SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Our ongoing project Palestine Architects Platform (PAP) –and PAP VE is a project intended to re-bond Palestinian architects and facilitate communication between them in Virtual Environments “virtual land” using virtual means. We used it as an example to argue that its inherently embedded spatial metaphor could compensate for the physical disconnectedness, and allow interaction on many different levels. Our paper proposes an interactive archiving and networking location where discourse is not only stored but categorised, analysed, retrieved and used to start new topics, or can be used to improve new debates. The focus is on the social values of PAP network and its empowering nature. The design and the structure is not simply a system for online socialisation rather it is a result of thoroughly studying available networks and their principles. It is a result of deep analysis of reality behind this community. We finally propose a set of principles that can secure a real innovative and creative knowledge exchange.