Beer-Sheva Quarry Reclamation Blueprint

The abandoned quarry in Beer Sheva is a desolate dusty pit in the middle of a residential, low income neighborhood. The site sits along main traffic arteries dividing the adjacent neighborhoods and interrupting pedestrian traffic. The design reclaims the quarry while creating a new civic space that will constitute a unique ecosystem in Be’er Sheva and Israel. The park was initiated and planned as a collaboration between Moria Architects and Lola, Scape, Topotek1 in cooperation with the Bracha Foundation and the Beer Sheva Municipality.

The design emphasises the quarrying processes with the exposure of the historical strata on site, exhibiting the role of the quarry throughout its history, as an integral part of of Be’er Sheva’s development during the Ottoman period.
A number of different pocket gardens are planned with specific topographic and botanical characteristics.

The park is divided into three main areas:
The green ring located on the upper street level serves as a green envelope that functions as an urban space at the outer ridge with a perimeter promenade providing views into the interior of the quarry alongside an amphitheater for large scale events.

The visitor center and quarry patio function as open exhibition spaces, hosting various events and artist workshops. The patio sits on the lower level of the park and opens up onto the inner gardens while connecting between the two levels of the park.

The internal quarry gardens,pocket gardens: plantation, urban oasis, Byzantine quarry area, which serves as a historical center, allowing for observation and study of rock layers and their composition.
The design emphasises use of water runoff for watering. Other water elements include a wading pool for summer cooling and a waterfall that creates a microclimate.
At the foot of the quarrying wall is a drainage channel that simulates a small wadi – a piece of urban nature offering a rich habitat for flora and fauna.