Kfar Bir’im

The project explores the possibility of reviving the abandoned Maronite village of Biram in the northern Galilee through a synthesis of contemporary technology and cultural and traditional values. Biram was evacuated in 1948 under a promise that residents would return after 15 days, but the temporary evacuation became a permanent displacement. Since then, its people have struggled through legal, public, and cultural means to return to their village.

The choice of Biram stems from its unique status as a symbol of civil struggle, reflecting the complexities between historical preservation, social justice, and contemporary planning. The project treats the site not merely as a memorial, but as a living space open to renewed intervention—one that respects its past while enabling an active community future.

Through an innovative planning approach, the project proposes a “parasitic” structure— a lightweight, non-intrusive architectural addition that enables new housing and programs above the historic fabric without destroying it. The structure draws inspiration from the local building tradition, rooted in the site yet open to evolution, and adapts itself to the terrain.

This architectural proposal is not a fantasy but a concrete strategy to revive the village for future inhabitants. It emphasizes the power of architecture as a tool for social repair, heritage preservation, and the envisioning of a shared future in abandoned villages with historical, cultural, and national significance.

The project presents a conceptual and design framework that can serve as a model for interventions in similar places, emphasizing the careful integration of old and new, community and technology, memory and hope.

The intervention is carried out in two phases:

Phase one involves building above the existing fabric—rooted in local values and principles while hovering above the historic ground, enabling the use of a universal architectural language. This strategy is adopted as a blueprint for reviving abandoned sites, especially mountain villages affected by displacement.

Phase two addresses the needs of a returning community, such as accommodating population growth through significant new housing, and adding public buildings and employment zones to provide livelihoods and prevent future outward migration. For this purpose, the land surrounding the old village is developed as a new district with a distinct architectural language—one that learns from the historic village so the built environment adapts to the topography using similar methods.