People Environmental Adaptation in the Hyper-dense Areas: The case of Dheisheh refugee Camp, Palestine

Abstract

The rapid urban growth and transformation - those result from overpopulation - bring great changes to the form and style of the urban fabric, and also challenges to the landscape structure, natural environment and resources, to support urban habitation. These changes affect the style and the quality of life which leads to some changes in the people’s needs in hyper-dense areas. Hyper-density became a rising phenomenon in several regions of the world, It can be found in two forms; horizontally in the low-rise and too close buildings (e.g. refugee camps, slums, old cities, and informal settlements); and vertically in the high-rise and close buildings (e.g. Hong Kong and Chicago). Furthermore, hyper-density has several levels in relation to its size; a neighborhood level, a camp level, or in a city level. The urban evolution of refugee camps has led to the hyper-dense urban environments, with narrow and dark paths, lack of openness, uncleanness and nearly the absence of green areas between close buildings, and blockage of the daylight from transmission to the buildings interiors. This urban form has distorted the sense of landscape in the urban open spaces, and produced a pressure on the public services due to the lack of these urban open spaces. Accordingly, the people psychological or physical interaction with landscape elements (plants, organisms,etc.) is missing.