While sea levels in the northern portion of the Dead Sea are dropping drastically each year, this project was initiated in response to the problem of rising sea levels in the southern portion caused by industrial mining activity.
The design creates an integrating, continuous public space connecting the main axis of hotels with the raised and renovated beach and new promenade along the seashore. The project is organized as a series of zones moving outwards from the sea: beach, promenade, beach park, parking, and finally the main axis of hotels and transport, all of which are framed by the striking desert cliffs.
The beach zone penetrates into the sea itself with accessible decks to bring bathers into the water. A series of large shade structures protect visitors from the average summer temperatures of 40 degree, providing large islands of continuous shade designed for families and to encourage groups and interactions between the diverse visitors. The white of the shade sails offsets the warm colors of the desert landscape and the brilliant blues of the sea, and the silhouette of the structures creates a dialogue with the Jordanian Hills at the horizon.
The beach park is planted with a grid of date palms which evoke the typical agricultural groves of the Dead Sea area and which provide a strong vertical architecture and sense of scale. The park includes lawn for picnicking families, as well as desert plantings, and is watered with treated wastewater from the hotels.
Info
Client:
The Dead Sea Preservation Government Company Ltd.
Team:
Barbara Aronson, Ittai Aronson, Elia Shoshani, Svetlana Sirota, Daniel Shorer, Ayelet Ben David, Maayan Turgeman
