The document summarizes the design of the new Holocaust museum (Yad Vashem) in Jerusalem, Israel. Architect Moshe Safdie designed a triangular underground structure situated on Mount Remembrance. The 180 meter long structure allows natural light in through a skylight and has artificial lighting at the base. Safdie's design aims to sensitively guide visitors through the evolving narrative of the Holocaust in a way that preserves the character of the memorial site.

1. The New Holocaust History
Museum
-Moshe Safdie
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

2. Introduction …
• The new Holocaust museum (Yad Vashem) spreads over an area of
4,200 sq mts….ovr the har Hazikaron (the Mount of Rememberance) in
Jerusalem, Israel..
• Its at a height of 800 mts above the sea level.
• The museum is built in remembrance of the martyrs and the innocent
Jews who lost their lives during the reign of Nazism.
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

3. DeSiGn CoNcEpT
The basic guidelines for the museum’s design was to create a visitor’s route
dictated by evolving narrative, with a beginning, middle and end such that
it could emphasize the unique human stories of the jewish populationin in
europe during those days
SaFdie ‘s design
Safdie during designing felt that the story of holocaust has no equal , and it
could not be accommodated in a conventional building.
To preserve the character of
Mount remembrance keeping
In mind its delicate site and
Profound surroundings
He concived a prisim like triangular
Structure.
The museum within the earth, allowing little
More than its elongated , angular spine to
Convey a sense of its true scale.
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

4. DeSign
The design of every space is done keeping in mind the
experience of every individual.
The museum is sensitively designed so as to be easily
accessible to people with physical disabilities.
The triangular form of the structure was chosen to
support the pressure of the earth above the prism
while bringing in daylight from above through a 200
meter-long glass skylight.
The warped surface formed by this variation, amplified
by a gently sloping floor, creates a changing
sequence of spaces and gives the illusion of
descending deep into the mountain.
As the route nears its northern exit, the floor begins
to ascend and the triangle opens up again, with the
exit bursting forth from the mountain’s slope to a
dramatic view of modern-day Jerusalem
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

5. 1. Visitors center
2. Book and Resource Ceneter
3. Cafeteria
4. Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations
5. Holocaust History Museum
6. Hall of Names
7. Square of Hope
8. Holocaust Art Museum
9. Synagogue
10. Exhibitions Pavilion
11. Visual Center
12. Learning Center
13. Hall of Remembrance
14 Pillar of Heroism
15 Children’s Memorial
16 Janusz Korczak Square
17 Archives and Library Building
18 Family Plaza
19 International School for Holocaust Studies
20 Administration and Research Building
21 Monument to the Jewish Soldiers and Partisan
22 Partisans’ Panorama
23 Valley of the Communities
24 Cattle Car - Memorial to the Deportees
25 Warsaw Ghetto Square
26 Swedish Ambulance
27 Monument to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon
28 Nieuwlande Monument
29 Garden of the Righteous Among the NationRafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

6. Entrance, Book and
resource center
Cafeteria
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

7. This is a triangular structure situated in the middle
of the Yad vashem. This is the structure which was
built by moshe safdie when he was renovating the
yad vashem .
Holocaust history
museum
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

8. Lightinings
The lighting in the museum is
natural as well as artificial.
The 180 mtr long triangular
structure has a ventilation on
top throught, which serves as
natural light provider.
It Also has light at the bottom
corner of the triangle.
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

9. 6. The Hall of names has the
pictures of those who lost their
lives under Nazism.
7. The square of hopes
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

10. Pillar of heroism
Hall of remembrance
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

11. 17. Children’s memorial
Star of david
24. Memorial to the deportees
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

12. Site
North
Jerusalem
The site is on an height of 800
meters
The central 180 meter long
structure is partly beneath the
ground.
The rest of the buildings are
spread out on the site
Contour lines
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

13. Site Plans
Roof plan
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

14. Floor plans
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

15. Materials used
• The entire structure of the museum floor,
walls interiors and exterior have reinforced
concrete and glass.
• The concrete walls are not painted, as the
grey concrete symbolizing the destruction…
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture

16. Most of the bus lines
can be accessed
from the Central
Bus Station in
Jerusalem, as well
as from many
locations around
the city.
A free bus service
runs between
Mount Herzl and
Yad Vashem during
the opening hours
of Yad Vashem.
Rafay Ahmad | Rizvi College of Architecture