קמפוס החאן

The project focuses on the revitalization of Khan al-Shuna in the Old City of Acre, transforming it into a hybrid educational, social, and economic complex that integrates learning, craftsmanship, and temporary residence. Its aim is to create a dialogue between past and present, and between residents and visitors, using architecture as a tool for bridging communities and spaces, and for building new forms of connection within a multi-cultural and layered city. Historically, the khan served as a vibrant center of commerce and exchange — a meeting point for merchants, artisans, and travelers — forming the heart of Acre’s economic and cultural life. In recent decades, however, the Old City has suffered significant economic and social decline, resulting in high unemployment rates and the fragmentation of its communal structure. The project reimagines Khan al-Shuna as a contemporary Campus-Khan, composed of three interwoven programs: a market that functions as a lively space for exhibiting and selling locally crafted products, reviving the khan’s traditional commercial role and strengthening the local economy; a university that serves as an educational environment for vocational and practical training, merging knowledge, creativity, and community; and temporary dwellings designed for students and visitors, fostering cultural and social interaction among diverse groups. The complex is intended for all residents of Acre as an open, inclusive space that promotes collaboration and civic engagement through sensitive architectural design rooted in the local context. Guided by the concept of separation and connection, the project proposes a renewed interpretation of the relationship between preservation and innovation, between memory and function, positioning architecture as a catalyst for social change and community empowerment.