Bahá’í World/Volume 23/Mount Carmel Projects

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[Page 65]

MOUNT CARMEL PROJECTS: Progress 1994-95

he period between Riḍván 1994 and Riḍván 1995 saw sev- Carmel. On the one hand, a major hurdle was passed when Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, in his capacity as the acting Minister of the Interior, approved the revised town planning scheme accommodating Bahá’í plans for construction on Mount Carmel; with this final stamp of authority, a long process spanning several years of seeking official assent for this undertaking was successfully consummated. On the other hand, commencement of the construction of the Seat of the International Teaching Centre widened the scope of the work, with construction now proceeding on all the buildings on the Arc which are planned to be raised in the immediate years ahead. To handle the tremendous increase in the volume of work this entailed, a team of approximately 220 laborers and about 60 engineers, architects and supervisors working for various contractors and the Mount Carmel Projects management team labored incessantly.

The Seat of the International Teaching Centre, one of the five [Page 66]buildings around the Arc, is located northeast of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice. Its foundations consist of many large and deep footings ranging in length from 1 meter to 1.8 meters, to accommodate heavy loads and seismic movement of the earth. Excavation of some of these footings and their concreting was carried out between Ridván 1994 and Riḍván 1995. As well, concreting of the foundations of the perimeter walls of the building and drilling of bore holes for three hydraulic elevators, going down to a depth of approximately nineteen meters, were also undertaken. The structural design of the Teaching Centre, like the Centre for the Study of the Texts, takes into account the fact that the building is to last 500 years. The perimeter walls, elevator and shear walls are the main structural elements which provide lateral stability for the building.

The foundations of the Seat of the International Teaching Centre were complete and its base walls had begun to rise by 22 March 1995.

Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum visits the Centre for the Study of the Texts 17 March 1995.

To generate momentum for the construction of the Centre for the Study of the Texts, the work schedule provided for engineers, backed by a professional project management team, to chart “critical path activities” and to constantly monitor execution. By April 1995 the optimum target of 1,000 cubic meters of concrete pour within a single month was achieved at this site. The structure of the Centre for the Study of the Texts steadily began to rise, and [Page 67]

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in some areas reached level six, out of the nine levels which constitute the building. The contract for the marble for this building, as well as for the International Teaching Centre, was also signed during this period, signalling a new phase in these projects commencement of finishing works for the buildings on the Arc. The procurement of the other finishing materials for the electrical and mechanical services also commenced around the same time.

Construction of the main portion of the Centre for the Study of the Texts and the parking building, a facility shared by and connected to both the extension to the existing International Bahá’í Archives and the Centre for the Study of the Texts, proceeded simultaneously. Of the five levels of the parking building, three were constructed during this period, and excavations were made for a tunnel which will provide vehicular access.

The extension being built to the Archives Building is to provide accommodation for the central office of the ever-growing

The complex of structures comprising the Centre for the Study of the Texts, the Archives Extension and the parking building cover approximately 16,560 square meters of floor area, in nine storeys.

Eight marble columns in the Ionic style will beautify the circular entrance portico of the Centre for the Study of the Texts when it is complete. [Page 68]Archives at the World Centre. It will be set up with state-of-the-art conservation equipment for the preservation of the sacred writings and holy relics of the Central Figures of the Bahá’í Faith. The Archives Extension is a four-storey underground building juxtaposed between the Centre for the Study of the Texts and the International Bahá’í Archives. Its roof will eventually be landscaped to blend with the gardens around the upper Arc path. By April 1995 all the four floors were completed and work commenced on putting its roof in place.

Rapid progress was made in pursuance of one of the goals of the Three Year Plan to complete seven terraces below the Shrine of the Báb. In particular, terrace nine immediately below the Shrine presented a preview of what the terraces will look like when completed, with the stone balustrades in place on its contour walls, along with the ornamental planter urns and other stone statuary. The central stairway which constitutes the "Kings’ Pathway" was also covered with stone from terraces nine to five, and the water pools were constructed in concrete and laid with stone. The shape of terraces three and four became clearly delineated when the precast gutters and geometric curves were put in place.

A view of the Shrine of the Báb showing the trees and wildflowers planted on the terraces below.

In conjunction with the architectural work, the greening of the area was done simultane- [Page 69]

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Balustrades from Israeli stone cut and polished in Italy comprise one of the principal adornments for the terraces of the Shrine of the Báb.

ously, and the areas on both sides of the central stairway were laid with sod. Trees and wildflowers were also planted on the west side of the stairway.

Work proceeded expeditiously on the terraces above the Shrine of the Báb, and the entire site began to take shape. The construction of the concrete mechanical rooms was completed on terraces fifteen to eighteen, and extensive drainage work on the inner zone of these terraces as well as the east side was completed. Work then began on the west side where irrigation lines and electrical duct banks were laid out. In addition, due to the steepness of the mountain ranging from 45° to 60°, gravity walls were constructed along with the underground retaining walls to provide these terraces' gravity support.

An important step in the Terraces Project was the development of the design of the bridge over Hatzionut Avenue which will link the terrace of the Shrine of the Báb with terrace eleven just above. The bridge is designed in the shape of a trapezoid with the wide end towards terrace eleven and the Arc. The edges of the bridge are located in such a way that when one walks down the outermost path, one's sight is focused on the majestic [Page 70]Shrine, and attention is also drawn to the historic grove of cypress trees where Bahá’u’lláh stood and pointed out to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the spot where the remains of the Báb should be laid to rest.

The basic idea for its design is to make the bridge appear as a continuation of the gardens, which have been raised up and extended across the road in such a way that a person crossing it may not notice the traffic on the road below. There will be wide lawn areas and flower beds, and along the two edges of the bridge sheared cypress trees will be planted in a raised planting bed. Several ornaments will adorn this new garden design.

The building of this bridge will require the lowering of Hatzionut Avenue by several meters. This in itself will be a major undertaking, and coordination has begun with various municipal departments, as several underground services, such as water pipes, drains, telephone and electrical cables, need to be relocated.

The preparation of designs for two spaces—a public information center and security center, to be located under terrace eleven—were also being pursued during this period.

Another very significant development on the Terraces Project was the razing of several buildings on Bahá’í property at the foot of Mount Carmel, “thus opening the way for the completion of the lower terraces of the Shrine of the Báb.”¹ According to the Universal House of Justice, “The action...taken with the full cooperation of the city authorities harmonizes with the intention of the beloved Guardian: it clears the site for the monumental entrance to the majestic path leading from the southern end of Ben Gurion Avenue up to the central edifice of the Shrine and beyond to the crest of God’s Holy Mountain.”²

Simultaneous with the Bahá’í building program, the Land Authority of Israel, the Ministry of Tourism and the Municipality of Haifa are together carrying out a project which conjoins the site of terrace one at the foot of Mount Carmel. The project involves the restoration of the German Templer houses along Ben Gurion Avenue and a general beautification of the area—“a

1. Letter from the Universal House of Justice dated 4 April 1995 to all National Spiritual Assemblies. 2. Ibid. [Page 71]

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scheme that will ensure," in the words of the Universal House of Justice, "an uninterrupted vista of splendor northward from the Terraces to the sea, towards Bahjí." It may be recalled that the

On 31 March 1995, several buildings on Bahá’í property were razed to make way for the construction of the first two terraces below the Shrine of the Báb.

German Templers foregathered in the Holy Land in the very year of Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration in Baghdad (1863) to await the return of Christ.

Along with the restoration of the German Templer Colony, Israeli authorities also plan to open up the harbor front, which in reality fulfils the vision of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who envisaged the Kings' Pathway beginning from the sea and leading up to the Shrine of the Báb.

Project details for the restoration were taken up in earnest and a steering committee was constituted by the government of Israel to expedite its implementation. The architect and project manager of the terraces, Fariborz Sahba, was invited to serve as a member of this committee and as the chief advisor of the municipality of Haifa for the restoration project. The other four members of this committee are the city engineer of Haifa, the general manager of the Ministry of Tourism, the general manager of the Israeli Land Authority and the general manager of Haifa Economic Corporation.

Throughout the year, the Mount Carmel Projects received dignitaries and officials from Israel and overseas. On 13 June 1994, the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, accompanied [Page 72]by the Mayor of Haifa and several other dignitaries, viewed the models of the terraces and was escorted to terrace nine below the Shrine of the Báb which provides a perspective of the lower terraces right down to the Templer Colony avenue. On 4 August 1994 Shimon Peres, Israel's Foreign Minister, with his entourage, was joined by the Mayor of Haifa in touring the construction site of the terraces. A slide presentation and a tour of the models in the Seat of the Universal House of Justice were also included during this visit. Later in the year, the Minister of Tourism in Egypt and the Egyptian Ambassador to Israel came to see the site in the company of the Minister of Tourism in Israel, the Mayor of Haifa, and 22 other officials from Egypt, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Haifa Municipality. An eminent economist from Jerusalem was commissioned by the Haifa Economic Corporation to study tourism prospects in Haifa in the immediate future and its impact on the economy of the city; the Terraces Project was considered a major factor providing one of the most attractive opportunities to contribute to the prosperity of the city. He visited the Bahá’í World Centre and viewed the models of the projects.

Inasmuch as the Mount Carmel Projects have been undertaken to realize the spiritual vision of the Central Figures of the Bahá’í Faith, their physical grandeur has caught the attention of the people at large. Hence, the projects continued to be reported in the media during the year. The interest that the projects have generated among the residents of Haifa in particular was

During his visit to the Bahá’í World Centre on 4 August 1994, Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister of Israel, views one of the models of the Terraces Project. [Page 73]

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A view of the finished terraces below the Shrine of the Báb.

highlighted by an article which appeared in one of the national newspapers of Israel with the headline "Hundreds of investors are interested in the projects of Haifa." The article continued: "One of the projects attracting them is the...Hanging Gardens project, which is being built by the Bahá’ís and shall turn Haifa into a national tourist center."

For the Bahá’ís of the world, the implications of the developments on Mount Carmel can be summed up in the vision of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, given more than 60 years ago. "This vast and irresistible process," Shoghi Effendi wrote when explaining the significance of the raising up of buildings that will constitute the world administrative seat of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, "...will synchronize with two no less significant developments-the establishment of the Lesser Peace and the evolution of Bahá’í national and local institutions."4

4. From a letter of Shoghi Effendi dated 27 November 1954, published in Messages to the Bahá’í World 1950-1957, 2d ed. (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1971), p. 74. [Page 74]From top to bottom: Audience members at the International Music and Drama Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, enjoy the performances; children attend a summer program at the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine, USA; and students learn agricultural skills at the New Era Development Institute in Panchgani, India, all during 1994-95.