Gaza is a city in a state of suspension. Development has practically come to a standstill, due to the economic situation of recent years, and the foundation wires of hundreds of unfinished buildings perforate the skyline of the city. It is surrounded by such frustrated circumstances that one is relieved to find two such original structures as the Arts and Crafts Village and the al-Deira Hotel.

Though the two buildings serve diverse functions (one is an art centre and the other a hotel and restaurant), the designs of both are based on three fundamental architectural elements found in traditional Middle-Eastern architecture: the vault, the arch, and the cupola. Architect Rachid Abdel Hamid works within the restrictions of these traditional elements but also uses them as a creative point of departure. The buildings have the feel of being ancient and modern at the same time. Both buildings are also entirely constructed out of “adobe” brick, a traditional building material composed of straw and mud that is perfectly suited for hot climates and which is undergoing resurgence as an environmentally friendly and economical building material. The beauty of the adobe brick lies in that it is completely organic and natural to the area and its malleability compliments the designs of both structures, which, although incorporating some Palestinian influences, have the solidity, sculptural quality, and minimalist elegance of North African-style traditional architecture.

The Arts and Crafts Village

The Arts and Crafts Village sits like a small oasis in the distinct urban bleakness of this sandy outer region of the Rimal district of Gaza City. The white walls that surround the Village cascade with brilliantly coloured bougainvillea, and when you pass through its entrance you enter a tranquil enclosure: a diminutive model village square of facing barrel-vaulted buildings with a flowing garden at its centre. The small, vaulted buildings or “bayt” act as independent workshops for craftsmen and a place to display and sell their wares, such as copperware and weaving, embroidery and ceramics. The focus of the Village is the gallery, a square building with four cornered domes and which itself opens up to reveal a small courtyard with a playing fountain. The vaulted ceilings of the gallery create a spacious atmosphere for exhibitions and the arches serve as a natural niche for paintings.

Throughout the Village one can find traditional architectural details such as the triangle of ventilation holes in the walls of each building, which are both functional and decorative. In each “bayt,” one can find “youks” or safes set into the walls and outside there is a “mastaba” or bench facing the garden where it is possible to sit and drink coffee. In the Village’s café, Abu Nawwas, one can smoke the “sheeshah” (water pipe) in the dappled light of the “amshrabiyyas” (latticed windows).

Wherever possible, the architect has drawn on the rich resource of traditional crafts in Gaza for the interior design. The floors and tables are set with traditional coloured cement tiles, and large terracotta planters in the courtyard serve as creative light fixtures. Artifacts from Palestinian folk culture can be seen everywhere: carpets, camel blankets, and Bedouin musical instruments such as the rababah hang from the walls of the café. The triangle, a Palestinian design element, is incorporated throughout in decoration.

The Arts and Crafts Village was a project sponsored by the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR) and an UNDP-sponsored job creation programme, and involved over a hundred workers and craftsmen. Since its construction in 1999, and under the management of the Gaza municipality, the Village has become of the most important cultural centres in Gaza City and a definite landmark. Even with the constant threat of invasion, shelling and closures, it has managed to remain vibrant with a continuous rotation of exhibitions and activities and has become a great source of pleasure and relief in difficult times for the citizens of this city.

The Al-Deira Hotel

The greatest focus of entertainment and relaxation in Gaza is the sea and it is along the old seaport, on Rasheed Street, that one finds the greatest proportion of restaurants, cafes and hotels. It is here that all the weddings in Gaza take place and there is a constant bustle about this street, effusing life and celebration amongst the clamour of taxis and traffic, and it’s at its thickest that one comes across the elegant burnt-red façade of the Al-Deira hotel.

As you enter the large arched doorway of the Al-Deira, you instantly feel you are entering a luxuriant space. The high, vaulted ceilings of the main floor support numerous domes of interlocking adobe brick and from each dome hangs a wrought iron chandelier invoking a rustic grandeur. Here the arch is ubiquitous, creating a feeling of both spaciousness and intimacy. The main floor is divided by a central arcaded corridor, with the restaurant on one side and on the other “il-diwan,” a lounge furnished with low tables and richly upholstered divans. Throughout the Al-Deira, there is the same attention to detail as is found in the Arts and Crafts Village; the same celebration of tradition and heritage. The overall effect is exotic and elegant and quintessentially Middle-Eastern. As you pass through the corridor, you are tantalized by a glimpse of brilliant blueness in the distance and a fragrant smell of sheeshah smoke and you are lured outside to a grand terrace set with tiled tables and wicker chairs and open to the sky and sea.

“I wanted to design a hotel that I would love to go to myself,” Rachid Abdel Hamid speaks of the Al-Deira as a kind of dream-hotel, a fantasy project for the architect and his financial partner Khaled Abdel Shafi. The hotel rooms were planned according to size rather than number. They are large and airy, with long windows overlooking the old harbour. All the furniture is hand-made and decorated, and the zinc-white walls of the rooms are hung with tapestries and antiques, and the floors strewn with Bedouin rugs. The upper lobby functions also as a gallery to display the work of Palestinian artists.

Rachid Abdel Hamid was born in 1969 in Algeria. His parents were originally refugees from Safad in northern Palestine. He came to Gaza City in 1998 after studying architecture in Florence, Italy, and then working and studying with CRATerre, the Centre for Research of Earth Architecture in Grenoble, France. There he trained in the construction and design of practical architecture built with original earth-based materials.

For many Palestinian artist and designers, there is sensitivity for their heritage and the desire to reinforce their connection to the land through their works of art. Abdel Hamid does this by using building techniques and materials that original from the land and by using crafts and skills indigenous to the area. He also has a keen interest in interior design and pays special attention to every detail of the interior spaces of his buildings with respect to the integrity of his overall plan. All the fixtures, furniture, and furnishings within the Al-Deria are based on traditional, oriental designs and, even with the closures and shortage of resources in the Gaza Strip, are made with local materials and produced by local craftsmen.

Abdel Hamid is continuously reshaping and reinventing the Al-Deira Hotel. At the moment, he is refurnishing the interior of his restaurant with furniture he designed himself. He involves himself with every aspect of the hotel, including the menu of the restaurant, to which he is now incorporating new dishes with a special Mediterranean flavour.

The challenges presented by the current situation in developing a hotel such as Al-Deira are ongoing. Difficulties in finding trained staff, power outages and economic problems are but a few. But despite this, the hotel is a roaring success both on a creative and a business level. The Al-Deira Hotel is a rare place in Gaza City where locals and visitors can escape and relax in a unique and elegant environment against a backdrop of starry sky and sparkling sea, and watch the twinkling lights of the fishing boats on the horizon.

Source: This Week in Palestine