CAPAS RESEARCH PROJECT - Pamela Karimi SURVIVAL BY DESIGN: DESERT ARCHITECTURE AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Centuries of navigating the challenging desert environments of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) led to the evolution of unique societal adaptations and architectural innovations. However, colonial and pseudo-colonial powers frequently dismissed these clever and environmentally-friendly practices as insufficient. As the 20th century progressed, an increasing reliance on fossil fuels and modern environmental management technologies contributed to the gradual erosion of these sustainable practices. During the Oil Crisis and the rise of countercultural environmental movements, the desert-friendly architecture of MENA gained critical importance. This study explores the imaginative, architectural, and scientific proposals for self-sustained disaster shelters and lunar settlements, which drew inspiration from MENA's desert architecture. It contrasts the lavishly funded projects of US experts with the contributions of more marginalized figures, such as Iranian-American architect Nader Khalili. Khalili explored the potential for refugee settlements and lunar habitation through a decade-long study of Iran's self-sustaining adobe architecture. Through examining a variety of case studies, this project challenges the common perception that post-apocalyptic design solutions are exclusively the domain of white/Euro-American expertise.