristique à la spécificité du centre ancien. Amel Meddeb Ben Ghorbel +++ clients et invitent au partage et à la convivialité. Assurer une gestion concertée et profitable à tous, des usagers du domaine public à /3 أمال مدب بن غربال Executive Director of the Association de Sauvegarde de la Médina Amel Meddeb Ben Ghorbel Dans ce cadre, l’aménagement de l’espace public travers le respect de chacun d’entre eux de la qualité du mobilier, de la signalisation et Directrice Générale de l’ASM s’adresse à tous, quelle que sa son utilisation, il n’a des terrasses aménagées. (Association for the Conservation of the Medina) [email protected] de sens qu’en prenant en compte l’ensemble des www.asmtunis.com usages possibles même lorsqu’ils sont temporaires. 7 6 MA PASSION AVEC LA MÉDINA

صغيرو. تلمّينا كل نهار احد و كتبنا قد ما نجمو على بنيات لقات شكون ياقفلها و يخلّيها واقفة على التّاريخ الّي ردّ التّوانسة توانسة، we started writing down the history of » و بنيات زْهرها قليل ،مشات في العفس و لا كان عندها لا والي لا تالي. كل واحد فينا عقلو تسلب في جامع ولاّ زاوية و the Medina and delivering it with ease لاّ كنيسية و لاّ سيناڨوڨ من الحفصية ولاّ مدرسة ما عرفناش to those who roam its streets day and اسمها ابن تافاركين ولاّ تافارجين. اما الكلنا لمّتنا وجيعة على كنز كبير مطرّز بكنوز صغيرة واسمو مدينة تونس. حكينا night. There I began to realise that the عالمشاريع الّي تنجّم تصير في كلّ تركينة بش ِتحيّي البلاصة soul of the Medina which mesmerises و تجيب فلوس ترمّم البِيبَان و الشّبابك والحيوط الّي سترت تاريخنا ليها سنين. حبّينا نشوفو ناس واقفة في كل تركينة و you when you first visit it doesn’t stem تليفونها في يدّها تقرى على هكا القوس الّي يشق الشّارع من غير « .from nothing سبب ولاّ هاك ُالدّورة الحديد الّي في مرشوقة في قاع الحيط لا خدمة لا ڨدمة.

النّاس الّي تعبّي القهاوي و تسمع عمّ الهادي و شُبيلة و الجمّوسي و تترشّف كويّس تّاي ،محلاهم و محلى بلاصتهم في المدينة، اما زادة حبّينا نشوفو ناس تعرف المدينة بالفمّ و الملا و توريست The love started on a warm September day in 2007. Prior to that series, and each smells comes from a craft as deep-rooted as Carthage’s olive trees. At the time we started our project, the Revolution had already يجي بش يعيش حكاية و يشري منتوج معمول من يديّات evening, the Medina of Tunis for me was the pictures and videos happened 4 years ago and Tunis became ours with all of its glory and صانع وارث تاريخ المنتوج على رابع جدّ، و موش ياقف على I see broadcast on the TV every once in a while, only knowing by issues. The gates of the Medina previously locked from us began to نصبة متع منتوج معمول في الصين و ما عندو من حكايات name the Zitouna mosque. On that day, I went out of university and went down the only path I know to go home. I ran into two open and complain of its troubles; collapsed schools and mosques long المدينة كان النّهارين الّي تنصب فيهم على حرف الكيّاس. forgotten with only a paragraph or two about them left in an old dusty classmates who offered me to go to the Medina with them and book, palaces whose glory remains only in stories painfully told by locals النّاس الّي تلمّت بالمدينة من بعد الثّورة و لليوم عطات برشا then take the metro. like a father feeling his son’s pain. We got together every sunday and وقت و جهد بش ترجّع الرّوح في بلاصة كانت بش تضيع wrote as much as we could about buildings which had people standing I followed them as happy as someone who just moved to Tunis knowing من بين يدينا، و برشا منها ديجا ضاع. كل واحد عمل على قد up for them allowing them to stand tall over the history which gave nothing but the neighborhood’s drugstore. We went through “Nahj Al- الجهيّد و حاول يرجّع حويجة للدّنيا. اما الطريق مازال طويل tunisians their identity, and overlooked buildings, gone with the wind شغفي بالمدينة Kasbah” (the Kasbah Street) where the doors to a new world opened up بش تولّي المدينة وجهة سياحيّة تاريخيّة في المقام الّي تستاهلو and no one to watch over them. Each one of us had his mind taken over for me. A new world which would change my life and give a new meaning by either a mosque, a mausoleum, a cathedrale, a synagogue in Hafsia, or من ولادها قبل الأجانب الّي يجيو و يحيرو علاش المدينة مش to my love for the country. I saw the Medina from above. I came across a school whose name we think is either “Ibn Tafarkin” or “Ibn Tafarhin”. ماخذه قدرها buildings which silos and domes were mind blowing. I didn’t know where However, we were all united by our pain over a big tresor ornamented by to gaze: At the flag behind me in the centre of a square down a hill. It small tresor which is the Medina of Tunis. We talked about the projects المحبّة بدات في نهار دافي من نهارات leads to greens surrounding a fountain in between a building whose which could take place in each corner and whose profits could renovate سبتمبر عام 2007. قبل العشيّة هذيكا اخر النّهج تعسّ على مدخل المدينة. غادي عرفت الّي اربعة arches hold the glory of a man who underwent a lot which had only made the doors, windows, and walls which protected our history for years. سنين من عمري بش يتكتبو على حيوط المدينه و شوارعها. و him stronger and prouder, and a building whose stories are locked away مدينة تونس كانت تصاور و فيديوات تتعدّى We wanted to see people occupying every corner with their phones in قهوة الشوّاشيه و بير الحجار ولاّوْ داري الجديدة. و العيشة ولّات behind heavy police presence allowing only for a mere quick and scared في التّلفزة كلّ مديدة، ما كُنت نعرف their hands reading about that arche pointlessly put in the middle of the كسكروت من عند دولة ولاّ سامي في نهج سيدي علي عزّوز. peek inside. I took my time before excusing myself from my friends and street, or that metal ring stuck to the bottom of the wall for no reason. منها كان كان اسم جامع الزّيتونة. نهارتها اربعة سنين تعدّاو بيني و بين المدينة كيف حكاية محبّة بين زوز » بدينا نخدمو على تدوين going around in circles as if lost and not knowing where to go, being خرجت مالفاك و شدّيت ثنيتي الّي نعرفها صغار ما يعرفو من همّ الدّنيا شي. طلعت و هبط في شوارعها تاريخ المدينة و توصيلو ,( captivated by a building with “Sadiki” written at a time, and at others The people who fill the cafés and listen to “A’am Hadi” (Uncle Hadi و ما نعرف غيرها، و قصدت ربّي بش نروّح. و حفظت زناقيها من غير ما نحسّ بهمْها و من غير ما نعرف gazing at the ornaments of the Mosque’s silo standing tall and watching “Choubaila” (Choubaila Rached), and Al-Jamoussi while sipping tea are ّبالساهل للنّاس الّي over the entrance of the Medina. It was there where I knew that 4 years عرضوني زوز يقراو معايا و عرضو عليا بش حكاياتها، حالي من حال برشا توانسة. nice and have their place in the Medina. However, we would love to ْتسكرف شوارعها نهار و ليل. of my life will be written on the Medina’s walls and streets. “Chaouachia” see people who know all about the Medina, and tourists who come to نهبط معاهم عالمدينه و ناخو الميترو. café and “Bir Lahjarr” became my new home. Sandwiches at Doula’s or خرجت مالجامعة وبعدْت اما المحبة عاشت و الرّجوع للمدينة غادي بديت نعرف الّي الروح experience and buy handcrafted products from artisans who inherited تبّعتهم بفرحة الّي مازال كيف سكن جديد ولّا كيف قهوة الصباح، ما يكمل نهاري و يتعدّل كان بيه. اما ّ Sami’s in “Nahj Sidi Ali Azouz” (Sidi Ali Azouz Street) became my life. A the trade from their great-great-grandparent. Instead of looking at a و ما يعرف من تونس كان حماص الحومه. جهلي ليها ما نقصْ ش و قعدت زاير غريب. متع المدينة الّي تسحرك four years long love story grew between me and the Medina like that stand of chinese products which been in the Medina for no more than of two carefree kids. I went up and down its streets and memorized its هبطنا على نهج القصبه و غادي تحل عليا .two days بعد 8 سنين من اول مرّه قابلت فيها المدينه، الصدفة جابتلي من اوّل ما تدخلها موش alleyways without feeling its pain nor knowing its stories, same as many باب متع دنيا اخرى بش تبّدلي حياتي و .tunisians فرصة بش نقابلها مرّه اخرى و نتعرّف عليها في حال جديد جاية من هوا. « The people who united for the Medina after the Revolution and until this تعلّمني معنى جديد لمحبّة البالد. day, gave plenty of time and effort to bring back the soul to a place which و كاينّي عمري ما عرفتها. قابلت ا َمنة من جمعيّة قرطاجينة و I graduated from university and moved away. However, my love survived بدينا نخدمو على تدوين تاريخ المدينة و توصيلو بالسّاهل للنّاس almost slipped through our fingers, and lost much already,. Everyone did and I kept on coming back to the medina as if it was my morning coffee; their very best and tried to give back. Nevertheless, the Medina still has شفت المدينة من فوق، قابلوني بنيات صوامعها و قبُبها تسلب الّي تسكْرف شوارعها نهار و ليل. غادي بديت نعرف الّي something my day wouldn’t be complete without. My ignorance of it still a long road ahead before it becomes the historical touristic destination it الرّوح متع المدينة الّي تسحرك من اوّل ما تدخلها موش جاية العقل. ما عرفتش فين نرمي عينيا:للعلم ورايا في وسط ساحة didn’t dwindle and I remained a foreign visitor. deserves to be, and before it gets the respect it deserves from the locals تبّع الحدرة و تصب في خْضار داير َبْخصّ ة بين بنية اقواسها فيها من هوا. كل تركينة فيها يتكتب عليها مسلسل و كلّ ريحة before that of foreigners who come over and are then puzzled because 8 years after my first encounter with the Medina I got the opportunity, العزّ متع العبد الّي تعدّى على راسو برشا اما ما زاد فيه كان جاية من صنعة عروقها ضاربة في قاع الارض كي عروق .of how disregarded it is القوّه و الرّاس العالي، و بنية حكاياتها مسكّر عليها برشا حاكم و الزيتون متع قرطاج. في الوقت الّي بدينا فيه المشروع متاعنا، as chance would have it, to see it again in a new light and get to know it as if I’ve never did before. I met Emna from the association “Carthagina” ما تنجّم تسرق منها كان خزرة مزروبه و خايفه. خذيت وقتي و الثورة ديجا بدات عندها 4 سنين و تونس ولاّت متاعنا بعزّها +++ and we started writing down the history of the Medina and delivering it طلبت من صحابي السّماح و درت على بلاصتي تقول ضايع و و بهمّها الكل. و بيبان المدينة الّي كانو مسكْرينها علينا بدات براهيم بوغالمي with ease to those who roam its streets day and night. There I began to Brahim Boughalmi مش عارف فين نمشي. مرّة تسرقني بنية مكتوب عليها الصادقيّة تتحل و تشكي همومها، مدارس طاحت و جوامع ما قعد منها realise that the soul of the Medina which mesmerises you when you first [email protected] فقرة ولاّ زوز في كتاب كلاتو الغبرة و السّوسة، و قصور ما قعد و مرّة نلقى روحي سارح في نقشة الجامع الّي صمعتو واقفه في visit it doesn’t stem from nothing. Each of its corners is worthy of its own Carthagena من عزّها كان حكايات يحكيهالك ولد تونس بوجيعة البو على 9 8 COFFRE AU TRÉSOR TREASURE نهج الدريبة...

La médina de Tunis est un coffre aux trésors qui ne tarit pas de se transformer, belle .et vaillante face au temps, elle n’en finit pas d’émerveiller les âmes de passage الدار دارك! Effectuant une recherche sur la chéchia tunisienne, car il va sans dire qu’elle CHEST a de nombreuses sœurs du levant au couchant, je ne peux que constater la vigueur des stratégies mises à l’œuvre afin que cet artisanat perdure. Depuis deux siècles au moins, aussi loin que les écrits à dimension ethnologique nous portent, on parle نهج الدريبة، مدخل من مداخل المدينة وإنت جاي من باب بنات بجنب وزارة الشؤون الدينية. ,de « mort de la chéchia », de « décadence » et d’« extinction à venir », pourtant بلاصة مزيانة، نظيفة و كونها قريبة مالوزارات خلا اللهوة بيها أكثر من بلايص اخرى في المدينة. en 2019 en Tunisie, on fabrique toujours la chéchia, qui trouve son écrin dans le اش خلا ديما ثمة شكون يبوزي قدام باب مدهون جديد وإلا Bougainvillier وإلا حيط أبيض. souk chaouachine dédié. En réalité, le secret réside en partie dans l’adaptation يعني تنجم تقول Carte postale للمدينة تنجم تتحط في catalogue. constante aux contraintes économiques, aux marchés qui s’ouvrent et se ferment, aux désirs des acheteurs, au temps présent en somme, tout en conservant la أما يقول القايل بلاصة هكا ثمة منها برشة في المدينة، علاش هاذي بالذات اخترتها؟ …DRIBA ALLEY dimension éminemment identitaire, voire politique, que la chéchia porte en son .sein نهج الدريبة يرجعني لأول وقت بديت نتعرف فيه على المدينة كيف كنت نقرا في الصادقية و وقتلي يبدا عندنا heure creuse نهبطو نستكشفو هالدنيا الجديدة بالنسبة لينا. نهج الدريبة يبدا عادي، MAKE YOURSELF AT Dans vingt ans, comme il y a un, deux, trois siècles, on fabriquera la chéchia et on la vendra dans son souk, pavé de son marbre écru, posé en 2019, paré de ses مبعد تلقى روحك هابط في الصعدة، كاينك مجبود للمدينة من غير ما تشعر. تعرضك بطحة صغيرة فيها عرص لوح بألوان السناجق، ممكن مزيودين زيادة أما صعيب تراهم في بلاصة أخرى في المدينة. HOME boiseries à l’infinité de couches de peinture, teinté de l’atmosphère du monde des The medina of Tunis is a treasure chest that never ceases to chaouachis que côtoient désormais les cafés. Avec l’apparence d’être figée dans evolve, never ceases to valiantly stand the test of time, nor وإنت مازلت تتفرج في البطحة لي كاينها صحن دار، تلقى درجة عالية تهبطك اللوطى. و يبدا النهج des temps anciens, la chéchia sait s’adapter, se réinventer, s’innover, cela grâce يظلام لين تلقى روحك في بلاصة كيما السقيفة مغطية و فيها كراسي لوح مبرقشين. و ساعات ترى Driba alley, one of the many entrances adorning the Medina you to stop mesmerizing the passing souls. While researching the aux chaouachis, la rendant dès lors éternelle. En ce sens, la chéchia illustre le كليم ولا زوز مفروشين. تزيد تحس روحك دخلت لدار و تبدى تستنى بش يجيك مولى الدار يسلم would come across while coming from Bab Bnat, just beside the Tunisian chechia, as it goes without saying that it has many mouvement de l’histoire : un passé, réel, imaginé, ou mythifié ; un présent dans counterparts spread across the globe from east to west, I could عليك، خاصة في الصيف، مع الشهيلي و السخانة، كي تدخل لنهج الدريبة و تحس البرود متاع سقيفة ministry of Religious Affairs. It’s a beautiful and clean place, closely lequel elle vit et auquel elle s’adapte ; et un futur, projeté, rêvé ; à chaque époque not help but notice the vigor of the strategies put in place so الدار. surrounded by several ministries which made the interest and flow correspondent des caractéristiques, des significations, des utilisations, un destin. of people to the area grow bigger compared to other places in the that this craft persists. For at least two centuries, as far back as ethnographic texts take us, there has been mention of الشي هذا يولي أوضح و تحسو أكثر و أكثر في شهر رمضان، وقتلي النهج هذا يولي قهوة و كافيشانتا Medina. So much so, that one would always find someone striking Ainsi, après la spécialisation par métier des espaces commerciaux intramédinaux, the “death of the chechia”, of “decadence” and of “looming و تتلم الأحباب و تجي من كل قبيلة في تونس ا�لكبرى و ما جاورها زادة. تولي كل تركينة تصلح a pose in front of a newly painted door, a bougainvillea, or a simple on observera l’intrication des métiers et des fonctions, entre artisanat, arts, vente, extinction”. Nevertheless, in 2019 in Tunisia, the chechia is بش تقعد فيها الضياف، و ما فيها باس كان نحترفو شوية من الزنقة لي قدام، ما يدوم حال و شهر white wall. Almost like a postcard of the Medina, one you could sustentation, habitation. Ainsi, on pourra acheter sa chéchia puis aller se rafraîchir still being made, with its own pedestal in its own dedicated ويتعدى...كانك ما تعرفش المدينة و تمشي في نهج الدريبة في رمضان، يمشي في بالك لي إنت دخلت tuck away in a catalogue. But, some might say, a place like this alley avec une citronnade ou se réchauffer avec un thé à la menthe, selon la saison. La market: Souk Chaouachine. In fact, the secret lies partly in how لدار فرح! ?is typical of the Medina, so why choose it in particular médina arborera donc l’image que l’on se fait du souk et que l’on trouve dans la it constantly adapts to economic constraints, to markets which rue Zitouna : celle du bazar, la profusion, les effluves des parfums et des épices, les Driba alley takes me back to when I first started familiarizing open and close in accordance with buyers’ desire, all the while mélodies diverses, l’éclat des couleurs, la douceur des tissus et des pâtisseries tout إختيار البلاصة هاذي ينجم يظهر ساهل خاطر كي تجي تشوف تامة الشروط و فيها كل ما يعجب، myself with the Medina, the time when I was a student at Sadiki maintaining the aspects of its identity, borderline political. juste cuites. Déambulant dans tout ce paradis des sens, Tunisiens et Tunisiennes �لكن السحر متاعها أقوى مالبيبان العربي المدهونة جديد و الحيوط المبيضة و ا�لكذال المرصف. ثمة school. When we would have a spare hour between classes, we de tous âges, touristes, étrangers, mais aussi les habitants de longue date de la روح خاصة تجبدك وإنت داخل للمدينة ماغير ما تشعر و تفيق بروحك كان بديت اتبع في الزناقي would go out and discover this new world that seemed so foreign In twenty years, same as one, two, three centuries ago, médina : les chats, se rencontrent, échangent, apprennent. La médina incarne donc لوين يهزوك. to us. Driba alley starts in an ordinary way, then all of a sudden the chechia will be made and sold in its souk, paved with de tous temps la ville créative et créatrice, mais également en quelque sorte la you find yourself going down a hill, you find yourself being drawn unbleached marble, laid in 2019, adorned with its woodwork maghrébine, où tous nous sommes frères et sœurs, et de cette union créatrice النّاس الّي تعبّي القهاوي و تسمع عمّ الهادي و شُبيلة و الجمّوسي و تترشّف كويّس تّاي ،محلاهم و which is covered in infinite layers of paint, carrying part of عائلــة ,to the Medina. You encounter a small square with wooden pickets naissent les grands esprits. C’est bien pour cela que la médina est un patrimoine محلى بلاصتهم في المدينة، اما زادة حبّينا نشوفو ناس تعرف المدينة بالفمّ و الملا و توريست يجي بش probably added later on, but rare to find anywhere else in the the chaouachis’ world who now share their space with cafes. collectif, pour ce qu’elle représente pour chacun, fruit d’un vécu personnel et يعيش حكاية و يشري منتوج معمول من يديات صانع وارث تاريخ المنتوج على رابع جدّ، و موش Medina. And while you’re still admiring the square that resembles ّ Seemingly frozen in ancient times, the chechia knows how collectif, aboutissant à des façons d’y vivre et d’y faire. Et c’est ce collectif qui to adapt, to reinvent itself, and to innovate, thanks to the ياقف على نصبة متع منتوج معمول في الصين و ما عندو من حكايات المدينة كان النّهارين الّي تنصب the middle of the traditional Arabian house, you ,find a high step détermine l’avenir de la médina de Tunis. chaouachis, who have been eternalizing it. In this sense, the فيهم على حرف الكيّاس. that takes you down. Down there, the alley starts off dark until you end up in a covered porch-like place with beautifully decorated chechia illustrates the tide of history: a past, real, imagined, or wooden chairs, and sometimes you see a traditional rug or two. All mystical; a present in which it lives and to which it adapts; and of which makes it feel like you’ve just entered a home and you’re a future, estimated, dreamed of; to each timeframe correspond waiting for the owner to come greet you. It’s on those hot humid some characteristics, meanings, uses, and a destiny. summer days that you appreciate the feeling more, when you enter Thus, following the specialization of “Intra-medinal” Driba alley and immediately feel the coolness of being under a commercial spaces by trade, we can observe the entanglement porch’s awning. LA MEDINA DE MES THE MEDINA OF MY of trades and occupations, between crafts, arts, sales, These little things become clearer and clearer, and you start to sustenance, housing. Hence, you can buy your chechia then feel it more and more during Ramadan, when that alley turns into RÊVES…. DREAMS... cool down with a lemonade or warm up with a mint tea, a café, where loved ones get together, coming from each and every depending on the season. The medina will, therefore, display tribe of Grand Tunis, and its neighboring areas too. Each and every J’ai rêvé la Medina, ses ruelles sans fin menant vers une destination I dreamt of the Medina, of its endless alleyways leading to unknown the image of the souk, specifically found in the Zitouna street: corner becomes with guests, and sometimes we’d even steal a inconnue, qui au détour d’une arcade cache un magnifique palais destinations. the Medina which hides around one of its arches a that of the bazaar, the abundance, the fragrance of perfumes few meters from the neighboring alley… Days go by and Ramadan qui semble aujourd’hui oublié par ses propriétaires et ses enfants magnificent palace seemingly forgotten today by its owners and and spices, the various melodies, the vibrancy of the colors, ends… if you’re not really familiar with the Médina and you take depuis trop longtemps, seule la sublime porte semble encore porter their children since a very long time ago. Only its sublime gate seems the softness of fabrics and freshly baked pastries. Strolling a stroll through Driba alley during Ramadan you might think you la magnificence de ses temps anciens ….. Pourquoi m’avoir abandonné to still maintain the magnificence of its ancient times… Why did I through this heaven made for the senses, Tunisians of all ages, have just crashed a wedding… à ce triste sort ? La Medina de mes rêves donne une nouvelle vie à surrender to this sad fate? The Medina of my dreams gives a new tourists, foreigners, and also the long-time inhabitants of the ces palais abandonnés, à ce cimentière des rois (tourbet el bey) dont life to these abandoned palaces, to this cemetery of kings (Tourbet medina: cats, meet, exchange, and learn from each other. The This spot might seem like the most obvious choice, considering l’histoire est restée dissimulée trop longtemps, laissant ses habitants El Bey) whose history has been long concealed, leaving its dwellers medina thus embodies at all times the creative city, but also family), where we are all brothers) -عائلــة- that it perfectly fits all the criteria, but its charm goes way beyond orphelins d’une partie de leur histoire, de leur identité... La Medina de bereft of a part of their history, of their identity… The Medina of my in a way the Maghreb the traditional newly painted doors, the white walls, and the mes rêves retrouve son histoire à travers celle de ses constructions qui dreams regains its history through that of these constructions which and sisters, and from this creative union, great minds are born. cobblestone. deviennent tour à tour des théâtres, des centres culturels, des salles de are becoming, one by one, theaters, cultural centers, performance This is why the Medina is a collective heritage, for what it spectacle, des hôtels de charme, des restaurants, des ateliers d’artistes halls, charming hotels, restaurants, workshops for artists or artisans represents for everyone, the fruit of a personal and collective There’s a soul that pulls you in the moment you step inside the ou d’artisans qui permettent de faire vivre un savoir-faire millénaire qui thanks to whom a millennium-old know-how lives on as it is experience, resulting in different ways of living. And it is this Medina without you even realising it. Only to find yourself aimlessly se transmet aux jeunes générations, valorisant ainsi ce patrimoine et transmitted to young generations, giving value to this patrimony and group that determines the future of the Medina of Tunis. wandering its alleys. ces métiers d’art. La Medina de mes rêves est le poumon culturel de la these artistic professions. The Medina of my dreams is the cultural +++ ville. heart of the city. ظافر بن خليفة +++ +++ Dhafer Ben Khaliafa Maitre Maya Boureghda Chebeane Pauline Pépin Président du Collectif Créatif [email protected] Ethnologue [email protected] 11 10 LA RÉHABILITATION DES

CENTRES ANCIENS : REHABILITATION OF OLD ENTRE MAINTIEN DES CENTERS: BETWEEN MAINTAINING POPULATIONS ET TENTATIVE DE POPULATIONS AND ATTEMPTS OF SOCIAL MIXITÉ SOCIALE ? DIVERSITY?

Le concept du patrimoine n’est pas nécessairement une notion « Depuis les années quatre-vingt, The concept of heritage is not necessarily a self-evident notion, The need to maintain resident populations in heritage buildings has allant de soi, ni intériorisée par les populations résidant dans les nor internalized by the populations living in historical centers, become an issue and a reality both at the international level and in the centres historiques, surtout quand celles-ci, à l’image de Tunis la réflexion s’est portée sur une especially when they, like Tunis (whose old center was listed local city politics. In Tunis, this experiment is already old, it started with the preservation projects of the Medina launched since the seventies. (dont le centre ancien a été classé sur la liste du Patrimoine approche culturelle, en parallèle as World Heritage in 1979) belong to the sphere of developing Mondial en 1979) appartiennent à la sphère des pays en countries. développement. Since its creation in 1967, the Safeguarding Association of the Medina of des opérations de restauration et de Tunis has been overseeing the rehabilitation of buildings, overcrowded The safeguarding strategies of the old centers in the southern cities have housing, and neighborhoods such as “Hafsia”. Other projects have Les stratégies de sauvegarde des centres anciens dans les villes du restructuration urbaine ; c’est ainsi embedded the need to preserve the monuments, the ancient fabrics, but rekindled the interest of the authorities in the medina as with the Sud ont intégré la nécessité de préserver les monuments, les tissus also the social structures attached to them. The vernacular architecture, qu’il y a eu création du Festival de la projects of itineraries beautification. They have managed to noticeably anciens mais également les structures sociales qui leur sont attachées. perceived as heritage, and the growing attention for intangible heritage transform the neighborhood, increase the economic and tourist appeal, L’architecture vernaculaire étant perçue comme patrimoine ainsi que are recent guidelines aiming to give more importance to residential Médina et la mise en place d’un circuit and improve the inhabitants’ quality of life. l’attention de plus en plus marquée pour le patrimoine immatériel usage, living environments, and daily practices, far from the ossified sont des orientations récentes qui visent à donner une importance touristique comme moyens de montrer appearance of the city as a museum. Private investors were behind the revived interest in the Medina. In renforcée aux fonctions résidentielles, aux cadres de vie, aux pratiques addition to the rehabilitation of the buildings, they gave them new quotidiennes, loin de l’image sclérosée de la ville musée. que la médina est aussi un lieu de In an effort to preserve the “spirit of the place”, the maintenance of the functionalities: guest houses, restaurants, workshops for craftsmen and resident and poor populations has become an essential issue (at least at culture et de loisir. » art galleries are multiplying. Moreover, the medina is being increasingly C’est dans le contexte de préserver « l’esprit des lieux », que le a rhetoric level) for the restoration policies of the old centers of the cities invested in by wealthier social classes who buy houses either to live in or maintien des populations résidentes et pauvres est alors devenu un of the South. The rehabilitation of heritage buildings while supporting to set up projects for restaurants, guest houses, five-star hotels. Is there enjeu essentiel (tout du moins au niveau des discours) des politiques une nouvelle fonction : des maisons d’hôtes, des restaurants, des the poor is a difficult challenge that requires a strong financial implication an emergence of pockets of wealth in the old center? de reconquête des centres anciens des villes du Sud. La réhabilitation ateliers d’artisans et galeries d’art se multiplient. Par ailleurs la médina on the part of the public authorities. It is also part of an international d’édifices patrimoniaux avec le maintien des populations pauvres est un est de plus en plus investie par des classes sociales plus aisées qui movement advocating a participatory approach and the involvement of As well as the cultural events being initiated by young people from pari difficile qui nécessite une forte implication financière de la part des achètent des maisons soit pour y habiter soit pour monter des projets residents in decision-making. the civil society, who try to involve local residents like the initiatives pouvoirs publics. Elle entre également dans une mouvance internationale de restaurants, de maisons d’hôtes, des hôtels cinq étoiles. Y a-t-il une of the association L’Art rue; Creative Collective: Journal of the Medina; prônant la démarche participative et l’implication des habitants aux émergence de poches de richesse dans le centre ancien ? In order to preserve the residential usage of the historic city and prevent Doolesha; Interference; El Houma Khir ... etc. prises de décisions. it from becoming a mere heritage and tourist city, incentive policies De même que des événements culturels, initiés par des jeunes de would stimulate the spontaneous return of wealthy populations to the It should be noted that since the eighties, reflection has shifted towards Afin de préserver les fonctions résidentielles de la ville historique pour la société civile, qui essaient d’impliquer les riverains comme les still-popular neighborhoods. a cultural approach in parallel with restoration and urban restructuring ne pas en faire uniquement une ville patrimoniale et touristique, des initiatives de l’association L’Art rue ; Collectif Créatif : Journal de la operations; This is how the Medina Festival came to light and a tourist politiques incitatives stimulent un retour spontané des populations Medina ; Doolesha ; Interférences ; El Houma Khir…etc. Is the linkage between these two policies possible? It would lead to an circuit was set up as a means of showing that the medina is also a place aisées dans les quartiers encore populaires. ideal of social diversity that would appear utopian in regards to current of culture and leisure. Its most important impact is on the area of the Il est à noter que depuis les années quatre-vingt, la réflexion s’est developments in heritage cities. Does it not risk stimulating spontaneous medina; it attracts an important audience of all ages and all social L’articulation entre ces deux politiques est-elle possible ? Elle aboutirait portée sur une approche culturelle, en parallèle des opérations de gentrification? à un idéal de mixité sociale qui apparaîtrait comme bien utopique aux restauration et de restructuration urbaine ; c’est ainsi qu’il y a eu categories regards des évolutions actuelles des villes patrimoniales. Ne risque-t- création du Festival de la Médina et la mise en place d’un circuit All of these initiatives have had a significant impact on the Medina, elle pas de stimuler une gentrification spontanée ? touristique comme moyens de montrer que la médina est aussi un lieu « Since the eighties, reflection has architecturally, socially and economically as well as in terms of heritage. de culture et de loisir. Son impact le plus important se manifeste sur Thus, visitors rediscover this area of the city; which generates good La nécessité de maintenir les populations résidentes dans les édifices l’espace de la médina ; il draine un public important de tous les âges et shifted towards a cultural approach business deals. The “Al-Anba” Café (the vineyard), situated in “Rue Souk- patrimoniaux est aujourd’hui devenue un enjeu et une réalité présents de toutes les catégories sociales. aussi bien au niveau international que dans les politiques locales des in parallel with restoration and Erbaà”, has become a must for young people, as are the pastries of “Rue villes. À Tunis, cette expérience est déjà ancienne, elle a démarré avec les Toutes ces initiatives ont eu un impact important sur la Médina, tant urban restructuring operations; Sidi Ben Arous” (icecream and Jawajem) or those of “Rue du Riche” and projets de préservation de la Médina lancés depuis les années soixante- sur les plans architectural, social et économique que sur le plan “Rue du Pasha” (fruit pies). dix. patrimonial. Ainsi des visiteurs redécouvrent ce quartier de la ville ; This is how the Medina Festival For a decade or two, real estate prices have sharply risen; Is it the reversal ce qui génère de bonnes affaires sur le commerce. Le Café Al-Anba (la came to light and a tourist circuit of the bandwagon effect in the Medina? Depuis sa création, en 1967, l’Association Sauvegarde de la Médina de vigne), dans la rue Souk-Erbaà est devenu le passage obligé des jeunes, Tunis encadre les opérations de réhabilitation d’édifices, de l’habitat tout comme, la pâtisserie de la rue Sidi Ben Arous (glace et Jawajem) ou was set up as a means of showing Will the medina (Re) become trendy? surdensifié et aussi de quartiers, comme celui de la « Hafsia ». D’autres celles de la rue du Riche et de la rue du Pacha (tartes aux fruits). projets ont relancé l’intérêt des pouvoirs publics pour la médina avec that the medina is also a place of les projets d’embellissement de parcours. Ils ont réussi à transformer Depuis une décennie voire deux, les prix de l’immobilier grimpent +++ فايقة بجاوي « .sensiblement le quartier, en augmenter l’attrait économique et d’une manière vertigineuse ; Est-ce le revers de l’effet mode retour à la culture and leisure touristique, et améliorer la qualité de vie des habitants. Médina ? Faïka Béjaoui Architecte/urbaniste Spécialiste patrimine Les investisseurs privés étaient derrière l’intérêt relancé envers la La médina (Re) devient-elle tendance ? membre Beit Al Hikma Médina, en plus de la réhabilitation des édifices, ils leur ont redonné [email protected] 13 12 المدينة، صامدة بمالمح متجدده

مانيــش خبيــرة متــع مــدن، و لحقيقــة ماني خبيرة في شــي، امــا نحــب النــاس، و النــاس ركيــزة المجتمــع و يرســموا مالمح ,THE MÉDINA مدنهــم, و نحــب نجــرب و نحلــل و نطــور و نغلــط كل يــوم و نصلــح كل يــوم... فــي الــورش اللــي نظمناهــم مــع جامعــة STEADFAST WITH معهــد لنــدن, عنــدي تــالث مالحظــات, علخاطــر نومــرو تالثــة هــو نومرويــا المفضــل: NEW FEATURE « Opportunities for »النية سياسية« تكون او ال تكون ,investment in heritage ديما في تونس كي نحكييو على التراث واحياء التراث والمحافظة على التراث، الموضوع يتسكّر specifically in the Médina بأربع كلمات يسكرو اللي ما يتسكرش »ما فماش نية سياسية«. الحقيقة، كرائدة اجتماعية )إذا ,I’m no expert when it comes to cities… To be honest I’m not an expert exist in every corner, alley صح التعبير( مهمتي في الحياة ما نرتاح حتى نلقا الباب المحلول ونرفض فكرة اللي ما فما حتى ترف at anything, but I love people, and people are the pillars of society, they شق باب يدخل منو الضو! وأصلا كسياسيه فاشله، نسأ�لكم باللهي التراث والحفاظ عليه قداش make up its features. I want to experiment, analyse, and develop, I want closed state-owned historical يجيبُ أصوات بجاه ربي، كيفاش تحبو يكون فما نية سياسية إذا التراث مش على قائمة الأولويات to make mistakes everyday and try to correct them everyday… In At the building, and private الانتخابية والبرامج الحزبية والخ!! زايد يا شباب، وزيد الحمد ال�ل�ه من بعد الثورة فما برشا مبادرات workshops that we organized with the UCL Institute in London, I have خاصه ساهمة مساهمه لا يستهان بها في الحفاظ على التراث بوسائل وموارد متواضعة.... شبيكم « .come to realize three things, because three is my favourite number: properties in ruins تسكرو فيها وما تحبوش تشوفو مبادرات غير سياسية ناجحة و لو نجاح بسيط! واصلا الأدوار بعد قصة طابع شواشي Political intent” to be or not to be”- الثورة لازم إعادة النظر ليها. الدولة، المتمثلة في الإدارة، ماعادش تنجم تحبس روحها في دور In Tunisia, when speaking about heritage, rediscovering it, and preserving الرقيب المسيطر اللي يعرف مصلحة المتساكنين، هذا دور ماعادش يلائم دولة تحكي بالتشاركية في الصورة طوابع شواشي من ممكن القرن ال 17 او ال 18, التصويرة من مكتب محمد :it, the topic is quickly dealt with thanks to four potent magical words our mixed origins. وما عندهاش الموارد اللازمة بش تحل تحدياتها التنموية، وهذا يعرفوه الناس الكل اللي ولاو المسعودي، مشكور اللي خلاني نأخذ صورة ل�لكنز اللي عندو. في وقتهم هذم كانوا شعار )there’s no political intent”. Truth is, as a social activist (if I’m not )logo“ »مواطنين« مش »متساكنين«... الدولة تو لازم تلعب دور المفعل للمبادرات التمويه، المسهل متع ماركات عالمية، تصدر للبلدان الافريقية خاصه والاوربية شويه. الشاشية كانت وقتها ركيزه من ,mistaken), my mission in life is to not rest until no doors are left unopened للاستثمار والميسّر للتعاون بين القطاعات. فرص الاستثمار التراثي في المدينة في كل زنقة و نهج Why is it that this specific topic is such a sensitive matter, and why does ركائز الاقتصاد الوطني، معنتها بترول تونس قرنين لتالي. كان الشواشي، ما يولي معلّم كان ما البي ?and I refuse the idea that even the smallest crack where slithers of light it cause so much excitement when it comes to the Medina و مبنى تاريخي ملك الدولة و مسكر و ملك خاص و طايح، با�لكشي مش »النيّة السياسية« اللي بيدو يعطيه رخصه، علخاطر يولي من اعيان البلاد، مقرب للسلطة, عندو كلمة في البلاد و ممكن could get through doesn’t exist! Plus, as a failed politician, in the first محتاجينلها, انما »نيّة وطنية« بش نخدمو مع بعضنا. كل واحد بالموارد والخبرة متاعو. وقتها ممكن حتى فوق القانون... شكون و شكون ينجم يولي شواشي, لازم يكون صنايعي, تاجر كبير, و عندو place, I ask you, how many votes does the issue of heritage and its I want the Medina to become internationally famous, and international يولي القطاع التراثي »قطاع« و اذا اصبح »قطاع« وقتها يلقى بقعتو في »الاجندات« السياسية. مصدقيه و سمعه و أخلاقه عالية برشا! سوق الشاشية اليوم فيه القهاوي اكثر من الشواشية, و محتاج preservation guarantee, for god’s sake how do you believe that a political cities’ last worry is people’s last names or where they came from just like لمتحف يحكي حكاية الشاشية الراس اللي رفعت علم تونس 3 او 4 قرون. intent would exist if this issue is not a priority in electoral lists and the in small villages. Because what renders these grand cities and societies »ديناميكية المدن« programs of political parties, etc…! Nevermind all of that. Moreover, after international, according to my humble analysis, is this conglomeration the revolution, there were thankfully a lot of private contributions that of services networks, goods, and good experiences. This conglomeration في التاريخ المعاصر )معنتها توتو( الناس ديما تحكي على اللي جا بعدهم كأنه خالط خلوط يلوج على بقعه even though modest in resources were able to greatly contributed in the is the reason that makes the networks’ components work seamlessly. THE STORY OF SHAWESHI STAMPS و بش يبلبز القعده, يقولولهم »نزوح« يحاولو يتموقعو في بلاصه مش متاعهم و ديما نغزرولهم بعين النقص, preservation of heritage…Why do you keep on incessantly undermining It also creates an economic dynamic that attracts highly qualified علخاطر ما جا كان ما ‘احنا’ خير! تي كل واحد كان نزوح في وقت من الأوقات، وتاريخ تونس يعج the success of these non-political initiatives, even if their success is individuals who seek to live, work, invest, and contribute in improving This picture includes many Shaweshi stamps that date back to approximately minimal! عجاجا بناس جات ومشات ونصبت ومبعد نقّلت وناس جات من بعيد، من الاول ما حبيناهمش this economic dynamism with new opportunities that could in itself the 17th or 18th century. The picture was taken inside the office of Mouhamed contribute to the development of the city. That could only happen if Massoudi, I want to thank him deeply for letting me take a picture of the treasure ومبعد ولاو عائله و مببببببعد نفتخرو اللي اصلنا مخلط... علاش ناس مشات وجات موضوع كبير To begin with, after the revolution, reexamining everyone’s role became the city embraces its “melting pot” society, or it could create a new he possesses. Back in their days, these were the logo of international brands that حساس والناس تتحمسلو برشا كي نحكييو على المدينة. انا نحب المدينة تولي عالمية، والمدن العالمية اخر همها a necessity. The state having an essentially administrative role is no exodus if it follows the isolationist route. export especially to African countries and partly to European ones. The Shashia القاب الناس ومن وين جاو كيما في القرى، علخاطر اللي يرد المدن والمجتمعات عالمية حسب تحليلى ,longer capable of limiting itself to the role of the domineering overseer (the traditional Tunisian red hat) was a pillar of the national economy at that المتواضع، هو تكتل متع شبكات للخدمات والسلع وتجارب ايجابيه. هذا التكتل ينجّح عناصر الشبكة ويخلق who of course knows best its inhabitants’ interests. This role is no longer -”Technology’s distance shortening impact” time; meaning that it was 2 centuries ago what petrol is for Tunisia today. The fit for a state that talks in terms of a participatory system, and lacks the ديناميكية اقتصادية تجذب الخبرات اللي يحبو يسكنوا ويخدموا و يستثمرو و يساهمو في تحسين الديناميكية Shaweshi back then would become a master only if the Bey himself gives him necessary resources to solve its development challenges. All of this is no Sometimes in Dar Ben Gacem, representatives from the Ministry of الاقتصادية بفرص جديده، تنجم تساهم في تنمية المدينة اذا اتبعت سياسة اندماج المجتمع اللي هي فيه، a special permit. The reason behind it is that he would become an important secret to those who transitioned from simple inhabitants to “citizens”. Tourism pay us visits. They would always ask “what’s the market you كيما تنجم تساهم في نزوح جديد اذا كانت معزولة عن المجتمع اللي هي فيه. employee of the state, close to the government in power, has a say in what goes are targeting?”, a question which always puzzles me to be honest, and on in the country, and maybe even above the law… Becoming a Shaweshi was a »موت المسافات بفضل التكنولوجيا« Now the state needs to act as the catalyst for developmental initiatives, to which my answer always varies… It’s a really, really, really tough very selective process: he has to be very crafty, a credible tradesman, honest with the facilitator for both investment and cooperation between the different question, because the hardest thing about it is the lack of faith in the Old a good reputation and impeccable morals! Souk Al-Shashia (Shashia market) sectors. Médina… Could you imagine that an employee of the Egyptian Ministry أحيانا في دار بن قاسم، يزورونا ممثلين عن وزارة السياحة، و يسئلو ديما »شنوا السوق اللي تستهدفها« nowadays has more coffee shops than Shaweshia (Shashia makers), and is in of Tourism would ask about which market the pyramids target, or in لحقيقة سؤال يحيرني برشا، و كل مره اش نجاوب... سؤال صعيب صعيب صعيب, علخاطر desperate need of a museum to tell the story of the Shashia that held Tunisia’s flag Opportunities for investment in heritage, specifically in the Médina exist France, would they ask which market is targeted by the Eiffel Tower! I high for 3 or 4 centuries. اصعب حاجه فيه عدم الايمان بالمدينة العتيقة... تتصور موظف في وزارة السياحة في مصر يسئل in every corner, alley, closed state-owned historical building, and private want to answer them saying that that they’re standing on the precipice على السوق المستهدفة للأهرامات, او في فرانسا يسئل على السوق المستهدفة للتور ايفيل! نحب نجاوبهم properties in ruins. Perhaps it’s not “political intent” that we’re in need of an international story, ancient treasures, artworks that belong to all نقلهم راك واقف على قصة عالمية، كنوز تاريخية، إنجازات فنية ملك البشرية... اما لحقيقة نجاوب of, but “nationalistic intent” providing the willingness to work together: of humanity… But the answer ends up being “a lot of Americans and »برشا امريكان و%30 من أوروبا« علخاطر الايمان حاجه ما تتعطاش وما تتوصفش. .Each with their own resources and knowledge. Only then would heritage 30% of Europe”, because faith is never given nor described preservation have the possibility of becoming a real sector. If it does turn اليوم الناس تتكلم على تموقع المدن في العولمة، علاش ما نصمموش مشاريع صغيرة تثمن البناءات into an actual sector, then it would be able to land itself a spot in political Nowadays people talk about the strategic place cities hold within الموجودة، بتقنيات جديدة تأخذ بعين الاعتبار تطلعات الشباب، تبني سيط عالمي في الانفتاح agendas”. globalisation, so why don’t we create small projects which give more“ الثقافي والحفاظ على البيئة وديناميكية اقتصادية عبر موروث متجدد... مهمه ماهياش سهلة، اما value to the already existing buildings, using new techniques that take -”City Dynamics” عملوها اللي قبلنا وبلاش انترنت... اتصورو احنا تو اش نجمو نعملو بالتكنولوجيا! into consideration the hopes and dreams of the youth. Small projects that give us a global reputation for cultural openness, eco-friendliness, In contemporary history (As in quite recently), people always talk about and economic dynamism through a renewable heritage… » فرص االستثمار التراثي في المدينة في what came after them like it’s something additional, desperately trying to find a spot, there to ruin the “aesthetic”. They call them the “immigrants” It’s no easy feat, but those who came before us did it with no internet كل زنقة و نهج و مبنى تاريخي ملك الدولة those who move from southern poor states to the wealthier northern access… Imagine what we could achieve with technology at our) and coastal states) in a demeaning way referencing those who try to disposal! و مسكر و ملك خاص و طايح، بالكشي مش establish themselves somewhere that isn’t theirs. We always see them +++ »النيّة السياسية« اللي محتاجينلها, انما »نيّة as our inferiors, because “we” are better! When in fact, all of us were ليلى بن قاسم immigrants at some point in history. Tunisia’s history is full to the brim of وطنية« بش نخدمو مع بعضنا. « people who came and went, settled down then took off again, and people Leila Ben Gacem who came from far away lands. We didn’t love them at first but then at Social entrepreneur some point they turned into our family, until we learned to be proud of [email protected] www.bluefish.me 15 14 المدينة - »exposition«

لالزدواجية THE MEDINA - AN EXHIBITION OF SOCIAL DICHOTOMIES IN THE االجتماعية في URBAN ENVIRONMENT مناخ حضاري We’re in front of “Kishlat Sidi Aamor”, a military barrack from understanding, empathy and cooperation between people the Ottoman era, located just off Zitouna Mosque St., in the from different social backgrounds. “The world of shoes” southern part of of the Medina. might encourage a collective effort to work towards envisioning and implementing sustainable uses for heritage For some visitors, it’s one of many stops on an urban sites. discovery tour (see visitors on the left). The building, » نحس الي الزوار يشوفوا في التجار classified as cultural heritage, is inspected, appreciated and “Sustainability” of heritage can mean different things for لهنــا قــدام قشــلة ســيدي عامر, قشــلة من وقــت العثمانيين, then left to itself to exist. different people. While to some this might mean maintaining بحــذا شــارع الزيتونــة في الشــيرة الجنوبية متــع المدينة. »محتلين« الساحة والثكنة هذي. the world of shoes” as a space of commerce to sustain a“ يقولوا بينهم وبين رواحهم »خسارة« For some merchants, it’s a space which facilitates the sale of living, to others it might imply the museumfication of the imported plastic slippers. They have claimed this space and بالنســبة لــزوار , هــيّ محطــة ياقفــو فيهــا وهومــا يعملــوا فــي هكة يتغطّى هالتراث المعماري وتحتلوا square and barrack to ensure their preservation for future دورة يكتشــفوا فيهــا المدينــة )شــوف الــزوار علــى اليميــن(. .named it “the world of shoes” (see sign). generations الشاليك، ناسين قيمة القشلة الثقافية. البنّيــة, مصنفــة كمــوروث الثقافــي, يغزرولهــا, يقدروهــا, ومبعد In a way, both parties frown upon one another. In between however, there is a world of alternatives and its يســيبوها علــى روحهــا. الكرادن مطيشة تقولش عالها فطر نبت up to us to use this spaces to open dialogues and discussions في هالبالصة ، ونفخ حياة جديدة وحيوية I get a sense from the visitors that they regard the merchants with each other to negotiate inclusive solutions for the as “occupiers” of this square and barrack. They think to organization and use of heritage sites. أما بالنسبة للبيّاعة هيا بقعة يبيعوا فيها بالمرتاح شلايك مستوردة. فكّوها البقعة وسمّاوها في هالبالصة . « themselves, “what a shame” for this architectural heritage to »عالم الأحذية«)أغزر للتيندة( be covered with invasive slippers, disregarding the barrack’s cultural value. Cardboard boxes sprout like mushrooms in الزوز درا كيفاش يلوموا في بعضهم. .this space, breathing new life and dynamic into this space للمواقع التراثية. نحس الي الزوار يشوفوا في التجار »محتلين« الساحة والثكنة هذي. يقولوا بينهم وبين On the other hand, the merchants may see the visitors رواحهم »خسارة« هكة يتغطّى هالتراث المعماري وتحتلوا الشلايك، ناسين قيمة القشلة »استدامة« التراث تنجم تقصد برشا حاجات لكل واحد. كيما تنجم تكون بالنسبة لناس as invaders, domestic as well as international foreigners, « I get a sense from the visitors الثقافية. ا�لكرادن مطيشة تقولش علاها فطر نبت في هالبلاصة ، ونفخ حياة جديدة انّا نخليوا »عالم الأحذية« كمساحة تجارية ومصدر متع رزق ، بالنسبة لناس أخرين, تنجم visiting the Medina for a whiff of romanticism to fulfill that they regard the merchants preconceptions of life in the old town. They are here to وحيوية في هالبلاصة . تقصد اني الساحة والثكنة يوليوا كي المتحف باش نستحفظوا عليهم للأجيال الجاية. watch and maybe buy, but they’re not interested much in as “occupiers” of this square مالشيرة لأخرى ، البيّاعة تلقاهم يشوفوا في الزوار كيف الغزاة، محليين ودوليين زادة ، ومعا هذا الكل، فمة دنيا كاملة من الحلول البديلة وأحنا في اللخر الي نختاروا باش talk. and barrack. They think to يزوروا المدينة باش يلوجوا على الروح الرومانسية يفهموا بيها العيشة في المدينة العربي. يجيوا نستغلوا البلايص هذي باش نتحاوروا مبعضنا ونلقاوا الحلول الشاملة للناس الكل في تنظيم The world of shoes” is more than just a sales place for shoes themselves, “what a shame” for“ يتفرجوا وسعات يشريوا ، أما ماعينهمش برشا بالحديث. واستخدام المواقع الأثرية. or a military barrack. It’s a space of shared cultural heritage which has the potential to facilitate encounters between this architectural heritage to be »عالم الأحذية« موش كان بلاصة تبيع الصبابت ولا ثكنة عسكر. هي بقعة مالتراث ,people from a variety of different backgrounds frequenting covered with invasive slippers الثقافي المشترك والي تنجم تخلي عباد عندهم خلفيات مختلفة يتفاعلوا مبعضهم في الساحة .the square with diverse intentions كل واحد ونيتو. disregarding the barrack’s All of the people who frequent the space share a very الناس الكل الي يلمهم الفضاء هذا يشتركوا في حاجة مهمة برشة: يلوجوا على نوع مالمعنى important thing in common: they seek some kind of meaning cultural value. Cardboard boxes ولا هدف مالتراث هذا ، با�لكشي يحبوا يحسوا بالانتماء ، والا يشيخوا على زين البلاصة or purpose amongst this heritage, may it be a sense of sprout like mushrooms in this ، والا على فرصة اقتصادية ، والا يحبوا يتعدّاوا وكهوا. belonging, aesthetic pleasure, economic opportunity, or merely transit. space, breathing new life and +++ البلايص الي كيف الساحة هذي لازم يكونوا بلايص متع تبادل و لقاءات الي تنجم تزيد اميلي سرسم « .dynamic into this space Spaces like this square should function as places for في التفاهم والتعاطف والتعاون بين الناس الي عندهم خلفيات اجتماعية كيف »عالم Emily Sarsam exchange and enriching encounters which could increase [email protected] الأحذية«, زاداينجم يشجع مجهود جماعي نتصوروا ونخرجوا منو استعمالات مستدامة 17 16 ÉLOGE D’UN VIDE QUI NE FAIT PAS SEMBLANT.

PRAISE OF AN UNPRETENTIOUS VOID.

Une ruelle, une impasse, une porte entrouverte sur un jeu de tons Aujourd’hui, face à un patio récupéré par un grand poète* que j’ai eu An alley, a dead end, a door ajar on a set of de blancs. l’opportunité de visiter, j’éloge l’histoire d’un héritage qui fascine white tones. beaucoup plus ailleurs que dans la ville où je suis née. Il se résume en Deux murs en ruine au fond d’une impasse, on écoute à peine le quatre plans, une lumière qui se structure en fonction d’une ombre et Two walls in ruins at the back of a dead-end, passage rapide de deux enfants. des tons délavés de blancs, d’une séquence lasse et quotidienne, d’un one would barely hear the rapid footsteps espace qu’on défend au nom d’un poésie pragmatique de plus en plus of two passing children. On ouvre la porte, une chicane en semi-pénombre, une sortie, rare dans un monde de Disney lands gentrifiées. J’éloge un vide qui ne une lumière aveuglante qui tranche le regard, une profondeur fait pas semblant. The door is now opened, a dimly lit chicane, construite autour d’un entre-deux, Quatre plans. an exit, an eye-blinding light, depth built *The Medina House, John Pawson. around an in-between, Four shots. L’extase en face d’une ombre qui se structure, qui émeut, franche, face à la modestie majestueuse d’un vide. The ecstasy facing of a structured shadow, moving, frank, facing the majestic modesty Une silhouette s’en va pour disparaitre graduellement au sommet of void. du toit, le temps qui devient plus paisiblement lent. A silhouette gradually goes out to disappear Silence rompu par une réverbération simultanée des appels à la at the top of the roof, time peacefully slows prière. down.

Tu t’extases, tu laisses faire, tu atterris sereinement sur le marbre Silence was broken by the simultaneous d’un patio, le cœur d’une maison en vie. Je suis de retour chez les reverberation of the calls to prayer. vivants. You are ecstatic, you let go, you calmly land Qu’on soit habitué au langage étymologique de sa volumétrie, peu back on the marble of a patio, the heart of a familier à son introverti vernaculaire ou simple amant des jeux house alive. I’m back with the living. structurés d’une lumière sur ruine qu’on découvre au fond d’une maison, n’importe quelle âme sensible à l’espace qui l’entoure n’aura Being accustomed to the etymological à faire aucun effort pour s’émerveiller face à la poésie spatiale qu’offre language of its volumetry, unfamiliar with un patio d’une des maisons de la médina de Tunis. Qu’il soit abandonné, its vernacular introversion or a simple lover réhabilité, de maitre ou le vestige d’une ancienne demeure reconvertie of the structured light shining on the ruins en Wkela, les patios fascinent, surprennent et étourdissent. La beauté found deep within a house, any soul sensitive de certains te surprend par sa modestie naturelle, d’autres par leurs to the space which surrounds it will require breathes, in which the shade is frank and fresh and in which we return to extroversion, in which complexités d’ornementation qui te rappellent, stoïques, le temps no effort to marvel at the spacial poetry each season has a meaning and moderates a function. A patio sometimes reveals to you the révolu de ceux qui savaient bien analyser le pourquoi de chaque offered by any patio of one of the houses in candid bipolar schizophrenia of the people who live in it, torn between a globalist modernity, espace avant de s’aventurer à produire son comment. Ils se partagent the medina of Tunis. Whether abandoned, the half-tinted manifestation of several layers of colonial past, and a new wave of contextualized en famille, qu’ils soient d’une maison de maitre ou d’un des quartiers rehabilitated, owned or remnant of an old nationalism, eventually giving birth to an architectural patchwork which summarizes the case des plus malfamés. Protagonistes des entre-deux et des séquences house converted into a Wkala, patios fascinate, of a local identity more and more assumed and far from being in a stagnant museum of false indirectes, leurs vides ont du poids et leurs pleins cernent Le silence surprise and leave you stunned. The beauty of pretenses. Sometimes it is difficult to understand why - in any case- if a patio is a space in itself d’un moment ou tout le monde respire, où l’ombre y est franche et some surprises you with its natural modesty, there is always a pretext to live in it. fraiche et où on y rentre pour s’extravertir, ou chaque saison a un sens others do so thanks to the complexity of their et lui tempère une fonction. Un patio te révèle parfois même la candide ornamentation which reminds you, stoic, the Today, facing a patio salvaged by a great poet* which I had the opportunity to visit, I schizophrénie bipolaire des gens qui l’habitent, qui tiraillés entre une bygone era of those who knew to analyze the commemorate the story of a heritage much more fascinating abroad than in the city I was born in. modernité globale, l’expression à demi-teinte de plusieurs couches de “why” of each space before venturing into It is summed up in four layers, a light that is structured according to a shadow and faded shades passés coloniaux et une nouvelle vague de nationalisme contextualisé the “how”. They share it as a family, whether of white, a tired and mundane sequence, a space which we defend in the name of pragmatic finissent par donner naissance à un patchwork architectural qui résume they are from a mansion or one of the most poetry rarer and rarer in a world of gentrified Disneylands. I praise an unpretentious void.. la condition d’une identité locale de plus en plus assumée et bien ill-famed neighborhoods. Protagonists of the .*The Medina House, John Pawson +++ loin d’un musée figé de faux-semblants. On peine parfois à cerner son in-between and indirect sequences, their voids سنا فريني pourquoi, qu’importe, si un patio en soi est un espace qu’on trouve carry weight and their fullness surrounds the Sana Frini toujours le prétexte d’habiter. silence of the moment in which everyone Architecte/urbaniste 19 18 LA MÉDINA DE TUNIS : ENTRE VALORISATION ET GENTRIFICATION THE MEDINA OF TUNIS: « Si cette amorce de BETWEEN VALORIZATION AND réinvestissement de la Médina est très positive GENTRIFICATION pour sa mise en valeur,

Ces vingt dernières années, la Médina de amélioré tant le quotidien des usagers que la sa généralisation ne Over the last twenty years, the Medina pavement repairs, refurbishment of facades, valleys, its main axis, however, is no more than Tunis a retrouvé une bonne part de ses fréquentation des visiteurs. Les soirées du mois présente-t-elle pas un of Tunis has regained much of its ... All “sabats” (covered passages) have been art galleries in tribute to the great painters who lettres de noblesse. De territoire méconnu, de Ramadhan sont la preuve vivante du regain important status. From unknown territory, restored. It is no coincidence that practically all lived there and souvenir shops. Not even the déclassé, abandonné, méprisé, oublié, elle d’intérêt pour ces lieux chargés d’histoire et danger pour ce tissu declassified, abandoned, despised, private investment operations revolve around cemetery is spared: every visitor must deposit redevient un espace convoité, valorisé, d’identité tunisienne. La Révolution de 2011 forgotten, it became a coveted, valued, two beautification projects: the Sidi Ben Arous a pebble on the tomb of Chagall! Many other a avivé la fierté d’être tunisien et a attisé le urbain exceptionnel et neighborhood and “Houmat El Andalous” historic cities have left me with this bitter taste, fréquenté et fréquentable. Qu’est-ce qui frequented and frequentable space. What sentiment d’appartenance à une nation riche toujours vivant malgré (Al Andalous neighborhood). In return, these and I am sure you have experienced the painful lui a valu cette revalorisation? de son histoire, de ses traditions et savoir- has earned it this revaluation? same investors, or at least some of them, gave experience of gentrification yourself, if only in faire. La Médina est devenue le symbole de ce toutes ses vicissitudes? » parts of themselves to the Medina: planting Sidi Bou Saïd. No more vegetable merchants, Certes ce sont les actions conjuguées de l’ASM, It is certainly the combined actions of the ASM, sentiment. Certains investisseurs privés tels bougainvillea bushes everywhere, fixing hooks bakers, koucha (Bakery), ... not to mention de la Municipalité, de l’INP, du Ministère de la the Municipality, the INP, the Ministry of Culture, que Leïla Ben Gacem n’ont pas hésité non plus de légumes, de boulanger, de koucha, ... sans on the walls to allow the inhabitants to hang fishermen! Only bazaars, cafés, and all kinds of Culture mais il y a également l’investissement but there is also the investments poured into it à créer de l’emploi pour les habitants de la parler des pêcheurs! Que des bazars, des cafés, their garbage bags, at the same time. shelter it restaurants! dans ses murs de certains promoteurs privés by some enlightened private promoters. The Médina, à soutenir les artisans en mettant en des gargotes et des restaurants en tout genre! from stray cats as it awaits pick up by municipal éclairés. Le pionnier fut, sans conteste, si Ahmed pioneer was, without a doubt, the esteemed place des plateformes de vente et d’exportation services. These simple and inexpensive So how to save the Medina of Tunis, Abdelkafi qui a lancé en 1989 le restaurant Dar Ahmed Abdelkafi who launched in 1989 the de leurs produits et surtout à intégrer des Alors comment sauver la Médina de Tunis, actions have improved both the daily lives of el Jeld qui a su prendre le relai du restaurant restaurant Dar el Jeld which stood on the an exceptional urban heritage, from espaces de sensibilisation et de mobilisation patrimoine urbain exceptionnel, de la inhabitants and the attendance of visitors. The le Château tombé, à l’époque, en désuétude et shoulders of the restaurant the “Chateau” which gentrification? des jeunes. evenings of the holy month of Ramadhan are donner ainsi à la Médina un restaurant digne de gentrification? has fallen in disuse at the time and give the living proof of the renewed interest in these The main objective is to maintain at all costs the sa gastronomie. Medina a restaurant worthy of its gastronomy. Si cette amorce de réinvestissement de la Le principal objectif est de maintenir coûte places full of history and Tunisian identity. The social mix that makes it a living heritage. How? Médina est très positive pour sa mise en valeur, Ce phénomène de reconversion, amorcé dès le que coûte la mixité sociale qui fait d’elle un This repurposing phenomenon, which began 2011 Revolution rekindled the pride of being First of all by giving back to the Safeguarding sa généralisation ne présente-t-elle pas un début des années 90, a connu une accélération patrimoine vivant. Comment? Tout d’abord in the early 1990s, has witnessed a noticeable Tunisian and fueled the feeling of belonging Association (ASM) all of its prerogatives. The danger pour ce tissu urbain exceptionnel et notable après 2011. Restaurants et hôtels en redonnant à l’Association de Sauvegarde acceleration since 2011. Charming restaurants to a nation rich in its history, traditions, and ASM is in danger of disappearing: it must be toujours vivant malgré toutes ses vicissitudes? de charme, maisons d’hôtes, galeries d’art, toutes ses prérogatives. L’ASM est en danger and hotels, guest houses, art galleries, expertise. The Medina has become the symbol known and supported! Certainly, its status as de disparition: il faut le faire savoir et se battre of this feeling. Some private investors such an Association must be reviewed as soon as antiquaires, boutiques d’artisanat revisité J’ai vu avec effroi et consternation l’intégrité antique shops, and revamped craft shops are prolifèrent. On a vu s’y installer de plus en plus contre cela! Certes son statut d’Association proliferating. We have seen more and more as Leila Ben Gacem did not hesitate either to possible. Transforming it into a public agency in de tant de villes historiques s’altérer, en est à revoir le plus rapidement possible. Sa create employment for the inhabitants of the charge of the preservation of the historic center, d’espaces culturels, de sièges d’associations, l’espace d’une génération. Elles se sont vidées cultural spaces, associations, literary cafés, de cafés littéraires, d’espaces de coworking,... transformation en une Agence publique en coworking spaces, ... as well as foreign residents Medina, to support artisans by setting up sales European city included, is a necessity that the de leurs habitants d’origine, elles ont perdu charge de la préservation du centre historique, and export platforms for their products and authorities must recognize, municipal as well comme de résidents étrangers et d’artistes leurs activités, leurs habitudes, leur manière and Tunisian artists, in restored historic tunisiens, dans des demeures historiques ville européenne comprise, est une nécessité residences. especially to integrate spaces of awareness and as governmental! Then we should devise and de fonctionner qui leur imprimaient toute leur que doivent admettre les autorités, municipales youth mobilisation. impose financial packages, adjustments that réhabilitées. caractère, pour devenir des espaces voués comme gouvernementales! Puis il faudrait These private investments have benefited from would allow private promoters to participate au tourisme. Pour ne citer que mes deux Ces investissements privés ont bénéficié imaginer et imposer des montages financiers, precedent public or municipal investments If this initiation of reinvestment in the Medina in the salvage of substandard homes, trades dernières déceptions, je parlerais de Cordoue des investissements publics ou municipaux des péréquations qui permettraient aux such as the development of tourist routes or is very positive for its development, doesn’t threatened with extinction, families in need. en Andalousie où les petites ruelles blanches qui les ont précédés tels l’aménagement promoteurs privés de participer au sauvetage embellishment operations, along with the its generalisation present a danger for this immaculées ont été envahies par des bazars de de circuits touristiques ou les opérations des maisons insalubres, des métiers en voie de undergrounding of electrical and telephone exceptional urban fabric that is still alive in “I have a dream” produits essentiellement fabriqués en Chine, d’embellissement, avec enfouissement disparition, des familles démunies. networks, improvement of public lighting, spite of all its trials and tribulations? des restaurants-relais pour visiteurs du monde des réseaux électriques et téléphoniques, I, who was born in the Medina, who lived there entier. Seule la mosquée cathédrale reflète I’ve seen with horror and dismay the integrity amélioration de l’éclairage public, réfection du I have a dream. for a part of my childhood, who made her first encore la grandeur de la ville! Je mentionnerais « If this initiation of of so many historic cities to be altered within a pavage, rafraîchissement des façades,... Tous les professional steps in it, who made it a teaching Moi qui suis née en Médina, qui y ai vécu generation. They were emptied of their original “sabats”(passages couverts) ont été réhabilités. reinvestment in the medium of architecture, I dream of seeing it rise Également Saint-Paul de Vence en Provence une partie de mon enfance, qui y ai fait mes inhabitants, they have lost their activities, their Ce n’est pas un hasard si pratiquement from the ashes, like a Phoenix! I would like to Côté d’Azur. La ville, parfaitement bien premières armes professionnelles, qui en ai fait habits, their way of functioning which had given toutes les opérations d’investissement Medina is very positive see it become clean and well maintained again, I conservée, reste d’une beauté exceptionnelle un support d’enseignement de l’architecture, them their character, to become dedicated privées s’articulent autour des deux projets would like it to keep its soul and its conviviality, sur son éperon rocheux dominant les vallées je rêve de la voir renaître de ses cendres, tel for its development, to tourism. To mention only my last two d’embellissement effectués: le quartier de la I wish the future generations are able to keep on verdoyantes, mais son axe principal n’est plus un Phénix! Je voudrais tant la voir redevenir disappointments, I would talk about Cordoba in rue sidi Ben Arous et houmat El Andalous. En doesn’t its generalisation drawing, for a long time, welfare and discovering que galeries d’art en hommage aux grands propre et bien entretenue, je voudrais qu’elle Andalusia, where the pristine white alleys have retour, ces mêmes investisseurs, ou du moins their roots just as we could. The Medina of Tunis peintres qui y ont vécu et boutiques de garde son âme et sa convivialité, je voudrais present a danger for been invaded by bazaars of products mainly certains d’entre eux, ont donné d’eux-mêmes à is part of us all, Tunisians. To lose it would be to souvenirs. Même le cimetière n’est pas épargné que les générations futures puissent longtemps made in China, restaurant chains for visitors la Médina: planter des bougainvilliers partout, lose ourselves as well. : chaque visiteur se doit de déposer un galet continuer à y puiser bien-être et ressourcement this exceptional urban from around the world. Only the cathedral fixer des crochets aux murs pour permettre sur la tombe de Chagall! Bien d’autres villes comme nous avons pu le faire. La Medina de mosque can still reflect the grandeur of the city! +++ aux habitants d’accrocher leurs sacs poubelles, fabric that is still alive in أشرف بحري مدب historiques m’ont laissé ce goût amer, et je Tunis fait partie de nous tous, tunisiens. La I would mention as well, Saint-Paul De Vence à l’abri des chats errants en attendant leur suis certaine que vous avez vécu vous-mêmes perdre, ce serait nous perdre aussi. spite of all its trials and in the region of Côte d’Azur. The city, perfectly Achraf Bahri Meddeb ramassage par les sévices municipaux. Autant l’expérience douloureuse de la gentrification, well preserved, remains exceptionally beautiful Architecte et urbaniste d’actions simples et peu coûteuses qui ont tribulations? » ne serait-ce qu’à Sidi Bou Saïd. Plus de marchand on its rocky outcrop dominating the green [email protected] 21 20