The desert and its vast immensity, a landscape that changes by the second at the mercy of the elements; winds that shape the dunes, heath that scorches the sand and freezing temperatures that can split rocks. Such an environment might seem stale and uninhabitable for the untrained eye, nonetheless Bedouins have tamed the desert and its hardships for tens of thousand of years, not only managing to survive, but creating thriving social and economic communities which have historically conquered through and through this harsh environment
Nowadays, Bedouin communities are not impervious to the advancement of other hegemonic social and cultural practices, most of them abandoning their traditional nomadic lifestyle, but keeping and celebrating -in several occasions a year- the rich Bedouin culture and spreading millennia of knowledge and traditions to the newer generations.
The village of Abasyeh -southern Jordan- is one of the many settlements where Bedouin communities dwell, where their everyday unravels now far from the nomadic lifestyle, but still deeply and inherently connected to the desert.
Bedouins and their history of thriving where no one else could, does not only show the strength and resilience of this communities, but also the possibility for the desert to be a canvas for growth, change and development. What seems barren is actually full of movement, colour and potential.
In this potential for growth is where the project Radice finds its space. Radice aims to give life to an empty lot in Abasyeh, through the creation of a multi-use public space, guided by the idea of learning through play and incorporating contemporary takes on Bedouin traditions and the multiple shades of the Jordanian desert.
“A landscape is pleasant when, in relation to the arrangement of the objects, it simultaneously ensures the sensations of free visual and the possibility of refuge ” wrote Jay Appleton describing his idea of landscape intended as public space such as parks and green areas.
The “Radice” project -through a shaded area, together with space where the kids can play, adults can relax, and a green area – seeks to create a sense of community and a space for learning, where different generations can share and generate a joint feeling of placeness.
