Above-Underground 

The growth of the global population, combined with rapid urbanization, is leading to increasingly dense city centers. These trends may escalate, highlighting the need for smarter and more efficient land resource allocation. Traditionally, responses to urban population growth have focused on two strategies: outward expansion into suburbs and upward construction within city centers. However, recent years have seen the exploration of an alternative solution: downward density. 

In light of Israel’s limited land resources, rapid population increase, and the need for new housing within urban areas, this project aims to demonstrate that thoughtful integration of underground planning is essential for creating densely populated, high-quality urban environments that can also enhance above-ground spaces. 

This initiative seeks to shift the prevailing paradigm regarding the underground realm and its potential. It proposes viewing underground resources as integral components of planning and development processes for older neighborhoods, facilitating inclusive planning and making effective use of scarce land resources for urban renewal initiatives. 

The focal point of this project is the Kiryat Eliezer and Eliyahu neighborhood in Haifa, an area slated for extensive urban renewal. The neighborhood’s housing units are projected to increase from 4,500 to approximately 14,500. This project introduces an innovative approach to renewal, emphasizing subterranean development. This strategy aims to uphold urban values, quality, and a sustainable, open environment—qualities that have declined in recent decades amid densification efforts intended to revitalize urban spaces. 

The project’s primary objective is to meet densification targets while optimizing the creation of open spaces, particularly through a significant interconnected urban park integrated with Haifa’s residential neighborhoods. This will be achieved through the strategic use of underground space, accommodating a variety of functions, including residential units and parking facilities.