VIOLENCE IN ARCHITECTURE

Forensic Architecture

Violence within architecture occurs in many ways through the "forensic architecture" video. The more obvious physical violence is the use of borders, walls, checkpoints and fences that restricts the movement of the Palestinians as Djorje mentions. This act of suppression forms an encasement which divides up the Palestinian urban fabric. Consequently, reducing the sizes of the communities and essentially transforming them into jail cells. This is signified through the towers which are built along the walls and borders with the intention of masking the presence of Israeli soldiers similar to the effects of the panopticon (as stated by Maddie). Henceforth, the presence of the walls no longer acts as a tool to segregate the people but acts to psychologically damage the enemy as well.  This is also enforced through the circular arrangement of the houses built on hilltops with large windows to act as an optical instrument to survey the surrounding territory. The lights emitted by the houses at night enforces the presence of surveillance which keeps the Palestinians on edge. 

The violence continues through the borders and checkpoints which Palestinians have to go through that effectively dehumanises them. By reducing the length of the turnstile, the bar is always pressed up against the user's body. This physical interaction is an indication of the role of Palestinians, comparable to prisoners/ livestock which go through the same treatment (very cruel and degrading).

It is also interesting to note how violence in architecture is present through its occupation. By occupying a piece of land, some form of policy is realised regardless of intention. For example, the occupied west bank which severed the territory of Beit Jala (Palestinian Land) altered the way its occupants utilise the land. The fences in conjunction with the landscape valley prevented its inhabitants from accessing lands which they were able to previously, thus reducing their freedom. 

It was also interesting to see that the highway was walled against Palestinian territory and opening up to Israeli settlements, further reinforcing the idea that the highway is an active policy that cuts up the Palestinian urban fabric. The role of the winding highways and checkpoints constricts the Palestinians' circulation, thus placing tension and pressure on their daily lives. 

Architecture has quite the passive and aggressive way of overtaking the landscape. The moment a wall is erected, there is an implied message to keep something or someone out of someplace. A wall may not intentionally harm or physically harm anyone, but it implements a psychological factor on the people it affects. A wall that towers over us, blocks us from somewhere or something, sometimes even potentially depriving us of sunlight. Architecture that is uncontrolled can be quite suffocating as it obstructs us or deprive us of natural elements (Sun, Vegetation, water etc.) FA proved that architecture can be weaponised through the example in the Israeli, Palestinian conflict. The Israeli who carved a wall between the Palestinian communities deprived them from human connection (an essential need for psychological comfort). Apart from that, without freedom to access resources, the inhabitants would feel quite suffocating and the resulting psychological damage will worsen over time. Thus, proving that architecture can affect users in quite a negative state depending on its use, especially when it's used incorrectly. Knowledge is power.