Project name: Infrastructural Lifeline for Palestine and Israel
Project location: Israel
Firm name: Christoph Hesse Architects
Jury comments: This ambitious project combines a road, railway and water connection from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea. Programmatic elements are strung along this line of infrastructure including a seaport in Gaza, a free trade zone shared by Israel and Palestine and a water reservoir with a hotel located at the Dead Sea.
The vision for the project comes from the “five peaceful intentions” outlined in the “Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum” established by Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan the United States and the United Nations in 1999. Goals for this project include: 1) creating a stable and safe Gaza-West Bank passage, 2) creating a seaport for Gaza connecting it to Palestine and the world, 3) a free trade zone shared by Israel and Palestine, 4) a solution to solving pressing water shortage issues, and 5) a desire to reverse the shrinking of the Dead Sea.
The jury was impressed with how this project took on such real social and political issues. This is a very strong formal architectural solution to the five points outlined in the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum. The intent of the project is to visualize the five peace points and to stimulate a debate about implementing these “peace projects” rather than continuing the current constant arguing and fighting. This project has high aspirations that we hope will foster the desperately desired debate and hoped for peaceful outcome.
