the granaries of gaza: studio nab's model for civic and ecological reconstruction

"After months of conflict, Gaza's housing, infrastructure, and essential services have been devastated. The entirety of residents are experiencing acute food insecurity; more than 1,400 healthcare workers have been killed and over 30 hospitals destroyed or rendered inoperative; the collapse of water and sanitation systems has increased the risk of disease; and electricity outages are nearly constant, hindering the operation of critical equipment."

"In this context, The Granaries of Gaza is conceived not as a conventional aid program but as a civic, social, and ecological reconstruction strategy. It is grounded in two key observations: the right of Gazans to dignified housing and autonomy, and the unprecedented presence of more than 50 million tons of rubble, material that can serve as the foundation for rebuilding rather than waste to be removed. The project is a collective act of care combining architecture, agriculture, and social repair."

The Granaries of Gaza proposes a two-phase civic, social, and ecological reconstruction strategy that combines immediate relief with long-term rebuilding. Phase one converts more than 50 million tons of rubble into modular, straw-lightened concrete blocks to assemble bioclimatic shelters that provide protection, privacy, and basic services for displaced families, craftspeople, and volunteers. Phase two extends the strategy offshore with floating platforms for housing, agriculture, and decentralized energy production. The approach emphasizes dignified housing, community autonomy, local materials reuse, food production, and distributed power to reduce dependence on external aid and support social and environmental repair.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine