Exploring Built Environment of Palestinian Refugee Camps by Utilizing Sensory Perception: Balata Refugee Camp as Case Study Shahd Adnan M. Qzeih Submitted to the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Architecture Eastern Mediterranean University August 2018 Gazimağusa, North Cyprus Approval of the Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Hakan Ulusoy Acting Director I certify that this thesis satisfies the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Architecture. Prof. Dr. Resmiye Alpar Chair, Department of Architecture We certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate in scope and quality as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science in Architecture. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rafooneh M. Sani Supervisor Examining Committee 1. Prof. Dr. Naciye Doratli 2. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rafooneh M. Sani 3. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Payam Mahasti Shotorbani ABSTRACT Perception is the first step we take interacting with physical space. It forms the interface that contacts us with the environment surrounding us. Physical spaces are structured in a way that corresponds to human beings uses and needs for interaction. Though the science of perception aims to deal with the body’s biological and mental mechanisms for our entire species. Sensory perception forms the notion of which the sensation forms the way we are experiencing the state of ourselves. Senses are accountable for forming the alphabet of the perceptual language. Our sensory perception governs everything we do, our five senses are responsible for creating grasping raw perceived sensory data to the human brain which is accountable for the interpretation and creation of the mental captured experience after analyzing the data obtained by the sensory system. This thesis used the sensory perception understanding in the exploration of the built environment that surrounds us. It deals directly with the exterior spaces of the built environment of Palestinian refugee camps in order to extract and explore the spatial characteristics of such environmental experience. A key tool was developed for measuring and capturing the sensory perceptual experience using five different sense explorations which helped in creating a holistic exploration of the outdoor spaces that surround the shelters of refugees and form an undeniable part of their everyday routine that is affected by what they perceive. For achieving that aim Balata refugee camp was selected as a case study where deep observation and interviews took place undertaking the results that shows the reality of the built environment of the refugee camps. The recommendations which were developed at the end of the thesis are to be taken into iii consideration by stakeholders to adopt changes to the living environment of the refugee camps in general. Further recommendations are added for further studies based upon this thesis research work. Keywords: Sensory perception, out-door built environment, refugee camps. iv ÖZ Algı, fiziksel alanla etkileşim kurduğumuz ilk adımdır. Bizi çevreleyen çevre ile temas eden ara yüzü oluşturur. Fiziksel mekânlar, insanların kullandığı ve etkileşime ihtiyacı olan bir şekilde yapılandırılmıştır. Algı bilimi, tüm türlerimiz için vücudun biyolojik ve zihinsel mekanizmalarını ele almayı amaçlamaktadır. Duyusal algı, duygunun kendimizin durumunu deneyimlememizi sağlayan kavramını oluşturur. Algılar, algısal dilin alfabesini oluşturmaktan sorumludur. Duyusal algımız, yaptığımız her şeyi yönetir; beş duyumuz, duyusal sistemin elde ettiği verileri analiz ettikten sonra zihinsel yakalanmış deneyimin yorumlanmasından ve yaratılmasından sorumlu olan insan beynine ham algılanan duyusal verileri kavramaktan sorumludur. Bu tez, bizi çevreleyen yapılı çevrenin araştırılmasında duyusal algı anlayışını kullanmıştır. Filistinli mülteci kamplarının oluşturduğu çevrenin dış mekanlarıyla doğrudan ilgilenir ve bu tür çevresel deneyimin mekânsal özelliklerini çıkarır ve araştırır. Duyusal algı deneyimini ölçmek ve algılamak için beş farklı duyusal keşif kullanarak, mültecilerin barınaklarını çevreleyen dış mekânların bütünsel bir keşfinin oluşturulmasına ve günlük rutinlerinin yadsınamaz bir parçasının oluşturulmasına yardımcı olan önemli bir araç geliştirildiği algılamaktadır. Bu amaca ulaşmak için Balata mülteci kampı, mülteci kamplarının yapılı çevresinin gerçekliğini gösteren sonuçların ele alındığı derin gözlem ve görüşmelerin yapıldığı bir vaka çalışması olarak seçilmiştir. Tezin sonunda geliştirilen öneriler dikkate alınacaktır. Paydaşlar tarafından genel olarak mülteci kamplarının yaşam ortamındaki değişiklikleri kabul etmektedir. Bu tez araştırma çalışmasına dayanan ileri çalışmalar için ek öneriler eklenmiştir. v Anahtar Kelimeler: Duyusal algı, dış mekan inşa ortamı, mülteci kampları. vi DEDICTATION To all Palestinians who really appreciate the grace of seeing their lands that have been stolen, touch its’ soil after longing, smell its’ olives in the harvesting season, and taste its’ delicious orange while enjoying the sound of birds singing in peace. vii ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rafooneh M. Sani for her patience, advice and encouragement throughout the work period. Her unconditional experience had helped and supported the thesis work and her faith of what I could reach had built up and strengthened my confidence and inspired me during the working period. I am beyond grateful for her more over than she could feel or know. I am also grateful for Prof. Dr. Naciye Doratli for her unconditional support as well as Assoc. Prof. Dr. Payam Mahasti Shotorbani for their invaluable advocacy in completion of this thesis. In addition, I would express my gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Netice Yıldız for giving me the opportunity to work in department library which aided in completing thesis work. Besides, I would like to thank a group of friends who had always been there to support me morally and unconditionally. Last but not least, I owe quite a lot to my family, without their encouragement and support I would have never chased my dream of perusing my studies. I would like to dedicate this work to them as an indication of their significance in the completion of this thesis. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ iii ÖZ ................................................................................................................................ v DEDICTATION ......................................................................................................... vii ACKNOWLEDGMENT ........................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................. xvi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................. xviii 1 INTRODCUTION .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the Study .................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objective of the Research. .................................................................................. 3 1.3 Importance of the Study ..................................................................................... 4 1.4 Methodology of the Research ............................................................................. 5 1.5 Research Limitations .......................................................................................... 6 2 PERCEPTION OF SPACE ....................................................................................... 8 2.1 Space as the Essence of Architecture ................................................................. 8 2.2 Architectural Space .......................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Interior Space ............................................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Exterior Space ............................................................................................ 16 2.3 Typological Categorization of Space ............................................................... 18 2.3.1 Closed space .............................................................................................. 18 2.3.2 Semi-open Semi-closed Spaces ................................................................. 19 ix 2.3.3 Open Space ................................................................................................ 19 2.5 From Physicality of Space to the Sense of Space ............................................ 21 2.5.1 Sense of Space. .......................................................................................... 22 2.6 The Body and the Sense: Perception of Space ................................................. 26 2.6.1 Perception Definitions ............................................................................... 27 2.6.2 Perception as a Process .............................................................................. 28 2.6.3 Environmental Perception.........................................................................