Jaffa Landfill Park, Israel
The Jaffa landfill is a 200 dunam (20 hectares) area of construction waste
which was dumped into the sea throughout the years, creating a 15 meter
high eyesore.
In 1988 the site was officially closed, but illegal dumping continued.
The Jaffa landfill constituted an environmental hazard - constant air pollution
caused by the frequent breakout of spontaneous fires and water pollution
caused as the unsupported slopes perpetually slided into the sea. The site
became a nuisance to the locals as a center of undesirable activities around
the clock.
The landfill destroyed the original coastline, preventing the residents of the
Ajami neighbourhood view or access to the sea and blocking passage along
the beach.
The decision to create a park in this area was taken since a master plan for
the Tel-Aviv Jaffa shoreline was approved in 2003, designating the landfill
area to be a seashore park.
Public Participation:.
The Tel-Aviv Jaffa Municipality decided to gain the public support and
involvement through a process of public participation. 10 meeting were held
with different groups, representing various groups of residents: youth groups,
Moslem women, merchants, leaders of the society, Jews, Arabs etc.
The main issues that were raised were the removal of the waste, reclaiming
the seashore and opening view and roads to the sea. We, as designers,
attended the meetings and tried to implement the main issues in the plan.
The Plan:
The essence of the plan is the reclamation of the shoreline by the public
and the creation of a shoreline park that will serve the neighbourhood. The
work included a massive lowering of the landfill through grinding ,
recycling and removal of the refuse, thus unblocking the view and creating
pedestrian routes to the sea. The slopes of the landfill have been moderated,
stabilized and planted with suitable shrubbery to withstand sea spray and the
extreme climate. The park includes a promenade along the shore, with links
to the port of Jaffa and the Tel-Aviv promenade as well as future extension to
Givat-Aliyah beach and Bat-Yam.
The site includes a beachfront with a number of lookout points as well as
areas for entertainment, fishing and recreation. Incorporated in the park are
recreational and leisure areas, sitting and playing areas, shaded view points
facing the sea and a bike path that constitutes a part of the city bike route.
Recycling process:
It is the biggest recycling project in Israel- more than 1,000,000 Tons
have been recycled and used in the area and in other construction sites.
The recycling process achieved a few goals:
1. Reducing the amount of waste taken out from the site, thus reducing the
environmental impact of the works on the local residents. ( traffic of trucks,
dust, noise etc).
2. Reducing the cost of works by almost 70% of the price.
3. Reusing the recycled materials on site and in other infrastructure projects
saved a lot of energy and cost to provide new materials.
4. Promoting the idea of recycling on a big scale on a national level.
The project was accompanied by environmental consultants and was
constantly monitored to examine environmental hazards through out the
works.
Design Concept and Materials:
The sea is a key player in the park. The main idea is to create a place where
the design is quiet, tranquil and modest so the beauty and drama of nature
will be better experienced . The walls and paving are made of sandstone-like
materials, resembling the local coloring. Local stones that were found on site
were integrated in the design. A pathway that marks the historic sea-line is
integrated in the park demonstrating the history of the place.
The design allows for future changes. The sea-shore is still in the process of
stabilization and it will take a few years until it reaches its final shape. The
beach is very wide and open to allow for this change to take place.
Vegetation:
A demonstration garden was planted on site to examine the quality of the
recycled soil. More than 1000 plants, including trees, shrubs and ground
covers were planted. The recycled soil from the site was found to be very
suitable.
The plants that were planted on site include trees and shrubs highly tolerant
to the local conditions among them: Washingtonian Robusta, Tamaris aphylla,
Pancratium maritimum, Atriplex halimus etc. Fruit trees such as Mulberry
,Carobs, Fig trees and Olives were planted on the sheltered areas, as
traditional plants of bustanim mentioned the by residents in the public
participation. The lawns were planted with Passpalum vaginatum, a highly
tolerant grass to sea-side environment and of relatively low water
consumption.
Today:
The Park has been recently finished, and is already highly used by the local
community ,Arabs and Jews alike, and by visitors from all over the city.
Holidays are celebrated there and social gathering and sport activities take
place all days.
Client: Tel-Aviv Jaffa municipality
Landscape Architects: Braudo-Maoz Landscape Architecture Ltd
Alisa Braudo, Ruth Maoz, Shlomit Zilberman
Realization: 2005-2010
Area :20 hectars