Edicula | Project brief

The EDICULA project offers an innovative approach to the preservation of built heritage, seeking to promote the protection of monuments as part of heritage conservation, protection of cultural assets, and sustainable development. The project promotes multidisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration and combines practical-applied research with theoretical study. International cooperation relies on a variety of universal educational tools and activities that include skill development, social inclusion, critical thinking on conservation, community involvement, and youth engagement, utilizing advanced technologies and practical experimentation to create innovative learning and training in the digital age.

At the heart of the project stands the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and its center, the Aedicula (the structure housing the tomb of Jesus), where learning and practical experience in preservation and the development of innovative tools will take place. The sites will be taught and examined within historical-cultural and social contexts, including their location in the urban environment and the unique architecture of Jerusalem.

The project's objectives and goals include promoting the protection and preservation of monuments and sites based on research on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Aedicula; developing tools for studying the unique architecture of the place, including data analysis and information; formulating study programs for advanced degrees (leading to a master's and doctoral degrees) in cultural heritage. The program will be a joint effort involving several higher education institutions in Europe and Bezalel; developing methodologies for practical experience in preservation as part of study programs and professional training, alongside advanced virtual tools for preservation education.

The EDICULA project is funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Commission, with six bodies, institutions, and organizations participating:
• Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Israel (BEZ);
• Universita Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza, Italy (UNIROMA1);
• National Technical University of Athens, Greece (NTUA);
• PerpetielSI SRL, Romania (PERPETIELSI);
• Israel Antiquities Authority, Israel (IAA),
• Hellenic Research Institute of Alexandrian Civilization, Greece (HRIAC).

The project is led by the Department of Architecture and the Masters' program in Urban Design with the support of the Research and Innovation Authority at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.

Project Management: Dr. Adi Salz-Winer
Advanced Degree Topic Coordinator: Dr. Shmuel Gruaoig
Bezalel Representative on the Steering Committee: Prof. Dr. Mike Turner
Team Members: Dr. Koomal Pothder (Urban Design PhD Candidate)

The project duration is three years and is expected to conclude in August 2023.