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Peace and Reconciliation Center Church of Scotland Compound, Tiberias

ECOWEEK 2012 in the Middle East

WORKSHOP Leaders:

Thomas Doxiadis (Architect, landscape architect, doxiadis+, Greece) Gil Peled (Architect, eco-challenges, Israel) WORKSHOP Team:

Luay Bader, Shmaya Shalev, Daniel D.Shorer, Mehtap Leyla Turanalp, Omri Ben Chitrit, Keren M.Relevy, Osher Frank, Abdullah Muhammed Dandees, Mariam A.Nammoura, Hazal Gümüs, Adi Cohen, Hanin Shavıc, Deniz Öztürk, Massala Jahrah, Ala Alabed.

Church of Scotland Compound: Making Peace with Communities, Buildings and Landscapes

The Challenge:

This project was initiated by the Church of Scotland with the aim of creating an active and meaningful site for promoting peace and reconciliation among communities in and around the Holy Land. The team was faced with the challenge of proposing the distribution of the various spaces and functions among two sites, which are not connected and which have very distinct characteristics and merits. The team, comprising students and professionals from different countries and backgrounds, visited and critically analyzed the two sites.

The Sites:

The top site, sloping towards the east and adjacent to the Scotts Hotel and old city walls, has unobstructed views of the Sea of Galilee. Recently, ancient graves were unearthed on the site. The bottom site, adjacent to the waterfront and promenade, includes an existing protected historic building, used as a church and school. The site is close to the city, but is walled off and secluded.

The Design Concept:

A decision was made to develop proposals for both sites, onnecting with and enhancing existing buildings and landscapes, enabling a phased development upon availability of funds.

The Peace and Community Garden proposed at the upper site includes a recycling and center, a communal vegetable garden, an outdoor gathering & seating area , a lower landscaped public garden with, rain water collection, a biodiversity garden - enhancing local species of plants and insects. The Peace and Reconciliation Center proposed at the lower site, includes the existing building with lobby, administration, catering facility, and dormitory, and a new building to house the assembly hall, flexible seminar rooms, an inner courtyard, an entrance lobby, all surrounded by a garden for recreation and activity.

Sustainability Strategy:

Land use: reclaiming disturbed area, maximizing uses of plots.

Water: retaining, collecting rainwater and dew for irrigation.

Waste: reduction of construction waste, reuse of materials on site, recycling facilities.

Energy: Natural ventilation and lighting, shading, passive heating, cooling, heat recovery, solar lighting, use of thermal mass.

Transport: pedestrian and disabled access, bicycle storage, proximity to bus / boat services. Biodiversity: retaining local plant species, for birds, butterflies, small reptiles and animals. Community: a community-orientated development use for gatherings and events, promoting peace and reconciliation processes at local and international levels.

Materials: use of reclaimed materials, on site, use of low embodied green sourced, recycled and recyclable materials.

Well-being: creating healthy & harmonious, accessible recreation areas.

Culture and Heritage: enhancing old city walls, existing listed building, prompting cultural dialogue.

The project was challenging at many levels, but the team managed to overcome cultural and language differences, creating new understandings and friendships in a very short period of time, suggesting that a design process based on sustainable principles can bring people together. In a way, the design process of the group, captured the true essence of the proposed Peace and Reconciliation Center in a very successful way.


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