TOPIC 2011-2012

TRANSITS 2

The Mediterranean basin:
proposals for a common identity space

The closed Mediterranean area has allowed the generation of an area of relationship among cultures, where over the centuries exchanges have occur, resulting in political, geographical, social and cultural entities with a clear identity from a global perspective.

These identities are very precisely expressed through the geopolitical organization of space, but viewed as a whole or all dealt with in detail, show a common identity that come from shared stratification of experiences and permanent transit between the various banks.

This transit is part of the nature of the Mediterranean area, whose content, therefore, could be called transitive. A place for the transit of peoples who colonized and dominated it. Where trading and cultural transit between its banks prevailed. A space of transit articulation with Asia (Anatolia and Middle East) and America (Iberia)

But also a place where the transit from a global culture to the new coming must today be achieved.

This link between such diverse frameworks set it up also as a place of conflict, a name that should be collected not only in its negative sense, but also more experimental in its meaning as a space for debate and recognition of the differences as well as the links.

It is also where all scales of human activity, and therefore the architecture, are manifested. Since the habitats more closely linked to its exceptional natural environment to the most sophisticated urban demonstrations, a product of the richness stored. Since regional fascinating vernacular structures, to indigenous construction procedures that characterize the landscape and its cities. Since products of profound historical condition, to committed experiences on current technological frontiers.

In this area we will try to realize certain aspects of its precise and complex reality, using the resources of architecture as the best means of demonstrating and synthesize so multifaceted environment. To facilitate the realization of the proposals, we focus on the relationship between the two extremes of vector spaces east-west: the Anatolian and Iberian peninsulas during 2010-2011 academic year, and the Middle East territory and the same Iberian peninsula in 2011-2012. These two platforms have contributed so decisively to the ultimate reality of the Mediterranean. They have provided support to the relationship of this space with other continents. And they share, albeit to varying degrees, several common features that, within the overall framework of similarities of all territories in the area, make them particularly comparable.

Israel and Iberia share a similar geography, a set of large "empty" spaces and strong and symbolic mountain formations. Their population densities are low and its inhabitants are concentrated in urban areas. Even when they have strong relationships with the sea, they contain by contrast powerful areas outside it. In the case of Israel these are the result an outstanding process of colonization of dessert geography. They have no history of direct confrontations over their territories, although they engaged political and religious options settled on areas outside. Their cultures are related very directly to the "land" understood in the both spatial and material senses of the term. Both have defined their cultural reality on powerful religions, whose conflicts have materialized the transit from one extreme of the sea to the other. They generated politically relevant countries that still have extensive backgrounds and potential for development and, therefore, experimental activity.

The course involves two quarterly periods, which in turn will develop architectural and spatial experiences of varying scale and programmatic status in each group -combining urban and rural areas on both geographical locations in each period- demonstrating the strength of the transverse vector established by the two realities and the potential that it incorporates in terms of project.

An additional target is to share this experience with other israelit universities, so that, in alternating locations, simultaneous groups with complementary backgrounds may join the program. This will allow a final exchange in which the Mediterranean tradition of shared cultures manifests itself in an adequate exchange of experience on common areas.