Recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2013.
This five-year project,
part of a rehabilitation master plan initiated by the Riwaq – Centre for Architectural
Conservation and eventually involving 50 villages that have retained a high
degree of historic integrity, has
transformed the decaying town of Birzeit, created employment through conservation and revived vanishing traditional crafts in
the process. Through focusing on
towns and villages in the area under Palestinian civil authority where an
estimated 50% of the surviving historic structures of Palestine are located and
where most Palestinians live, Riwaq realised that it could save much of
Palestine’s remaining heritage, and
at the same time have the greatest socio-economic impact. Conservation would
create jobs, revitalise local workshops and, ultimately, spark interest and investment in historic village centres.
Community involvement was encouraged from the start, including
local NGOs, the private sector,
owners, tenants and users, all working with the municipality. Five years of work have yielded
impressive results: streets have been paved, named and clearly signed;
infrastructure upgraded (water) and added to (pipes laid for a future sewer
system); facades have been conserved; and public spaces have been created and
rehabilitated. Riwaq pursued a policy of preventive conservation to upgrade the
public realm and restore select public/community buildings to accepted
international standards, coupled with a creative adaptability in replacing
sections of wall remain distinguishable from the original structures, without
harming architectural coherence. Affordable traditional techniques and local
materials were used throughout. Both historic buildings and public spaces have
been rehabilitated into community activity hubs. The successful social,
cultural and economic revitalisation of Birzeit undoubtedly stands as an
inspiring model for the other villages and rural areas in the “50 Villages” programme
and beyond.
Jury Citation:
“The Revitalisation of Birzeit Historic Centre is a dynamic
project in which the NGO of Riwaq succeeds in mobilising stakeholders and local
craftsmen into a process of healing that is not merely physical but that is
social, economic and political. By reversing a process of neglect and erasure
within a complex and difficult political context, the project manages to
transform not only a neglected historic core but also people’s lives, and
restores not only buildings but the dignity of their users. The project offers
an alternative to “museified” historic cores and it pioneers the regeneration
of Birzeit’s historic centre into cultural infrastructure. It facilitates the
reclamation of heritage by the people involved while also allowing them to
achieve their self-expressed aspirations. The project is an exemplary
dedication to rural heritage that can serve as a model for the 50 villages in
which Riwaq is involved, particularly the strategic interventions designed to stimulate
long- term development. ”
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
