Social Malaise

Abstract

Social Malaise is one of the common aspects observed in the urban fabric. A domain of subjective psychological state encompassing dissatisfaction, unhappiness, despair, boredom, melancholy, disillusionment, and discomfort. These feelings are due to social, political, and economic realities. The question is how can architecture intervene on the social malaise?

This project diagnoses these feelings spatially and distorts the system by creating a matrix that measures each neighborhood’s social malaise and proposes spatial solutions to ease it.

The project focuses on a specific area in hamra that suffers from social malaise. Despite the cultural and commercial aspect, the laisser faire urban development, external political and economic realities have a high impact on the area that is gradually changing its character. With this transformation, social malaise is increasing, and it can be seen in the physical and socio-economic aspect of the neighborhood.

Following the matrix and the voices of the residents, the project responds to the community’s needs and interests by creating a focal space along with multiple temporary installations that support it. Designed in a way that is flexible enough to accommodate the area’s constant change and the residents’ different needs. By taking advantage of invisible plots, residual spaces, vacant buildings or parking.