Between Sacred and Secular

Bnei Brak is the most densely populated city in the country, lacking open and green spaces, and having a rather demanding lifestyle. Its urban fabric is based on extremely busy main access roads and an informal network of shortcuts, through which is woven the image of the Haredi “wanderer.” The project proposes a green network of connecting roads that allows for anonymous passage from place to place, away from the urban congestion through use of the tactics: labyrinthine, deep, and varying levels. The network extends between two centers: the eastern strip and the western strip. The eastern strip is located along the city’s exterior border as part of the concept of open and accessible urban services, and is characterized by openness, efficiency, functionality, and accessibility. The western strip runs through the inner city areas with the aim to forge a sense of belonging, and is characterized by intimacy, anonymity, community, and cultural significance. This creates a dynamic system that connects inside and outside, sacred and secular.