Architecture Against Erasure: Al-Bustan Neighborhood Under the Microscope

Since the beginning of the past year, over 30 homes have been demolished in the Al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan, with dozens more under threat of demolition orders. These systematic demolitions are carried out under the pretext of “illegal construction,” while the Jerusalem Municipality plans to establish the so-called “King’s Garden” in place of the homes of long-time residents. In reality, the neighborhood has never been granted an official residential plan, leaving its residents without a legal framework to build or the right to live with dignity. Through posters and diaries, social research and historical analysis, as well as the physical reuse of house rubble as components for future construction, the project asserts the local narrative and grants it critical and humanistic validity in the face of efforts to erase it. Rooted in direct connection to the place and its heritage, the project offers a practical planning alternative that strengthens residents' resilience against the political reality. More broadly, it aims to open a discussion about spatial justice and planning rights in East Jerusalem. Project Supervisor: Arch. Bohsira Yetav