35°6′54″N 33°56′33″E Terra Incognita

Abstract

Focusing on the case of Cyprus, the thesis explores the relationship between urban space and group conflict and the relevance of spatial planning and urban design practices in conflict resolution. –Urban– space is suggested as a prism through which to understand and address the challenges of the contested city. Famagusta, a city on the eastern coast of Cyprus, is used as a demonstration site for exploring ‘urban peacebuilding’ strategies seen through the lens of spatial practices. The Turkish invasion of 1974 resulted in the territorial division and occupation of 37% of the Island’s territory, while its two main communities, the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots, have remained alienated ever since. The partition and the presence of a violent buffer zone a ‘no man’s land’ along the islands’ east west axis, is the driving force behind a country of two systems and two cultures. Partition was to affect most dramatically the political geography of future development in Famagusta. On August 14th 1974, the whole of Famagusta was occupied by the Turkish army and Varosha, its southern suburb, was sealed off as a no-go area under the control of the Turkish Forces undermining the growth and development of the city. From April 2015, a new momentum in politics has given hope to the people of Cyprus for reunification, with Famagusta on the forefront of the negotiations. The research builds upon the potential of a ‘shared Famagusta’ to offer strategic motivations for a ‘shared future’ and a prototype of peaceful coexistence in a reunified Cyprus. How peace can be materialized in the urban environment and how the city could be transformed into an arena where common imaginaries and shared urban narratives are negotiated and developed between warring communities is explored. This work draws attention to the complex connection between space, identity and politics and although addresses the specific context of the Cyprus case, it provides insights to a much wider discussion of academic and societal relevance.