Paper: Aesthetic Value of Minimalist Architecture in Gaza

Abstract This paper aims to visually study the simple objects that exist around us and the buildings people live in, in order to account for how a simple architectural language can help in the current situation in the Gaza Strip. A descriptive analytical method was adopted as the main methodological tool in order to gather information about existing minimalist objects and ordinary architecture in Gaza. Field investigations were conducted in order to photograph different areas in the Strip’s communities: Gaza city, rural-to-urban areas, and marginalized areas were compared to well-known minimalist artworks. Minimalist architecture in Gaza is not an alternative paradigm but a consequence of the current situation of material resources, building techniques, and form-making processes. This paper aims to show that, by using certain aesthetic design strategies, such as a particular arrangement of building elements and patterns, a more livable architecture can be obtained that advances aesthetic values, such as a sense of order, simplicity, and clarity, thus enabling a particular enjoyment of beauty.