The war in Gaza City has triggered a domino effect of ecological devastation, threatening both the survival of its people and the environment. With the aquifer, the primary source of water, severely compromised and the soil extensively degraded, addressing food and water security emerges as an essential response to the environmental degradation. Ground-Up addresses the gap in rebuilding efforts that often compartmentalize the urgent need for environmental rehabilitation by proposing a new approach to designing infrastructure that prioritizes ecosystem regeneration. The gap between ecology and architecture is addressed in a post-war context by establishing a 30-year rehabilitation framework that integrates structure, environment, and community. Placemaking, a key strategy for fostering community participation, integrates public programs with the core functions of the infrastructure. Along the timeline, the first part of the proposal, the project focuses on soil remediation, rehabilitating the agricultural infrastructure and fresh water generation, concluding with the second part of wastewater treatment plant and wetland creation, recharging the aquifer to close the ecological feedback loop. The project envisions placemaking in its initial phase by creating microclimate spaces and developing architectural typologies designed to foster these conditions. These typologies are strategically aggregated to establish the souq, greenhouses, agricultural lands and open spaces forming a cohesive plan. Retention ponds and water channels serve as the key connectors, linking these spaces into a unified system. This symbiotic relationship allows the programs to expand and adapt as the population grows along the Wadi masterplan, rehabilitating the destroyed agricultural lands.

Additionally, a low-tech material system for compressed earth blocks composed of locally available loam soil, date palm fibers, and magnesium oxide is employed, with its compressive properties leveraged in a vaulting systems architecture, enabling community involvement in the construction process. Architectural interventions extend beyond functionality, blending infrastructure with public spaces to foster a sense of ownership. The masterplan unites the two phases by reassessing the flow of water and materials along the Wadi, proposing an integrated system that incorporates wetlands, wastewater management, retention ponds, power generation, agriculture, and solar stills. This interconnected system transforms the Wadi into a hub for ecological regeneration and community engagement. By reimagining the facility as an integral part of the public realm, the project shifts the focus from mere reconstruction to envisioning a regenerative and sustainable future for Gaza City