The casual and routine vs. the ceremonious and ritualistic, the concept of life going on vs. the burden of bereavement, the safety of being protected at home vs. the need to send troops to the battle front- these are some of the contrasts that make up the ‘Yad La Banim’ memorial space.

The starting point of the planning for this project was ‘conservation’, specifically of the bomb shelter on the premises, with its heavy and armed walls and its symbolic significances. Digging and revealing the shelter as if it were an archaeological find, exposed a space that usually remains inaccessible. The shelter becomes a monument to Israel’s wars and to the people who sacrificed their lives in battle.  Perforating the walls of the shelter turns it into a complex but clear remembrance space, encompassing the contradictions and pain.