Qiryat Yovel

The challenge

Evoke activism and practical solutions for the pain points in a public housing neighborhood with passive/victim minded residents

Qiryat Yovel neighborhood was built in the 70s in Jerusalem and was originally intended for immigrant absorption. It has about 50-60 Amidar buildings in the community, 2 types of buildings - low rise (about 3 stories) and high rise (about 8 stories) and a dated infrastructure (where electricity is paid per building not per apartment, for ex).

Some of its issues were no cooperation from the tenants to their building committees, neighbors fighting due to unpaid bills that affect the building and clash of values, poor state of lobby spaces, no bike parking spaces, litter, limited means and no community values. 

Findings

Current resident's hierarchy experience

Iris's issues

A noisy outside, temperature conditions are too cold or too hot in the apartment, garbage throwing habits of her neighbors outside her door, no sense of community/ not feeling seen by the community, no place to be vulnerable outside her house

Michal's Issues

No privacy or creativity spaces, delays and long waiting for the constructor to show up to fix things, cockroaches and moisture and rust in the structure, no social connections, feeling last priority after the needs of 6 kids and a dog, no feeling of home 

SWOT

How?

Readjusting and redesigning of communal spaces for diverse and sustainable coexistence. Among those spaces are bicycle storage sheds from existing ex garbage sheds standing vacant, green gathering spots with benches made from recycled trash, miniplayground spots, business sheds, mini gardens etc

Group perception shift

How?

Presenting the potential and first step of the redesigned space and giving the power to the residents to act on it

Practical examples for the perception shift

Interactive space triggers to take action

Walk the talk concept. Many of the residents expect others to make their wishes come true. Here, an area with a wanted plan execution is marked and a first step to promote it is written. More spots like that invite people to participate without knowing who else does, learning to count on their own responsibility first. This concept is executed with white stickers

DIY furniture making out of recycled materials thrown in the neighborhood

Small steps and big steps to promote having a bigger communal space to be built on the roof of the existing shopping center

Small step - recycled leisure chairs and sofas in the entrance space

Big step - green rooftop gathering place on top of the shopping center

Nature spots

Repurposed ex garbage sheds

There are around 20 sheds along the street that can be repurposed for storage, bike parking, active businesses, advertising areas for communal activities and meetup spots

Solutions that were given a yes vote to create further execution plans:

• Ex-garbage spaces into business/storage spaces
• Adding visual vibrancy to the street, garbage cans become a fun part
• Adding activities in public spaces, like an outdoor drawing class
• "Paying with time instead of Money" offline time bank initiative through building committees as neighbor connectors
• Reinforcing the social mechanisms for neighbors through "pairing building responsibilities", "one personally invites 3" etc
• Using treated gray water to reduce water bills and use it for irrigation

• Practical solutions for apartments
• Solar panel and solar streetlight initiatives
• Demarcation of spaces
• Enhancing the accessibility to the parks
• “Reuse”- ing garbage as benches and art pieces the kids create
• Kids as “little builders” in the society
• “Super nanny” initiative as personal mentoring for building committees

Achieved value

Triggering people to be active through space interactivity, shifting the quality of lives in their communities and their approach towards life as leaders and not floaters through clear practical steps, even at the harshest socio-economical circumstances.

General relevance

Encouraging any “victim minded" group to be a flourishing self sustained community” in charge of its development.