The neighborhoods of Kiryat HaYovel, Kiryat Menachem and Katamonim in South West Jerusalem were established in the 1950s as transitional housing solutions for the many immigrants arriving in Israel in the early years after independence. Absorbing this population with no prior experience and without financial means was an enormous challenge. The housing shortage in the country required immediate action and the government’s social and practical response was to initiate, finance and build public housing.
The housing projects were designed according to modernist ideas – for the universal person or family – and as part of the melting pot policy that was prevalent during that time. Their design was tailored to a model uniform family with identical needs and a common lifestyle, largely disregarding any local cultural characteristics and no matter the unique cultural backgrounds of the various populations that immigrated to Israel.
Curatorial Partner: Dr Mark Long
