The Mamilla pool was an important part of ancient water collection system in Jerusalem, essential to survival in ancient times.

​Our proposed plan opens a window into the past and turns this ancient water pool – now centrally located at the Independence Park in the city’s center – into a large exhibition space and urban magnet for activities that connects Mamilla’s turbulent past and present to it’s future.

At Park level, above the ancient pool, we will install a shallow pool as a transparent ceiling, that creates the illusion as if the pool would be completely refilled with water again – such as our ancestors have seen the pool in the past. This fake pool is created not only for beauty from outside, but also serves as a roof for a magical experience that will turn into a major tourist attraction:

The transparent ceiling covered with water breaks the sunlight and creates magnificent caustics effects on the bottom and the walls of the ancient pool. The space below this glass-pool-ceiling – the ancient Mamilla Pool – will turn into a unique exhibition space that will house exhibitions about the ancient water system in Jerusalem including archeological finds of daily life in ancient Jerusalem. The ancient stairs will guide people into this huge and allow to feel the volume and sheer size of the ancient water reservoir that once was so imperative for the survival of the city. In the middle of the pool a round skylight and a circular ramp winds around a giant olive tree – the uniting symbol of Peace, Life and Prosperity in the Middle East for Jews and Arabs alike – flanked by tossing water curtains connecting the pool ceiling with the lower space. Following the circular ramp the visitors will emerge from the exhibition space to the Pool with its water falls to the blue cloudless sky, experiencing exciting views and stunning perspectives of this ancient site with this new interaction.

Surely Mamilla Pool will become a major attraction in the city of Jerusalem: for tourists that want to learn learn about the interconnected ancient water system; for citizens of Jerusalem that want to escape the dazzling sun at summer and experience this naturally created caustics light show below the pool; for children that want to see the colourful koi fishes from below or study the unique flora and fauna (such as frogs) at the Pool, or for the thousands of people who just want to enjoy special shows such as the colorful fountains water show at special holidays – Mamilla Pool truly will become again a Pool of Life!