Hebron after it was restored

Good architecture is a result of complete co-ordination between a good designer, a sensitive and enlightened client and a good contractor who sees beyond profit. Such a combination, though rare in modern times, is not impossible.

The Aga Khan award for architecture, conferred once in three years, has been able to identify projects where the three main contributors have combined to produce brilliant examples of contemporary architecture.

Seven projects received the award in 1998 of which two were from India — the slum networking of Indore City by Himanshu Parikh and the Vidhan Bhavan at Bhopal by Charles Correa.

However, the most interesting project was the rehabilitation of Hebron. The project had started in 1995 and at the time of the award in 1998, was an ongoing process. It shows the sensitive approach of the client in recognising the fact that such rehabilitation programmes are to be implemented slowly, over a period of time.

The jury appreciated the competence and the courage of the community, which contributed towards the success of the implementation.

Hebron is an old religious centre for Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Located along the route to Mecca and on the road that connects Damascus with Cairo, the city has a turbulent history. For Muslims, it is a sacred city because of the Haram built over Machpelah Cave, which has the grave of the Prophet Abraham. The Haram also holds the graves of Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. The first building over Machpelah Cave, now replaced many times over, is said to have been built by King Herod in the 1st century BC.

The rehabilitation and restoration of Hebron, a town with a population of 1,26,000, essentially started in 1988. The Hebron University Graduates Union studied the town and determined that most of it could be restored.

The union’s pathbreaking work led to the formation of a 13-member rehabilitation committee that included ministers and NGOs. The work started in 1995 with the target to complete the project by 2002.

The entire work is designed on the principle of minimum intervention. Other than introduction of service lines and replacement of doors and windows, most of the houses have been kept to their original design. As a result, the visual difference between a restored and an unrestored house is minimal. Change of use has been introduced only in monuments such as the Turkish Bath, which has been converted into a museum.

Use of simple technology in the restoration process ensured that the community directly benefited from the money spent. The people participated in the rebuilding process and were the main beneficiaries of the 400 jobs that were created.

There was never any attempt to glamorise the exteriors of the houses. Hebron today is a celebration of the community’s success story started by a few sensitive people who cared about their own cultural and architectural legacy.