When Iftach Mashal, a Technion architecture student and IDF reservist, began envisioning his final project, he planned to focus on his hometown of Ashkelon. Yet, the war and his military deployment to Kibbutz Nir Oz changed his life — and his work — forever.

Mashal’s reserve unit was stationed near Gaza at the onset of the conflict. Immersed in the devastation of Nir Oz, he witnessed firsthand the profound trauma inflicted on its residents. Living amidst the ruins of the kibbutz, Mashal’s initial architectural project shifted from personal ambition to a mission of healing.

“For three consecutive months, I lived in the ruined kibbutz,” he reflected in the opening text of his project, titled “Nir Oz and I.” “Every day revealed more layers of the kibbutz’s story, the place’s complexities, and its residents. As a person, a soldier, and an architect, I kept asking myself how it would be possible to bring home a wounded and bleeding community.”

Mashal’s final project is a blueprint for rehabilitation — designed to rebuild Nir Oz not as a solemn memorial but as a vibrant, living community. His architectural vision incorporates the collective memory of its residents while fostering spaces for growth and renewal. He considered every aspect of life before and after the tragedy, ensuring the project honors the kibbutz’s spirit while addressing the “spatial trauma” caused by war.

Supervised by architects Gabi Schwartz and Dr. Dikla Yizhar, the project’s significance extends beyond the Technion. It was exhibited at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in Washington, D.C. in November.

Even amidst conflict, Mashal found solace in art. He created paintings in Nir Oz that captured the raw emotions of war, later exhibiting them to raise funds for For Tomorrow, a nonprofit supporting released soldiers. His artwork — transforming personal and communal grief into action — was displayed at venues like the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, the Israeli Knesset, and the Technion.

Mashal’s journey to architecture began long before the war. Raised in a family of doctors in Ashkelon, he pursued architecture as a natural extension of his passion for design. Today, as he balances professional practice with academic achievement, Mashal’s work reflects a profound commitment to using his skills for societal impact.

“I am in the right place professionally,” he says, “a place that allows me to develop and continue nurturing my passion.”