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Home Away from Home

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Sharon Eder

Flexible Community Boundaries Design for Resilience and Belonging

The project addresses community adjustment to changing urban situations, focusing on the precedential case study of a rural community displaced to a temporary residence in the city following the Hamas offensive on October 7, 2023. The study identified tension between the need for physical boundaries serving a sense of security and community identity, and urban planning practices supporting spatial openness and continuity. The objective is to formulate design principles and planning tools that reconcile this tension, to enable planners and community leaders to incorporate the community’s needs with existing urban planning. 

The phenomenon was examined from three viewpoints: individual behavior patterns, community resilience, and urban constraints. At the individual level, we identified patterns of creating a sense of home in temporary spaces, including marking one’s territory, a search for continuity, and adding emotional layers to the space. On the community level, we found that defining a shared space that enables the retention of culture and tradition is a source of strength in coping with extreme situations. 

City Shell is the name chosen for the new planning approach using a flexible, temporary fence, expanding our understanding of the role of fences and their design as a community mediation space, which contributes to resilience and belonging. The tool enables a double interface that brings planners and community leaders together to improve coping with challenges due to changes such as migration or urban renewal.

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Sharon Eder

Sharon is a design and strategy expert. Founder of SPHERA Studio, specializing in designing business and public environments with a focus on enhancing spatial experiences and streamlining organizational processes. She has led projects in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and food industries, as well as with municipal authorities. Sharon holds a B.Des in product design from Shenkar, and an M.Des in industrial design from Bezalel. Known for her strategic vision, research capabilities, and innovative concepts, Sharon combines professional excellence with community engagement.

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