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There is a growing desire to mitigate the harm inflicted on the cherished terraced gardens and communities of Palestine
At almost every turn in Palestine’s central highlands, from Hebron to Nazareth, a distinctive typology of garden can be seen. This typology, however, does not resemble the space that first comes to the mind of the contemporary architect or planner when they conceive a garden: it is neither confined, nor bounded, nor principally designed for aesthetic consumption. Rather, it is a malleable space that pours over the entire landscape, moulding to the shape of its curves and hilly terrains. It is also, in turn, a spatial order that actively restructures those terrains, dividing their slopes into a series of orderly vertical platforms and contoured steps. Planted with olive trees, fig trees and vines, these terraced gardens were once considered the defining feature of Palestine’s central hilly region. Today, they face the dual threat o
Photography: Hiroyuki Oki
Vo Trong Nghia created this modern take on the traditional Vietnamese shophouse near Hanoi for an affluent artisanal family that produces high-quality ceramic products. Following the local vernacular, Bat Trang House combines commercial and residential spaces. The raised ground and lower ground floors serve as showrooms for the family to display and sell their products. Four additional private levels with a kitchen, living room, five bedrooms and several airy gardens sit above. The top floor includes a dedicated room for the family altar and an open-air swimming pool bordered by trees and plants. Vo wanted the personality and heritage of the craft village (Bat Trang, some 15km from Hanoi, is known for its ceramics production) to be evident in the architecture, so he wrapped the property in a wall made of perforated red clay ceramic tiles that he commissioned in the village. This ceramic cloak protects the house from the sun in the summer and from the wind i