Phase I: Study of Urban Development of the City of Amman

• Part 1 of Phase I: Centered on a study of the evolution of the City in terms of cultural, territorial and socio-economic transformations, a study of the setting and spirit of the place in addition to patterns of growth, migration patterns and early residential settlements. Part 1 of Phase I also address population & urbanization analysis in addition to a study of the evolution of planning schemes and effect of development plans on City growth since the 1950s up to the present in addition to morphology and settlement patterns.

• Part 2 of Phase I: Addressed different city narratives including citizens of the City as agents of change and transformations, evolution of public spaces and public sphere, and analysis of Amman’s modernity narratives. This part also addressed contemporary economic and socio-cultural transformations taking place in Amman to day such as the current neoliberal urban transformations but also tackled the phenomenon of coming back to the City’s historic urban quarters and the provision of a new urban vision facilitated by urban activists and the creative urban class.

• Part 3 of Phase I: Centered on rethinking urban heritage in the City. This started with analyzing Amman’s domestic space and the spatiality and specificity of the domestic heritage, analysis of the City’s public spaces, and finally a detailed study of the City’s urban heritage where a typology of the City urban architectural cultural and natural heritage was researched, surveyed, and analyzed ending up with various types and models that flourished in Amman. This part ended with a study of the practices and politics of heritage in the City.

 

Phase II: Analysis of Amman’s Architectural Heritage

This phase started with the design of survey form that was based on an intensive survey of urban and natural cultural heritage of Amman. The survey form was based on a pilot survey and then it was preceded by an intensive survey of heritage sites all over the City where approximately 1700 potential heritage sites were visited and surveyed. Furthermore, a system of identification (layers and categories of protection, enhancement, and sustainability) for Amman’s urban cultural and natural heritage was identified which depended on singular buildings, conservation areas, arterials, and steep slopes and viewpoints. The Intensive Survey facilitated the conducting of typomorphological analysis for the City in addition to a three-tier grading system for the various types of heritage sites and resources. All the information from the intensive survey in addition to the resources was inputted on a GIS (Geographic Information System) in coordination with the GIS section at Greater Amman Municipality.

One of the outcomes of the GIS-based analysis was the City Register of Heritage Places in Amman. Phase II also included analysis and presentation of case studies in the evolution and management of heritage conservation systems and organization. Three case studies were analyzed: USA, France, and Egypt. Furthermore, the French case was elaborated upon in terms of current practices in architectural and urban conservation and heritage planning. Finally, Phase II also included coming up with standards and guidelines for documentation and heritage recording in the City of Amman prior to actually conducting and recording 10 selected buildings and sites and the production of complete measured drawings for these sites and building to form the nucleus of a heritage-recording bank for the City.

 

Phase III: Legal and Legislative Framework for Heritage Protection

• Part 1 of Phase III: Centered on a comprehensive review of the current legal framework that governs heritage sites in Amman including the review of the Cities, Villages, and Planning Law of 1966, and a detailed review of the 2005 Urban and Architectural Heritage Conservation Law Heritage Law.

• Part 2 of Phase III: Centered on planning for heritage protection and addressed the guidelines and standards for each of the proposed conservation area and also implications (in terms of future interventions) for the 3-teir grading system of singular sites and buildings including details of the designation of grades A, B, and C. This part also included general guidelines and standards for urban rehabilitation and building conservation.

• Part 3 of Phase III: Addressed coming up with amendments and recommendations to the Heritage Law of 2005 in addition to coming up with recommendations for planning/heritage and financial tools in terms of regulatory tools, financial tools and incentives, and tools that addressed awareness building.

• Part 4 of Phase III: Centered on coming up with an organizational structure for the setting up of a heritage directorate at GAM in addition to a setting up procedural issues regarding submitting different types of heritage-related applications to the Municipality including nomination of sites and building to the City Register.