אבן דרך

Quarrying irreversibly alters the ground surface and topography, disrupts ecological systems, and creates a stark visual contrast with the natural landscape. Once extraction ceases, abandoned quarries remain as “scars” in the landscape, serving as powerful expressions of human intervention in nature. The “Machtsavei Even” Quarry in Nesher, which operated from 1962 to 2011, focused primarily on dolomite extraction and gravel production. Throughout its years of operation, the quarry faced widespread public opposition due to its environmental and visual impact, including dust, noise, blasting, and heavy truck traffic. Since its closure in 2011, the quarry has remained abandoned and inaccessible to the public. The project seeks to reinterpret and revive the abandoned Nesher Quarry, transforming it from an open wound in the natural landscape into a vibrant public center. The project integrates a visitor center, research facilities, and researchers’ residences, fostering an encounter between the public, the academic community, and the natural environment. An experiential promenade winds along the quarry terraces, connecting a series of points of interest, observation, and gathering, with an ecological pool and an amphitheater at the quarry’s base as its central focal point. Through a spatial system that integrates with the existing topography and preserves the unique character of the excavated landscape, the project creates a renewed encounter between nature, memory, and people.