Architectural and
urban Regeneration
nablus old town regeneration
The Nablus Old Town Regeneration Project is our main research-by-doing activity. Through restoration, operation, and knowledge creation, we explore architectural and urban revitalization. Our initiative has given rise to Yalla Mishwar, a tourism social enterprise that operates our three rehabilitated buildings, funds cultural activities, and attracts visitors to the old town. All rehabilitation processes and cutural events endeavours are self-sustained by Yalla Mishwar’s income.
In-War Reconstruction
The Yalla Project utilizes the Nablus Old Town Regeneration initiative as a model for urban revitalization in cities experiencing wartime conditions. This approach incorporates grassroots efforts, urban acupuncturing, iterative design methods, continuous social engagement, and the implementation of tactical initiatives. These efforts collectively aim to enhance the quality of life, liveability, and safety of urban areas experiencing active conflict.
tangible and intangible heritage preservation
Our project goes beyond the physical rehabilitation of buildings to activate these spaces as sites for preserving and revitalizing intangible cultural heritage in Nablus Old Town. This includes food culture, calligraphy, poetry, storytelling (hakawati), and other practices that we are reactivating in collaboration with our partners and volunteers
Our commitment to rehabilitation is accompanied by a strong dedication to the preservation and documentation of the architectural heritage of Nablus Old Town. We are engaged in a long-term initiative to document, digitize, and archive valuable materials that record historic buildings and sites across the old city. For more about this project click here
our approach
Our approach is based on learning from the field, updating our knowledge, experimenting on the ground and receiving feedback. All based on self-funding and independent plan.
our strategy
Based on our social, political, economic and physical situations of the old town, our strategy starts by inviting people to visit, then to work, and lastly to re-inhabit the derelict building.
our achievment
By offering diverse services and hosting engaging activities, we have effectively attracted a variety of visitors to the old town. A considerable percentage of them began exploring the area after our initiative, and this is their perspective.
our impact
As a result of our successful activities and ability to attract new types of visitors, there has been a subsequent influx of businesses opening or reopening in our vicinity. This has led to a significant increase in both visitor footfall and the number of workers in the area.
Before and After
our projects
OUR CAFE
Al Mubtada' Library (former aNTIQUE cAFE)
Al-Mubtada’ is a growing community library that has replaced our former Antique Café. It now serves as our cultural hub in the Old Town, offering hundreds of books, a co-working space, and a venue for social, artistic, cultural, and educational activities. The Antique Café was our first on-site project and our primary social interface, as well as the initial source of income that helped build the project. On December 2025, it evolved into a library, where we still serve light drinks and snacks.
OUR gUESTHOUSE
tURQUOISE GUESTHOUSE
Our Turquoise Guest house offers a variety of accommodation options in authentic Ottoman period houses
our bio Farm
Turquoise Bio Farm
Going green is on our agenda, our first step is to establish our rooftop bio farm.
Supporting others
renovation social support
In addition to the 3 buildings that we renovated and operated, we supported (financially, or technically) the renovation of 6 other houses
