Design intentions
BETH HALOCHEM - Rehabilitation Center On the outskirts of Beer Sheva, where the city ends and the desert begins, is the site of a new building: Beth Halochem (Rehabilitation Center). The scorching desert sun and the parched scenery served as inspiration. The structure was designed as an arrangement of “rock” like units grouped together. Between them a thin horizontal roof forms a courtyard – intimate, inviting and protected, to serve the functions of the building – a home for disabled veterans and their families. While studying the various three-dimensional monoliths, a unique relationship among the projects components emerged, based on balance between light and shadow, closed versus open, positive and negative. The bright sunlight makes it possible to achieve a three-dimensional richness by reflections from the rough frontal surfaces. The rocks enclose rooms for private and more intimate functions, while in-between spaces serve as public areas in the building. Thin bridges spanned over those areas enable passage between public spaces, which reinforces the experience of the building for the users. In the private areas, thick walls provide climate protection, which is so essential in the Negev desert. In contrast, in the public areas the thin roof that caps the building provides shade and protection of the interior regions, and also creates a variety of external spaces where it is pleasant to relax. The building divides the site into new topographies. This allowed the design of two ground floors on two different levels, interlocking with each other, as an integral part of the building architecture. Thus achieving maximum accessibility as is appropriate for the special needs of users of the building.

Technical data
Structure data: * area of site – 18,000 sqm * built area – 6,000 sq.m. Main functions: * society and community - auditorium, classrooms, workshops, club. * rehabilitation - physiotherapy, pool therapy, massage, clinic. * sports – basketball court, swimming pool, gym, billiards, table tennis, gymnastics. * support and services - cafeteria, changing rooms, management and maintenance. Construction Costs – 1,500 Euro per sqm location: Beer-Sheva, Israel

Project team
Etan Kimmel, Michal Kimmel Eshkolot, Ilan Carmi, Shachaf Zait