The
Israel Board of Trade offices, currently located on the second and fourth
floors of a five story office building on the corner of Hashmonaim
and Carlebach streets in Tel Aviv, are to be united
on two consecutive floors. The competition for the design of the new offices
includes plans for the offices on the second and third floors, renovation of
the building’s exterior with a new entrance and a separate lobby for the
Board offices.
Five
offices were invited to compete: Rachel Sela with Omri Eitan (Dan Eitan advising); Kimmel-Eshkolot
Architects (associate architect Ilan Carmi) with Groverman architects; Orli Shrem; Pelleg Architects - Ben Pelleg (associate architect Vladimir Tripolski,
New York); and HH Architects.
Rachel Sela
with Omri Eitan (Dan Eitan advising)
This
winning proposal emphasized two main motifs: communication and media as the
basis of trade, and the symbolic value of the board as a representational body.
Copper rooftops are structured to look like a ship rising out of the water at
the ground commercial level. The ‘wavy’ banister creates a flowing
visual effect whilst simultaneously hiding the airconditioning
system. The same theme is emphasized in the office interior – one moves along a stream of offices flowing through the
different parts to the President’s office. A water fountain with an
embossed scene from the trading days of King Solomon and a huge stainless steel
globe decorate the lobby, symbolizing an optimistic and positive new start.
Kimmel-Eshkolot
Architects (associate architect Ilan Carmi) with Groberman architects
From
the early stages of the renovation it was determined that any change would
preserve the character of the building’s original façade, maintaining
its role within the surrounding urban fabric. New elements were designed to
replace the existing asbestos shading devices and to hide the airconditioning system. With new materials used to expand
on the marine motif (probably under the influence of the Boards logo), this
proposal is made of three parts: the waiting room outside the Presidents
office, the study area, and the two story entrance space – a glass cube
making the reception desk visible from the street. The corridor which divides
the work spaces is actually a two-sided bookcase used for exhibits in the
hallway, and stationery storage on the office side.
Pelleg
Architects: Ben Pelleg, Zafrir
Ganany, Eli Brostowsky,
Vladimir Tripolsky.
This
proposal was concerned with the question: how can the design assign the Board
of Trade offices its own identity in an area of two floors within a building of
five? And the answer: in order to emphasize the shared space, the Board of
Trade lobby is made as a bridge within the building’s general entrance. Jerusalem limestone
expresses the warmth of the conservative body amongst its contemporary
materials.
