SCYTHOPOLIS 2.0

Once an archaeological finding is uncovered on land designated for construction, everything comes to a halt. The project is frozen, the budget is challenged, and ultimately, a fence is erected, and a sign is posted. A sterile site, a space outside of time, an ex-territory. This is the reality on the ground. Archaeology, which serves as a unique testimony to the layers of the past, often becomes an obstacle in the present. But perhaps there is another way? Perhaps the ex-territory can be reintegrated into everyday life.

The dissonance between Beit She’an’s flourishing past and its current state invites a discussion on how historical narratives are embodied in contemporary urban space. This prompted me to explore how historically rich areas in a peripheral, disconnected city might be reactivated and how these spaces can contribute to the creation of a contemporary urban identity. The project examines ways to reframe the equation: how urban preservation processes can serve as a catalyst for local economic, cultural, and social development in a city marked by stagnation and persistent disparities.

The research is in the seam zone between the national park and the contemporary city, a space where various architectural orders meet, representing different cultural structures across time. These include the national park that tells the story of the Roman city Scythopolis; the basalt structures of the old Arab city of Bisan; and the development town housing blocks, whose growth was long ago arrested. The project proposes a new urban structure that weaves together these historical layers and transforms them into a dynamic public urban infrastructure.

At the heart of the project lies the southern Roman theatre built in the 1st century. The project aims to restore the theatre’s historic role as a central public space and transform it into a vibrant gateway connecting the city to the archaeological park. Rather than adhering to romantic preservation paradigms, the project proposes an integrative approach that fuses past and present through a dense urban fabric built within and around the theatre. This includes a mix of uses such as commerce, housing, culture, employment, and leisure. Residential buildings with balconies overlooking the ruins will gain aesthetic, experiential, and real estate value while preserving the spirit of the place. In doing so, the once-silent public structure will regain a central role in the city’s daily life.