Ben-Gurion University of the Negev last month opened a lab in Be’er-Sheva dedicated to researching the future of desert cities. The Negev Urban Research Lab is part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s City Science Network, 10 labs operating worldwide focused on local challenges with global implications.
“The Israeli landscape is fraught with challenges, some global such as the climate crisis, and others unique such as the demographic challenge. We have much to learn from other places in the world, and the world has much to learn from the Negev,” said Merav Idit Battat, lab head and architect.
The lab is part of an Israeli government initiative focused on the development of the Negev, according to a news release. Many cities in the region are located in desert climates, and researchers will develop data-based tools to address the issues cities on the edge of the desert face, such as rapid population growth and a shortage of vital resources.
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