The project tries to define the relationship between different plant populations in Jerusalem, and focuses on the tension between them.

As part of the project, I conducted a diachronic study of the plant environment in Jerusalem, both on a large scale but also through small-scale test cases in an attempt to find the uniqueness of the city positioning on the watershed, which gives it a dualistic phytogeographical character. The uniqueness of the combination of the indigenous plant population on the eastern and on the western slopes, together with the intermediate area of the watershed is expressed by a rich variety of contrasting plant populations, defined by various plant societies that inhabit the city: along with the indigenous plant population, three more populations were added, an agricultural population, an urban population and a pine population.     

Plant populations

Wild population - The city unites two phytogeographical areas, the desert margin and the mediterranean, characterized by different soil type, climate and vegetation groups. These populations are mainly the product of climatic and biotic conditions of the habitat, with the most influential climatic factor being the connection between these two phytogeographical regions. In each group these characteristics determine the nature of the vegetation such as the structure of the roots, the foliage and their abilities to flourish in the habitats. The indigenous vegetation in the city is characterized as durable vegetation that reflects the local vegetative character influenced by the rainwater drift to the Achzav stream that limits it. However, the anthropogenic influence on determining the nature of the vegetation during different historical periods is also of great importance.

Urban population - This system usually requires prolonged care over the time, irrigation and pruning, as many spices in this group do not match the flora of the city. This system can be regarded in two ways: on the one hand this group enriches the vegetation of the city and has a positive impact on the ecosystems around it, but on the other hand, it serves as a political tool by highlighting the gaps between human populations, and reduces the number of indigenous species in the urban areas.

Agricultural population - is divided into two forms of cultivation, "dryland farming", based on irrigating the agricultural crops with natural moisture only, without accumulating or discharging them to the plots, and "irrigated farming", based on irrigating the agricultural crops by distributing water to their flowerbeds.

Accompanying vegetation is another part of this population, and it includes rare and endangered plants that have adapted to living conditions in a traditional agricultural system. However, with the transition to modern farming methods the accompanying vegetation could no longer survive.

Pine population - Jerusalem (Aleppo) pine is the least contributing group in the city area. The development of this population stemmed primarily from an act of political erasure of the local agricultural culture. In addition, the introduction of pine trees displaced the local plant groups and created climatic hazards, destruction of ecosystems and forest fires.

Case Studies 

Givat Hamatos, is located in the area of ​​Beit Safafa village and is positioned on the watershed as well. 

The site has evidence of ancient agricultural life, which was symbiotically connected with vegetation and geology.

The second site, the Bible Hill is located in the heart of jerusalem in a strategic location on the watershed, and is prominent both phytogeographically, as the highest point of the Kidron River route, and socially as it is located at a connection point between residential neighbourhoods and leisure complexes in the city.

Interventions

The project gives an architectural interpretation to these local vegetation groups by developing a number of architectural manipulations that blur the boundary between urban construction and vegetation, providing their gradual interpenetration.  The project encourages blurring of the boundaries between urban construction and vegetation by developing a variety of ways of covering the soil and the bedrock.

The variety of siding is made of materials that match the geological nature of the site so that in several years their dissolution will look completely organic. In addition, the decomposition of the silicate components will enrich the soil.