In-between forgotten spaces in Palestinian cities: the twin cities of Ramallah and Al- Bireh as a case study

Abstract

Huge numbers of leftover and ignored spaces emerged in cities after the fast growth and urban development in the last decades that negatively affect the overall cities environment and the quality of cities open spaces in developed and developing countries, yet they offer great opportunity to enhance the quality of the urban spaces. In Palestine, the problem of such spaces is evident in its cities in general and in the twin cities of Ramallah and Al-Bireh in particular. In their downtown the phenomenon of leftover and ignored spaces is clearly demonstrated, and they cover a large area of land that was forgotten during the last 6 decades and no concrete action was taken to improve them. This paper is to explore, analyze and discuss these forgotten spaces and to propose a proper improvement framework for their regeneration. To do so, four folds methodology was used based on historical and archival research, theoretical review, fieldwork and interviews with stakeholders