The “Lev Chash” Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the underprivileged, located in Hadar neighborhood in Haifa. Most of the foundation’s headquarters facilitate a second hand shop with subsidized items ranging from home electronics and furniture to clothes, and during the years has taken over more and more spaces in the building. The foundation desperately needs more space so she can expand its activities to other realms such as workshops and afternoon classes for the youth and elderly.
The complex shape of the building does not keep much room for expansion inside the lot, so the area above the parking lot was suggested as a good alternative.
The project offers a new two story expansion that floats above the parking area and expands beyond the original building, offering the use of the building’s roof as an urban garden with wonderful views of the Haifa harbor.
The design principles that guided the design process, aiming to minimize costs of construction, were (1) minimal changes to the original building, (2) using low-cost materials, (3) strengthening the connection to the street and urban environment while (4) maintaining the privacy for the visitors inside.