Sand Chronicles; In situ remediation of a volatile landscape

The project examines the rapidly eroding Apolonia ridge, on Israel’s Mediterranean ‘kurkar’ coast, as a case study for mapping and designing similar volatile coastal sites. Once strategic hubs for empires, from the Byzantines to the British, these ridges have long been exploited for their geographical and material value through sand mining, construction on the cliff’s edge, and other harmful practices. Today, development and natural erosion continue to threaten these sites that once defined Israel’s coastline. The project offers a strategy for mapping and restoring the ridge - both as a palimpsest of architectures and uses, and as a natural resource or commodity. Through the use of forensic mapping methods and targeted planning based on archaeological practices, we impose a 3D grid on the site in which the remediation and design process operate gradually over multiple phases and steps on a timeline. The proposed strategy promotes adaptive, temporary structures made from local soil, aligning with the site's layered history and avoiding further degradation. Mentors: Arch. Ifat Finkelman, Arch. Deborah Pinto Fdeda