Peace through architecture

The Middle East is dealing with numerous current struggles and has been for many years, one of the longest has been a religious battle within the state of Israel. Many things can break a nation apart, but more can reunite them, one influence being architecture. If a secular structure is built which can bring everyone together, the people can learn how to coexist happily in one place without the tension. Jerusalem is the most influential city in Israel, housing the most historic and important buildings to many cultures and religions, and as a modern city on the rise. I propose that an intriguing new structure in the middle of the city can pull together people of all backgrounds, uniting them as a new people and leading by example, proving it’s possible and desirable to work and live together as Israeli’s, not by their religion.

The building form is based on the influence of a diamond; a diamond is a direct metaphor to my thesis. A diamond is created through millions of years of pressure coming together to create a beautiful stone which is hidden in volcanic rock. A diamond is a durable and tough stone, being 10 out of 10 on the Moh’s scale of hardness, yet is also precious enough to be a desirable commodity everyone wants. The form of my design is based on the layers of the city combined with the creation process of a diamond, moving from chaos and volcanic rock up to a purified and perfect stone at the top. The program is an important factor in the design and success of the building, because it needs to make a connection with the city. The building needs to be a desirable location to pull people from all ends of Jerusalem. The different program types tie together not only in activity but in space allocation to further exude the idea of interconnectivity. The façade of the structure is all glass so it can be open and inviting; the metal tubes on the exterior show the structural stresses on the building and the tension within the city.