In 2012, a team of graduate students at Tel Aviv University (TAU) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) collaborated to envision, plan, and design sustainable neighborhood prototypes for the city of Kiryat Gat, Israel. This report describes the team’s examination of Kiryat Gat and proposes a strategic plan for the city’s future development. While the proposals are specific to the challenges and opportunities faced within Kiryat Gat, the process was intended to generate approaches that could be adopted by new towns globally; it is our hope that this document will be useful to guide redevelopment initiatives in other townships.

The project is the first phase of an international collaboration between TAU’s Laboratory for Contemporary Urban Design and the City Design and Development Group at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies & Planning. The results of the first phase of the project are included within this report. Continuing research strives to plan, design, and retrofit existing residential communities to become ecologically responsive, incorporate technology and industry, and enhance the livability and self-reliance of local residents and potential newcomers.