COMFORT EN-ROUTE - Noel Hill 2023 Recipient Research
Fiona Mckay
Written by Melis Ellen Gurdal
Unforeseeable conditions of the Anthropocene demand new methods for co-inhabiting the Earth and sharing its natural resources. To survive the upcoming climate fluctuations and waves of migration, agile and adaptive socio-ecological systems must be formed. This study, enabled by the Noel Hill AIA UK 2023 Award, focuses on the agency of water in increasing conviviality and resilience in precarious territories. The research and design proposal aims to form a hydro-social network in high migration regions by transforming 11th-century Seljuk Caravanserais of the Silk Road into climate-adaptive water nodes in Anatolia
Caravanserais maintained a healthy migration flow in Anatolia, which is still an important migration path and an essential passage to Europe from the Middle East. Today, as the climate crisis and drought periods are escalating, the hostile conditions that migrants, nomadic tribes, and locals of Anatolia must face are intensifying. By examining the current water and migration flows in Anatolia and the Turkish-Syrian border town of Mardin, the study envisions showing the vitality of hydro-social spaces. The design research introduces “hydro-social design” and demonstrates its application to the migration network and the forgotten historical typology of caravanserais.
For the creation of sustainable and just water futures, understanding the local practices, daily rituals, and vernacular is crucial. Thus, fieldwork and on-site analyses form the backbone of this study. In total, three fieldworks have been completed: the Turkish-Syrian Border, Central Anatolia and the Aegean Coast. I have had the privilege to meet and collaborate with many talented and insightful people along this journey, once again reminding me that architecture, at its core, is about people. As architects, we are responsible for designing human-centric spaces that thread lightly and mindfully to their environmental and social contexts.
The study of water conditions in border territories began with an ancient city called Mardin, which has hosted many cultures, ethnicities, and beliefs for centuries. As a cross-point, the region is going through destructive urbanisation and population rise, leading to the extreme scarcity of natural resources. Due to the military presence and various dwelling patterns, such as animal grazing nomadic tribes, finding common ground and creating convivial spaces in water access points is vital for the survival and well-being of both stationary and temporary residents of Mardin. By documenting water infrastructures ranging from village fountains to large-scale dams, the architectural space revealed the inhumane securitisation strategies being implemented by water control. A modern-day caravanserai used as a rest-stop, which can provide the needs of different user groups, has been proposed as a design intervention.
The research then traced the historical remnants of migration in Anatolia. The fieldwork in Central Anatolia included nomadically travelling along the path of the Silk Road and documenting the existing caravanserais as well as the water infrastructures accommodating the journey. The main aim of this field trip was to understand the typology and the migration network. Starting out from the capital city, Ankara, both digital and written sources have been utilised to identify the exact location of the derelict caravanserais and water points to reach the Mediterranean coast. I travelled with my own caravan and formed an autoethnographic study of accessing water. The thermal properties of the caravanserais have been calculated, and it was seen that they can still provide value today as rest-stops along migration paths. The design proposal suggested hijacking the existing caravanserais and transforming them into climate-resilient nodes within the hydro-social network. This design approach highlighted the importance of maintaining and revitalizing historical structures, demonstrating their relevance and potential to address modern challenges.
The final chapter of this journey led me to the Aegean coast, where uncontrolled migration and water scarcity are critical issues. Refugees attempting to cross from Turkey to Greece face severe hardships, compounded by increasing forest fires and water shortages due to rapid urbanization. This year, rising temperatures have further strained water supplies, affecting towns with high migration rates. I am currently based in the Datça peninsula which struggles with water scarcity due to its dry climate and high demands from tourism and agriculture. With the villagers, we are working on improving the water efficiency in the area. This includes developing closed-loop water systems in domestic spaces and implementing drop irrigation in their gardens. Overall, the research embraces a rhizomatic approach, intertwining the complex socio-cultural and environmental fabric of Anatolia to uncover diverse spatial climate adaptation methods.
Nomadic thinking can provide us with an alternative way of thinking and finding solutions for water systems in high-migration areas. Migration and water are interconnected global issues amplified by the climate crisis, and their impacts resonate across multiple territories. We need design methods that protect both the ecological and socio-cultural qualities of vulnerable regions. The study focuses on the interactions between water and migration cultures in multiple territories in Asia Minor, aiming to highlight the role of water distribution systems in creating functional socio-ecological assemblages. The study questions whether hydro-social design could enhance the climate adaptability of migration networks in Anatolia. The findings indicate that the intersection of migration and water can inform the design process, suggesting a symbiotic relationship where water infrastructure improves migration conditions and coining the term “hydro-social design”.
The social, political, and ecological conditions of high-in-migration territories are constantly changing. With the climate crisis, a new political ecology is being formed. To protect and adapt the precarious territories to the current needs of the new climate regime, we must learn to operate with alacrity. There is no “one size fits all” solution; hence, multi-disciplinary thinking and cross-collaboration are needed. This design research aims to present a spatial design method where cultural identity can be protected, and vernacular can be utilised for the sake of greater adaptivity. Through an architectural lens, it aims to form a new trans-disciplinary bridge between theory and practice with the hope of stimulating further debates in the water and migration fields.
The Noel Hill Award is offered in memory of Noel Hill, a founding member of the AIA UK Chapter.
It is presented annually to a Part 2 student that has undertaken outstanding and original research during their studies.
Submissions for the 2024 award are now open. For more click HERE.
