The Old City of Jerusalem, one of the world’s oldest cities, is one of the most important spiritual centers for Judaism, Islam and Christianity. In 1981 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 1982 it was declared a site at risk due to accelerated urban development, the detrimental effects of tourism and lack of maintenance. Today, the statutory plans in effect for the Old City are AM/9 (for the Old City and its environs, approved in 1976) and a limited number of small-scale plans, a situation that severely limits the ability to receive building permits in the Old City, both in private as well as public space. Since the Old City continues to evolve, and in the absence of any plan providing even a partial solution for housing welfare for the local residents, the values and assets of the Old City are being violated. Despite the Old City’s complexity, these plans are designed to serve as a simple, applicable and effective solution, intended to encourage construction suitable for the Old City’s character, and thus protect its physical state and ensure that all new development in the compounds will not adversely affect the Old City’s sites, assets and values. The detailed plans allow regulation of land uses and lay the groundwork for management of the housing interface in the Old City and improving the housing welfare of the residents (without adding any additional units), while relying on planning policy and methodology formulated in the plan for renewal and preservation of the Old City
The Old City of Jerusalem- detailed plans for six blocks
Project Initiation: 2012
Location: The Old City of Jerusalem- Muslim and Christian Quarters
Status: Planning
Program: Regulating land uses and defining areas for protection and preservation, areas for regulation of existing buildings, and areas for building additions (without additional units) for housing welfare improvement and in accordance with Old City values
Planning Team: Mike Turner, Ari Cohen, Ella Zilberfarb-Ben Ezra, Tzafi Shelef
מבט אלכסוני לתוך העיר העתיקה, צילום- קראוס מודדים
The Old City of Jerusalem, one of the world’s oldest cities, is one of the most important spiritual centers for Judaism, Islam and Christianity. In 1981 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 1982 it was declared a site at risk due to accelerated urban development, the detrimental effects of tourism and lack of maintenance. Today, the statutory plans in effect for the Old City are AM/9 (for the Old City and its environs, approved in 1976) and a limited number of small-scale plans, a situation that severely limits the ability to receive building permits in the Old City, both in private as well as public space. Since the Old City continues to evolve, and in the absence of any plan providing even a partial solution for housing welfare for the local residents, the values and assets of the Old City are being violated. Despite the Old City’s complexity, these plans are designed to serve as a simple, applicable and effective solution, intended to encourage construction suitable for the Old City’s character, and thus protect its physical state and ensure that all new development in the compounds will not adversely affect the Old City’s sites, assets and values. The detailed plans allow regulation of land uses and lay the groundwork for management of the housing interface in the Old City and improving the housing welfare of the residents (without adding any additional units), while relying on planning policy and methodology formulated in the plan for renewal and preservation of the Old City