בָּרַכֶּה

The fishpond landscape of Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael, located in the area between the kibbutz and Jisr az-Zarqa, represents a productive landscape shaped over the years on the grounds of the historic Kabbara wetlands. Based on systems of water management and agriculture, the area has remained largely closed to the public. The project proposes a renewed perspective on this landscape, seeking to transform it into an open public infrastructure for ecotourism while preserving its existing landscape and ecological systems. Building upon the network of fishponds, embankments, and water channels, a new system of circulation, recreation, and gathering is proposed, aiming to strengthen the connections between people, water, and landscape. The intervention operates across multiple scales, from spatial and landscape planning that reorganizes circulation and accessibility, to focused architectural interventions incorporating public spaces, areas for relaxation, bathing and water-based treatments, and hospitality facilities within the aquatic environment. Through lightweight construction elevated above the water and a reduced built footprint, the architecture seeks to maintain a close relationship with the existing landscape systems, while preserving ecological continuity and the unique identity of the place.