Planning In Jabel Mukaber
Smadar Efrati, 2009-2010
The Jabel Mukaber neighborhood is located east from “Talpiot” neighborhood, and includes 15,000 people. Most of them are from Bedouin tribe named “Sawahre”, who came to this area 500 years ago.
From the way the neighborhood is divided into sub neighborhoods we are able to understand the historic settlement process. The settlement along the path of the Kidron stream demonstrates the way the families are divided. Thus we can see the secured traditional way of life in the big family.
The project initiated by Naim Awissat, brings up lots of questions concerning the future neighborhood development, and can influence its pass towards urban neighborhood.
The expected ring road will become a new prominent line in the area. Sort of another border line in addition to the municipal line and the security wall.
Secondly, it connects many points, but cuts roughly the built areas surround it. Close to the project the road creates intermediate area to the security wall. This area, being a residual location, aims to grow, as a result, into a new surrounding and will connect between the two sides of the road.
The program, as an architectural expression to the desired exposure levels. And the spiral shape as an expression to this course. The spiral simulates the course from the extreme to introverted, from outside to inside, from the exposed to the hidden.
The first point to be considered in such a project is this conflict between secured, introverted, hidden, traditional place and a developed, open, strange, public area.
The public image of the project, its open topographic location, and its short distance to the planned ring road arise questions concerning the level of the visibility of the project and the people which use it.
How is it possible to design a public modern project like a “country club”, to a traditional conservative Muslim neighborhood, which will still be useful to women, men and children? What is the separation standards between men and women in such a population?
Planning in Jabel Mukaber Presentation