4 Sustainable Development Green City Builds Prosperity for A new sustainable development, ‘ is designed to serve a generation of coming of age and seeking welcoming surroundings to build families, careers and lives’ So, this is the first Palestinian city to be by Sarah Wilkinson built in accordance with a masterplan – a comprehensive document, drawn up from careful consultation with the local Just five miles north of Ramallah in the community, architectural engineers and West Bank, and Rawabi, a new state-of- stakeholders. It covers eco-issues, such the-art eco city for Palestinian families, as wastewatertreatment, recycling,water is rising.When complete, in about three conservation and renewable energy. It years’time, it will provide opportunities explores how precincts, street layouts, for affordable home ownership, jobs, pedestrian routes and community spaces and leisure, as well as being will best suit residents’ needs and inte- an attractive, sustainable environment grate with the surrounding landscape. in which to live, work and grow. Once abundant with fruit orchards and The project, dubbed the most adventu- flowering trees—olive, oak, citrus and rous in modern Palestinian history, is the nut—the natural beauty of the country realisation of a dream steered into reality has been damaged by war, development, by entrepreneur, Bashar Masri. Born and neglect and climate change. To combat raised in the West Bank, the 49 year-old this, through its ‘GROW for a Greener father of two gained international recog- Palestine’, the masterplan incorporates nition building thousands of affordable the planting of around 25,000 trees and homes in , and . the preservation, through relocation, of Named a ‘Global Leader of Tomorrow’ hundreds of existing olive trees. by the , Bashar’s Thousands of saplings have already primary aim was to one day invest in his been donated by the Palestinian Ministry homeland and lead the country forward of Agriculture and from , or- through economic development. ganisations and individuals. Bayti have After many years of collaboration and donated all the planting tools, fertiliser, planning, his vision is finally coming to irrigation systems and companion shrubs, life on land purchased in ‘Area A’– a while trees are being carefully selected district belonging absolutely to Palestine. by a local arborist to ensure suitability and hardiness. GROW is offering the trails lined with trees, bicycle paths and families have been quick to recognise the chance for both Palestinians and people a viable public transport network. potential and register an interest. “There worldwide to purchase a tree, or indeed For many years we have been Each home will feature semi-private really is a sad lack of accommodation a woodland, and have it planted on-site, denied the right to build new gardens, so that residents can meet and for Palestinians,” project engineer Andy on behalf of themselves or someone else. “ forge relationships, in keeping with the Hewitt told Building magazine. “It’s an Meanwhile, Bashar hopes the develop- communities, to create quality of Palestinian concept of the hara, meaning eye-opener to see what conditions even ment will prepare for the eventual end of life for ourselves, for our children neighbourhood, where everyone knows middle-class Palestinians live in.” Israeli occupation and encourage crucial each other. In addition, a multi-purpose Previously, the absence of affordable investment in a region often overlooked. and for our children’s children. cultural centre will offer Rawabians a mortgage loans in the country, coupled “It’s about building a nation,” he says. Today, we stand facing one of place to gather and engage, while public with extremely high property prices and “Rawabi is a city for all Palestinians, sector facilities and neighbourhood asso- the greatest opportunities of our ciations will encourage self-governance lives — the chance to build and community management. One of Palestine’s greatest assets is its Palestine as we wish it to be well-educated but under-employed pro- built … the Palestine of our fessional population. The region boasts 11 universities, producing highly qualified long denied dreams graduates, who at present, are a vastly untapped resource. Planned as a hub of activity, the new city will target Bashar Masri, managing director ” this very sector, resulting in a new wave Bayti Real Estate Investment Company of rewarding employment as never before seen in the country. The project is already Significantly, this means that Rawabi can shops, mosques, health clinics, offices, a huge deal for the region’s economy, be heralded as an independent Palestinian schools, libraries, a hospital, hotel and creating many thousands of jobs in the initiative, as well as a model for future cinema. It will also contain lush, green, construction process alone. plot developments. scented spaces,wooded parks, communi- Although individual home ownership On-site construction is in the hands of ty playgrounds, inter-connected walking among Palestinians is still unusual, young property management company, Bayti, who are joint-owned by Mr Masri’s firm, Massar International, and government- backed Middle Eastern investors,Qatari Diar – financers of the Shard at London the obvious risks, made it difficult for from all walks of life, who aspire to own Bridge, soon to be the tallest and most the average family to purchase a home. an affordable home within a healthy and spectacular building in the UK. But now, accessible long-term finance welcoming environment. I encourage all Rawabi, which is the word for programmes, set up specifically to cater Palestinians to embrace the dream of hills – and on a clear day you can see as for the new development, will change all Rawabi – to become a part of its fabric far as the Mediterranean – is promising this and make it possible for Palestinians and its future.” an urban serenity previously unknown to buy into a better life. in this part of the world. Comprising 23 The Rawabi team believe that another Contact: Bayti Real Estate Investment districts, the complex will provide around contributor to the project’s success is its Company, PO Box 2132, Ramallah, 5,000 affordable homes, with nine prac- sympathetic, protective approach to the Palestine. Tel: +970 2 241 5444 tical styles to choose from. Eventually, it environment. “Palestine’s cities and the Website: www.rawabi.ps will accommodate 40,000 residents and people’s collective future can never be alleviate a housing shortage, which has truly guaranteed without being watchful Rawabi is being developed on fertile and plagued the West Bank for some time. of the air we breathe, the land on which historic hillsides, overlooking spectacular The city will encompass an investor- we tread and the natural surroundings we views and breathtaking tranquillity friendly commercial centre with banks, hold so dear,” they say. All photos and graphics: © Rawabi Positive News • Summer 2010 • positivenews.org.uk