Re-contextualized

The church has always played a significant role in shaping society, acting as a major cultural, educational, and social organization worldwide. The “Our Lady” Church in Haifa is part of a complex dedicated to rehabilitating ex-inmates.

Built during the Ottoman period for the Greek Melkite Christians, the church served as a vibrant community center for Haifa’s residents before 1948, integral to the Christian quarter’s social fabric. However, following the war, the Christian quarter was demolished, and its residents were forced to leave, leading to the abandonment of the Our Lady Cathedral.

In 1982, Kamil and Agnes Shehadeh, a Christian couple, established the House of Grace—a rehabilitation center for ex-inmates—and renovated the Our Lady Cathedral. This center also supports families facing challenging socioeconomic situations.

Currently, the land ownership of the lot where the church is located remains unclear. Consequently, the government has constructed high buildings that obscure the church, isolating the complex from the surrounding community and undermining its role as a communal organization. The House of Grace and the Our Lady Cathedral are now surrounded by public and governmental barriers that limit their expansion and capacity to serve the community effectively.

This project proposes to help the complex overcome these governmental barriers by expanding its facilities to include an educational, communal, and cultural center that serves various groups, including pedestrians, nearby neighborhoods, ex-inmates, and youth in challenging socioeconomic situations.

The design strategy involves analyzing the historical structure prior to 1948, which was characterized by a human-scale design that fostered community connections. The research aims to extract these qualities to create a new typological catalog that aligns with contemporary needs.

In conclusion, the project seeks to enhance the cultural and communal role of the House of Grace and the Our Lady Cathedral, ensuring they have the potential and space necessary to serve as many people as possible.