The Sheikh Jarrach site is inundated with imagery as divisive and obstructive as the political and social realities surrounding it. Class division, economic disparity, and obstacles are well represented both within the site itself and in its immediate surroundings and horizons.
Studying the skylines of the immediate neighborhoods while standing within the site establishes a clear visual hierarchy. The Palestinian neighborhood of Sheik Jarrach to the West and South of the site is below the crest of the olive grove hill. Because of this, the facades of the residences and stores are not always visible – instead the roofs become the primary source of information that is read. The roofs are naturally unkempt and disheveled, as are the backyards and the yards in general. The residences are usually quite small and feature a pragmatic collection of refuse. Turning to the north, the hillsides of Mount Scopus and the French Hill come into view. Both these elevated neighborhoods are principally Jewish Institutional property as well as some residences and business. To the Northwest are Israeli government offices. The Regency Hotel comes next as one looks Eastwards, followed by a public sports-plex and then the Hebrew University. All of these buildings are much larger in scale than those in the Wadi Joz, and are finished in a polished limestone. The effects of both the elevated position and stone finish are quite severe. By being placed high on the mountain tops, the Jewish institutions take on a commanding presence as they surround the Sheik Jarrach area (this is a product of the Israeli policy of populating the high ground around Jerusalem to provide better defensive positions should another major conflict arise)[1]. The sheer limestone facades do not soften the impression left by the hilltop buildings, but reinforce their imposing and inaccessible presence. The forms of the buildings atop and leading up to the Hebrew University often take on a bunker-like form. The Regency hotel and the Public Sportsplex are constant reminders of Israel’s economic successes.
Closer to the site itself, there are further illustrations of segregation. Crossing the site from East to West or North to South, there are many literal barriers to travel and exchange. The Ministry of the Interior sits on the Western slope of the site, bordering on Wadi el Joz neighborhood. The Ministry of the Interior takes on the most militaristic appearance of all buildings on site. The building is massive, with the same polished limestone finish as the neighborhoods above. Many of the windows in the building are permanently shuttered for security reasons, and no one enters or leaves the building without being scrutinized by security cameras and equipment. The ministry itself is surrounded by a stone retaining wall topped by another 10 foot steel fence. It is built in to the side of the hill in a defensive stance and takes on a menacing appearance. The entrances to the site itself are obstructed by the same rock and steel wall system that protects the Ministry of the Interior. There is no Northern entrance to the site – instead, one must cross the 6 lane roadway before being blocked by a 20 foot retaining wall which forms a moat like trench at the northern end of the site. To navigate through the site, a pedestrian must travel south along Wadi el Joz and enter at the parking lot of the Ministry of the Interior before turning West and heading towards the intended destination. The path meanders through concrete rubble and blasted limestone – themselves an image of conflict. The path climbs upwards as it heads west, over some steep slopes topped by heaps of rubble stone. The only reprieve from these images of conflict and barrier is the olive grove to the South of the site. It rises above the rubble strewn area to the north and takes on the form of ordered rows of trees that stretch infinitely to the horizon (an illusion caused by the crest of the hill as it dips to the south). The area in between the olive trees is dotted with wildflowers and grasses, and is used by local Palestinians as a picnic ground. The growth and ordered symmetrical impartiality of the grove offer a reprieve from the hierarchal neighborhoods around it. This grove is visually the best opportunity in the site to eliminate barrier and confrontation and instead encourage some sort of communal activity.
Studying the skylines of the immediate neighborhoods while standing within the site establishes a clear visual hierarchy. The Palestinian neighborhood of Sheik Jarrach to the West and South of the site is below the crest of the olive grove hill. Because of this, the facades of the residences and stores are not always visible – instead the roofs become the primary source of information that is read. The roofs are naturally unkempt and disheveled, as are the backyards and the yards in general. The residences are usually quite small and feature a pragmatic collection of refuse. Turning to the north, the hillsides of Mount Scopus and the French Hill come into view. Both these elevated neighborhoods are principally Jewish Institutional property as well as some residences and business. To the Northwest are Israeli government offices. The Regency Hotel comes next as one looks Eastwards, followed by a public sports-plex and then the Hebrew University. All of these buildings are much larger in scale than those in the Wadi Joz, and are finished in a polished limestone. The effects of both the elevated position and stone finish are quite severe. By being placed high on the mountain tops, the Jewish institutions take on a commanding presence as they surround the Sheik Jarrach area (this is a product of the Israeli policy of populating the high ground around Jerusalem to provide better defensive positions should another major conflict arise)[1]. The sheer limestone facades do not soften the impression left by the hilltop buildings, but reinforce their imposing and inaccessible presence. The forms of the buildings atop and leading up to the Hebrew University often take on a bunker-like form. The Regency hotel and the Public Sportsplex are constant reminders of Israel’s economic successes.
Closer to the site itself, there are further illustrations of segregation. Crossing the site from East to West or North to South, there are many literal barriers to travel and exchange. The Ministry of the Interior sits on the Western slope of the site, bordering on Wadi el Joz neighborhood. The Ministry of the Interior takes on the most militaristic appearance of all buildings on site. The building is massive, with the same polished limestone finish as the neighborhoods above. Many of the windows in the building are permanently shuttered for security reasons, and no one enters or leaves the building without being scrutinized by security cameras and equipment. The ministry itself is surrounded by a stone retaining wall topped by another 10 foot steel fence. It is built in to the side of the hill in a defensive stance and takes on a menacing appearance. The entrances to the site itself are obstructed by the same rock and steel wall system that protects the Ministry of the Interior. There is no Northern entrance to the site – instead, one must cross the 6 lane roadway before being blocked by a 20 foot retaining wall which forms a moat like trench at the northern end of the site. To navigate through the site, a pedestrian must travel south along Wadi el Joz and enter at the parking lot of the Ministry of the Interior before turning West and heading towards the intended destination. The path meanders through concrete rubble and blasted limestone – themselves an image of conflict. The path climbs upwards as it heads west, over some steep slopes topped by heaps of rubble stone. The only reprieve from these images of conflict and barrier is the olive grove to the South of the site. It rises above the rubble strewn area to the north and takes on the form of ordered rows of trees that stretch infinitely to the horizon (an illusion caused by the crest of the hill as it dips to the south). The area in between the olive trees is dotted with wildflowers and grasses, and is used by local Palestinians as a picnic ground. The growth and ordered symmetrical impartiality of the grove offer a reprieve from the hierarchal neighborhoods around it. This grove is visually the best opportunity in the site to eliminate barrier and confrontation and instead encourage some sort of communal activity.
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