Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan
The Zaatari Camp in Jordan exemplifies how Syrian refugees transform a planned grid settlement into an organic urban environment through socio-spatial adaptation, reflecting their cultural identity and territorial practices. This study investigates the camp’s morphological evolution, analyzing how r...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Urban Science |
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| author | Majd Al-Homoud Ola Samarah |
| author_facet | Majd Al-Homoud Ola Samarah |
| author_sort | Majd Al-Homoud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Zaatari Camp in Jordan exemplifies how Syrian refugees transform a planned grid settlement into an organic urban environment through socio-spatial adaptation, reflecting their cultural identity and territorial practices. This study investigates the camp’s morphological evolution, analyzing how refugees reconfigure public and private spaces to prioritize privacy, security, and community cohesion. Using qualitative methods—including archival maps, photographs, and field observations—the research reveals how formal public areas are repurposed into private shelter extensions, creating zones of influence that mirror traditional Arab-Islamic urban patterns. Key elements such as mosques, markets, and hierarchical street networks emerge as cultural anchors, shaped by refugees’ prior urban experiences. However, this organic growth introduces challenges, such as blocked streets and undefined spaces, which hinder safety and service delivery, underscoring tensions between informal urbanization and structured planning. The findings advocate urban resilience and participatory planning frameworks that integrate socio-cultural values, emphasizing defensible boundaries, interdependence, and adaptable design. Refugees’ territorial behaviors—such as creating diagonal streets and expanding shelters—highlight their agency in reshaping urban systems, challenging conventional top-down approaches. This research focuses on land-use dynamics, sustainable cities, and adaptive urban systems in crisis contexts. By bridging gaps between displacement studies and urban theory, the study offers insights into fostering social inclusion and equitable infrastructure in transient settlements. Future research directions, including comparative analyses of refugee camps and cognitive mapping, aim to deepen understanding of socio-spatial resilience. Ultimately, this work contributes to global dialogues on informal urbanization and culturally responsive design, advocating for policies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals to rebuild cohesive, resilient urban environments in displacement settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-30c72d84750b40e8841d0c0802069dcb |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2413-8851 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Urban Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-30c72d84750b40e8841d0c0802069dcb2025-08-20T03:13:57ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512025-04-019413310.3390/urbansci9040133Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, JordanMajd Al-Homoud0Ola Samarah1Architecture Department, College of Architecture and Design, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Architecture, School of Architecture and Built Environment, German Jordan University, Amman 11180, JordanThe Zaatari Camp in Jordan exemplifies how Syrian refugees transform a planned grid settlement into an organic urban environment through socio-spatial adaptation, reflecting their cultural identity and territorial practices. This study investigates the camp’s morphological evolution, analyzing how refugees reconfigure public and private spaces to prioritize privacy, security, and community cohesion. Using qualitative methods—including archival maps, photographs, and field observations—the research reveals how formal public areas are repurposed into private shelter extensions, creating zones of influence that mirror traditional Arab-Islamic urban patterns. Key elements such as mosques, markets, and hierarchical street networks emerge as cultural anchors, shaped by refugees’ prior urban experiences. However, this organic growth introduces challenges, such as blocked streets and undefined spaces, which hinder safety and service delivery, underscoring tensions between informal urbanization and structured planning. The findings advocate urban resilience and participatory planning frameworks that integrate socio-cultural values, emphasizing defensible boundaries, interdependence, and adaptable design. Refugees’ territorial behaviors—such as creating diagonal streets and expanding shelters—highlight their agency in reshaping urban systems, challenging conventional top-down approaches. This research focuses on land-use dynamics, sustainable cities, and adaptive urban systems in crisis contexts. By bridging gaps between displacement studies and urban theory, the study offers insights into fostering social inclusion and equitable infrastructure in transient settlements. Future research directions, including comparative analyses of refugee camps and cognitive mapping, aim to deepen understanding of socio-spatial resilience. Ultimately, this work contributes to global dialogues on informal urbanization and culturally responsive design, advocating for policies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals to rebuild cohesive, resilient urban environments in displacement settings.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/133refugee settlementsurban resilienceland-use dynamicssustainable citiesinformal urbanizationculturally responsive design |
| spellingShingle | Majd Al-Homoud Ola Samarah Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan Urban Science refugee settlements urban resilience land-use dynamics sustainable cities informal urbanization culturally responsive design |
| title | Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan |
| title_full | Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan |
| title_fullStr | Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan |
| title_short | Socio-Spatial Adaptation and Resilient Urban Systems: Refugee-Driven Transformation in Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp, Jordan |
| title_sort | socio spatial adaptation and resilient urban systems refugee driven transformation in zaatari syrian refugee camp jordan |
| topic | refugee settlements urban resilience land-use dynamics sustainable cities informal urbanization culturally responsive design |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/133 |
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