The US arm of the Jewish National Fund has opened a design competition for the campus of its World Zionist Village project to be built in Beersheba.
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The World Zionist Village is a 20-acre, $350 million investment that will serve as the second home for the Alexander Muss High School in Israel; offer an Innovation Center for post-graduates interning at Beersheba-based hi-tech companies; and include an adult education center dedicated to Zionism.
According to the JNF, the project seeks to "change the narrative about Zionism, education, innovation, technology, and Jewish destiny."
The competition, titled Envision Tomorrow's Israel, opened on Feb. 4 and is slated to run until April 15, seeking design concepts for elements of the campus, including classrooms, dormitories, conference centers, houses of worship, and cafés. Architects, students, designers, and landscapers who enter the competition are encouraged to integrate the landscape of Beersheba and draw inspiration from Zionism, Judaism, the desert and environment, and sustainability and ideas to mitigate climate impact.
"This is a competition for an idea, but not just any idea," said Jeffrey E. Levin, chairman of JNF-USA's Board and co-chair of the Beersheba Construction and Building and Subcommittee.
"Our goal is to create interest in and brand what we are creating in Beersheba. London has Big Ben and Hollywood its famed sign. Will a monument make Beersheba and the village internationally recognizable icons? Will the design take advantage of the sun and be all solar? Will rooftop gardens adorn every structure? This international competition will draw ideas for a campus of the future and bestow Beersheba the attention it deserves," Levin explained.
Entrants can win up to $8,600. Finalists are scheduled to be announced on May 13, and the final winner will be announced on June 18.
More information on the project and the design competition is available here.
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