90 Degrees is a creative response to the Jerusalem Design Week’s curatorial theme, EAST, the sensitive local context, the permanent structural limitations and the temporary needs of the festival.

The installation is comprised by a scaffolding system that wraps around the historic Hansen House, a hospital for people with leprosy established in Jerusalem in 1887, radically altering the building’s circulation, appearance and identity. The 14 meters high added structure, consisting of pink-clad staircases and terraces, suggests a shortcut to both the top of the building and between the floors, allowing the exhibition to have a continuous flow. 90 Degrees’ new circulation pattern gives visitors the chance to explore areas formerly inaccessible and a new perspective of the building and the exhibits.

The flexibility of the scaffolding as a material and its structural qualities, enables the addition of a new space by gently surrounding and penetrating the under preservation building. This elevated space creates a link between the old and the new and suggests an alternative journey through Hansen House, while offering views beyond the building and the exhibition, overlooking Jerusalem. By carefully engaging with the existing structure, HQ Architects’ intervention doesn’t just shift the positioning and appearance of Hansen House, but also stimulates interaction between the building and the visitors while engaging issues of orientation, history, culture and experience.