Bohu Park, Netivot

The city of Netivot expands across the Bohu river basin, a wild badlands of loess deposits with natural and planted vegetation. Is it possible to plan more than 200 consecutive acres of open space at the heart of the city to function as its “green lung”? How can we cope with the rapid and destructive variability in the structure of the riverbank, stemming from its loss of soil?
The master plan for Nahal Bohu Park was created from the “point of view” of the stream itself. We formulated a vision for the park through a consideration of the qualities of the area and the natural dynamics of the river system. The encounter between urban development and the riverbank are mediated by guidelines that have been written into Netivot's regional plan. The park is largely based on the existing landscape of the river basin. Intensive development and activity are directed toward the seam line between city and stream, in order to strengthen the links between them.