nature museum (villa deccan), jerusalem landscape ... museum jerusalem - landscape...

2018אפריל אדריכלות נוףישי חנון אדריכל ויועץ לבנייה ירוקה ר איליאס מסינס "ד' אדר

Nature Museum (Villa Deccan),

Jerusalem

Landscape Development of the

Nature Museum Courtyard

KKL-JNF Call for Proposal 1001/17

Presentation – June 2017

Dr. Elias Messinas, Architect and

Environmental (Green Building) Consultant

Yishai Hanoun, Landscape Architect


The Nature Museum is housed in a historical, stone building (Villa Deccan), in Jerusalem's German Colony

neighborhood and features exhibitions on the natural sciences, the environment and human anatomy. The house

was built in 1862 by Lazarus Paul Margharian, a wealthy Armenian businessman, and served as a magnificent

summer residence, surrounded by a garden with many trees and greenery, paths and stone terraces, seating areas,

an ornamental pond, and four large water cisterns. The compound is enclosed by a high stone wall with two gates,

one the west and the other in the south, and has remained intact to the present day. During the Ottoman period

the house was inhabited by the Turkish governor and during the British Mandate, as an officer's club and the

grounds were renovated in the spirit of an English garden. In 1949, the Pedagogical Institute for Natural Sciences

was established on the site and in 1962, the Nature Museum opened its doors to the public.

Today, the museum is visited by students from throughout the city and during vacation it is also a summer camp. A

community garden was initiated by neighborhood residents ten years ago on the museum grounds, which

developed into a center for the community that serves people from all over the city.

Next to the museum building (Villa Deccan) is another building, the eastern building, which is used by the

museum.

The entire compound is an important part of the cultural axis that connects the Jerusalem Theater, the Hansen

House, the First Station complex, the Khan Theater, and the Cinematheque.

Nature Museum Compound (Villa Deccan),

Germany Colony, Jerusalem


Upgrade the grounds surrounding the Nature Museum, and thereby increasing the range of

activities held in and outside the building, including educational, cultural, leisure, recreational and

sustainability activities for the benefit of all Jerusalemites and visitors to the capital city.

Preserve the natural character and spirit of the site.

Use natural materials to the extent possible; similar to the elements in the compound.

Avoid harming the environment.

Give visible expression to the site's values of sustainability, urban sustainability, urban nature,

environmental protection.

Enable seasonal flowering and spring bloom.

Enable access to the Nature Museum from both gates and accessibility for baby

carriages/wheelchairs.

Rehabilitate elements of the historical garden.

Improve infrastructure such as lighting, drainage and irrigation.

Create activity areas and fixtures that invite visitors to return and engage in ongoing learning

process.

Create shaded outdoor seating and meeting areas.

Demonstrate and explain about collecting and recycling rainwater in an engaging and experiential

way.

Allow for areas where events and cultural and recreational activities can take place for a wide

range of populations.

Expand community garden activities as part of the visit to the museum and the compound as a

whole.

Plan Principles:


The EasternBuilding

Nature Museum

WesternGate

SouthernGate

(Without scale)

Nature Museum Compound (Villa Deccan)The site as it appears to date


FirstStation

KhanTheater

JerusalemTheater

HansenHouse

NatureMuseum


A. Western entrance

B. Museum of Nature building

C. Eastern Building –

“Educators' House”

D. Southern entrance

Upper level .א

Intermediate level .ב

- Eastern courtyard .ג

“Educators' House”

Pond level, events area and .ד

community garden

Community garden .ה

Community meeting .ו

compound and terraces

Stairs .ז

Nature Museum Compound as it Appears to Date


1. Parking area

2. Walking path

3. Dinosaur sculpture

4. Open area

5. Classrooms and petting

zoo/animal corner

6. Activity area

7. Paths and passages

8. Meeting places

9. Seating areas

10. Stage for performances

11. Ornamental pond

12. Cistern

13. Main walking axis

14. Community tent

15. Community garden

16. The community gardens

center

17. Rehabilitation nursery and

storage

Nature Museum Compound - Existing Elements


Photos - Site to date


Site to date

Proposed plan

View A

Arrival from the southern gate


Proposed plan

View B

Arrival from the western gateSite to date


Proposed plan

View C

The open area in front of the Nature MuseumSite to date


Proposed plan

View D

Eastern courtyardSite to date

nature museum (villa deccan), jerusalem landscape ... museum jerusalem - landscape...

Documents