Mahulena Svobodova

The village of Ein Hud is located in a beautiful natural setting (landscape, view of ht esea, relatively green flora etc) and it has a very interesting history and political context. Therefore the village can have „strong and positive presence in the region“ with little effort.

1) The spine of my project is a new/ organized systém of roads. The approach to the village is from the front, from the main road from Nir Etzion (leading through Ein Hod to road number 4). The road should be remodeled to achieve acceptable sloping. It goes through the village, where it ends for the meantime (later it could continue somewhere).
This systém is complemented by smaller roads (2 cars going in opposite directions) along the level lines, reaching all the existing and potential houses. These roads are connected (crossed by) pedestrian paths or stairways where it is necessary because of steep slope.

2) I believe the village can and should become denser within the area it occupies. It should be dense with spacier public spaces. The public spaces are: center, mosque with a garden and school with kindergarten. Because I want the village to develop within its current borders, I suggest the new center in the existing center (the current school and city hall should be demolished). Area of the mosque should be cleaned and surrounded by a garden, school with kindergarten are at the edge ot the village, with space for possible expansion and close to nature. These three speces are connected by promenade, wide staircase or main road, with shops, caffes, places to stop and sit alongside.

3) The third step of the new plan is a new, dense lots division. The houses do not seem to use all the space around them. The village can use the land more effectively and enjoy the nature around it. This lots division is not definite and is not intended to be filled immediatelly or even completely. It expresses the potential of the area.

4) I believe it is possible to build so densely and live comfortably. The lots could be filled with 3 types of houses as shown in the project (elevated house, embeded house and house within wall). These houses can be used both for a large family (hamula) living in several houses close to each other as well as for separate families/ houses.

The village should maintain its arab character. It goes also for the future growth of the village - it should develop along the level lines, as well as for agriculture – there should be vineyards and small fields under the village and olive, fig etc groves above the village.

I do not plan any special facilities for the tourists. If there should be any hotels or hostels, they should be spread through the village. Or there would be parts of the private houses for rent. I also do not plan any central parking. It is possible to establish parking lots in the „lots leftovers“ (as marked in the project) or park along the streets. Private houses have parking in the garden or under the house.

The town center is formed by a promenade lined by a low building (roof with filled in booths under it) along both sides. At the end there is „a square“ (a concrete platform/ roof to one side and a park to the other side), under the platform there is the library/ art center building. City hall, medical clinic, caffes, shops, etc are all included in the low buliding along the central promenade.

All the houses including the center are built with localy used materials and techniques.

SUGGESTIONS:

The villagers should be encouraged to create and perserve „arab landscape“. This could be introduced as a project for the village and its visitors. Project to reestablish traditional arab trees and approach to the landscape and nature in the near surroundings of the village.

The villagers could create tourist tracks in the village surroundings and connect them with the network of the israeli tourist tracks and offer guided tours or lectures on the nature, history of their village etc.