Students at Neapolis University in Paphos have taken part in an international academic initiative to design temporary homes for Palestinians made homeless by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The “Design Gaza: Urbanity, Community and Resilience” architecture initiative took place between July 6 and July 13 in Opole, Poland under the supervision of Neapolis University’s Dr Evanthia Dova.

The programme was organised by Politechnika Opolska, Neapolis Paphos University, the Technical University of the Liberec and Breda University of Applied Sciences with the support of Erasmus+.

The students worked together to suggest sensitive and realistic architectural scenarios for the temporary housing of the returning Gaza population.

The designs can house up to 500 residents, and will act as transitional solutions, pending the reconstruction of the main cities.

The project was approached with a focus on resilience, with the participants using architecture both as a technical field and a social tool.

The students researched the local needs, the climate and cultural identity, to bring hope to a deeply wounded population seeking a fresh start.

According to Neapolis Paphos University, this initiative showcased the importance of committing to architecture which serves the people and responds to the real needs of communities in such difficult times.