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Miriam Center - Biophilic Rehabilitation Center
Senior thesis project

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Barzilai Hospital - Ashkelon, Israel

Between the Mediterranean coastline of Ashkelon and the Barzilai Medical Center lies a new rehabilitation complex that redefines the healing environment through biophilic and context-driven design. Positioned on a hillside overlooking the sea, the project emerges at the threshold between the hospital and the national park, transforming this border zone into a transitional landscape that supports recovery.

 

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Rather than existing as an isolated building, the center is embedded within the terrain, unfolding as a living fabric of pathways, terraces, gardens, and semi-natural spaces.

Here, rehabilitation extends beyond treatment rooms - it occurs through slow movement, encounters with open-air spaces, sensory engagement with materials and vegetation, and the expansive horizon of the sea. By weaving architecture with topography and landscape, the project proposes a new paradigm for medical spaces - one that places the human being in direct dialogue with nature and their surrounding environment.

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Project Role & Process 

This project focused on the design of a healthcare center within an active hospital site. The work began with site mapping and consultations with engineers, healthcare staff, and patients to identify spatial, functional, and experiential challenges. Design development emphasized biophilic strategies, accessibility, and circulation, with a focus on ramped pathways and visual connections to the surrounding landscape. Concepts were explored through hand drawings and refined through digital modeling and visualization.

Responsibilities & Tools

  • Site mapping and spatial analysis of a hospital environment

  • Interviews with engineers, healthcare staff, and patients

  • Research-based design development focused on biophilic healthcare spaces

  • Spatial planning, circulation, and accessible ramp design

  • Hand drawings and drafting in AutoCAD

  • 3D modeling in Rhino

  • Rendering with V-Ray, post-production in Photoshop

  • Physical material experiments using cement and natural plant materials

  • Presentations and graphics in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign

From Concept to Resolution: The Making of the Miriam Center Project Book

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