This project explores how traditional building practices of the Negev can be reinterpreted and reactivated through a contemporary architectural vision. At its heart stands a large self-supporting shell woven from palm frond arches. The canopy is not only a structural solution but also a spatial gesture: it creates shade, defines open areas, and produces a dynamic play of light and shadow. Importantly, the project does not invent a new language from nothing—it develops and reimagines an older way of building that once shaped daily life in the region, but has since been abandoned or replaced by other methods.
The design approach combines respect for what already exists with a vision for the future. Historical buildings on the site are preserved, while the new additions are deliberately light and minimal. Instead of constructing enclosed volumes, walls are introduced only at certain points, shaping open and flexible spaces that can adapt to different needs—workshops, exhibitions, a studio, library, archive, or community gatherings.
The choice of materials reflects both economic and cultural critique. Zinc sheets, wood, iron, glass, and fabric are the same everyday materials found in nearby unrecognized villages. Their deliberate use is not only affordable and sustainable but also an architectural statement, exposing the reality of fragile, temporary construction and the politics of erasure in the desert. In this way, the project connects the new center with its social and geographic surroundings.
Even the structural legs of the shell are given additional meaning. Beyond carrying the main loads, some are transformed into functional elements—for example, one becomes an outdoor library, where the arches themselves turn into bookshelves.
Ultimately, the project is not just a canopy. It is a living environment that reconnects memory with the present, offering a resilient and creative response to life in the desert.
