Alice Hayes

Women's refuge in Nicosia - Steps

A short stay 'Stepping-stone' sanctuary for women whom are victims of domestic abuse. This sanctuary will be hidden behind a diverse coffee shop spilling out onto a large multi-generational park/playground, spanning from border-to-border. To access the sanctuary the women will be given a coded sentence ("I'm here to see Maria"..."Can I speak to Maria"... "I'm looking for Maria") whom will then be taken through to the sanctuary, or sit in the cafe to discuss 'next steps' they can take, and info on support. Whilst the buffer zone still exists - there will be two border crossings; one from the north, and other from the south. When the borders are removed, the park/playground will act as a living memory of the past, ensuring the conflict is never forgotten. The new site will not disturb the old street patterns of the old city.

Arkady Petrov

Water conservation project

A regenerated segment of the buffer zone providing spaces for start-up companies and NGO's to educate and address the issues of water conservation facing Cyprus as a country. This development will consist of a series of passivhaus certified buildings show casing sustainable design, and water collection systems that may be retro-fitted on existing buildings in Nicosia, and Cyprus. This common goal of Cyprus will intend to consolidate and ennoble both North and South citizens to overcome cultural differences and work towards a more stable future.

Archie Buchanan

Year 2

Clara Feibusch

Buffer Zone Regeneration Centre

Assuming that the Buffer Zone will become obsolete in the future, regeneration must begin before the territory is fully publicly accessible.To ensure that careful rehabilitation is implemented in terms of encapsulating the delicate history of the site, this brief will provide office space for a team of collaborative architects, planners and designers from across both sides of the border who will actively work on the ongoing regeneration of the buildings across the Buffer Zone. Sustainable design will be at the core of the development, by repurposing materials that are available from derelict buildings on site, and identifying and sourcing local materials. The site will be open to the general public, so that the regeneration process is visible and involvement is stimulated from all inhabitants of Nicosia leading to mutually beneficial regenerative projects. The general public will be offered the chance to collaborate and offer ideas as to what purpose the rehabilitated buildings within the buffer zone should serve.

On a more metaphorical level the new projects within the Buffer Zone (including this initiative) will need to honor the history upon which they are built; this initial construction will act as an almost metaphorical timeline of the history of the site, and emphasize the concept of time throughout the design. By providing an experiential value to the space, human nature is appealed to on a basic level which allows visitors to feel more open to difficult conversation, as users are united over experienced common humanity within the experience of time in the design.

Year 2

Charlotte Land

Traditional pita bread making school

Bringing different generations together in order to proceed with traditional bread making is beneficial to everyone involved. The children will be integrated in the whole process of bread making being exposed to different processes and people from all generations.

Dassa Shalev

The Green Line

Unifying the Cypriot communities by bringing agriculture and farming into the city centre, encouraging bi-communal living and working.

Livia Plaumann

School for Disadvantaged girls

A boarding school for girls from all cultural backgrounds of Cyprus which aims to improve the issue of gender inequality in the long term. The school gives students the opportunity to gain a good education in a safe environment which allows them to fill in leading job positions in the future. In addition students from north and south Cyprus will learn to build one community while being taught the correct history of the island without the influence of their parents.

Siti Shariff Umairah

Art and Cultural Hub

A youth led program integrating the local crafting methods with contemporary techniques. A hub to gather artists around Cyprus to collaboratively produce craft with younger generations and exhibit the artworks to celebrate the past and their differences.

Eric Cugnet

Ermou innovation centre

To unite the North and the South with a produce innovation centre that specialises in Cyprus's vast range of vegetation. Focusing on grapes, pomegranate, almonds and citrus fruit. The project will run an integrated youth program and will utilise the buffer zone's fertile soil and water source so test new seeds, sharpen new growing techniques and create communities through agriculture. The project remits promotes teamwork and entrepreneurship - The money made from products sold on site are re-invested into the community creating a better quality of living and sustainable economic growth.

Raphael Haque

Buffer zone in Nicosia

Theo Gammie

Collaborative Commons | Hotel

A collaborative commons that increases social contact between North and South Cypriots, subsidised by a long stay cultural hotel.

Tanisha Chauhan

Collaborative Film School

A collaborative film centre where film students (and others who are interested in film) can come to use film making facilities. The films created can be showcased publicly as part of a film festival, with the films having some focus on the conflicts between the two sides of Nicosia

Nicola Preuss-Pothitou

Psychology School

It takes a few weeks to destroy a wall, however in the long term there will be psychological barrier in the minds of the community and the fabric of Nicosia, creating economic, social and political differences. The aim of the psychology school is to understand trauma of individuals from the past, yet also w/ Nicosia's encouragement in the field of letters and arts (as seen w the constructions of Cyprus cultural centre and New State art gallery) to engage with this and look into the depth / subconscious of the citizens and see their narrative and P.O.V. The school will try and promote togetherness and an exchange of ideas through an open structure, open to any visitors destroying the imagery of linear walls, and creating an intimate relationship between the visitor and the site, and a state of calmness.

Charlotte Ledger

Peace Education Centre

A peace education centre with offers school trips and summer camps for children aged 10-12 from both sides of the buffer zone. The project will aim to increase contact between the communities, break stereotypes and promote cultural similarities. The students will work towards the annual Yukablend festival to promote items they make in the workshops.

Harry Allen

Preschool in the buffer zone

A kindergarten/daycare for children aged 3-6 to address the divide between the North and South. The reasoning for choosing a kindergarten is to attempt to let the children be around people not like themselves before they hold similar, dividing beliefs to their parents/grandparents. Following alternative teaching methods (Montessori, Reggio Emilia), parents are encourages to take part in their children's education when possible, to even overcome their own prejudices.

Ingeborg Stromsnes

The Reflective Journey

Multiplying nature through greening and connecting the city of Nicosia. Connecting communities through a treasure hunt simultaneously fighting the common enemy climate change through planting trees.

Julianna Smith

Home of Earth

A women's shelter combined with a multi-communal pottery studio driven by a female co-operative

Julia Wlodrczyk

A platform for creation of bi-communal Media which promotes holistic cultural, personal and communal development as well as promotes media literacy, critical thinking and debate to counter negative narratives bought upon Cyprus.

Sorcha Prime

Collective Degrowth Co-housing

An affordable scheme for women of Nicosia. Bridging across Nicosia's divide: from a 'no man's land' to a shared public realm that promotes connectivity.

Tessa Cox

Affordable youth co-housing project

Co-housing Scheme: Designed for young people struggling to afford rent in Nicosia. The co-housing provides an opportunity for young people to form a community within the city, through creating an environment for young people to feel empowered, included and thrive.