Azrieli Rishonim is "Oneness" - The project's minimalistic Design Concept
Mann - Shinar Architects
Mixed Use
/
Completed
This unique project has quickly evolved into an urban gate to the city of Rishon Le Zion and its suburban vicinity. Located in what was once a parking lot traffic island for the adjacent "Rishonim" Train Station, the project combines an urban Traffic Hub, with a Business and Commercial Center.
"Oneness" - The project's minimalistic Design Concept unifies the vertical office structure and the horizontal commercial slab into one whole entity with a singular silhouette. The concept's inspiration lies within such products as Apple's MacBook or Hedi Slimane's Skinny Jeans, entities which envelope a complex program into a unified mass with no loose edges. Read as a whole from afar, the built unification of the two masses allowed for irregular opportunities which helped enrich the spatial engagement by the user, creating for surprising views and a variety of levels of intimacy within and around the building.
The Envelope is comprised of three materials: White Aluminum which creates the unifying "blanket" folding from east to west through the fifth façade; Glass Screen Walls to the North and South; and Wooden Decks. The triangular geometry of the Aluminum allows for the foldability and the continuation between the divisions, further extenuating the wholeness of view from street level or from one of the tower levels.
During construction, it was decided to double the area of the tower's typical floor plan. In reaction, the Aluminum Envelope was sliced and three dimensionally folded like origami, creating for a vertical slit. The slit allows for light to penetrate into the depth of the office level, and divides the widened mass of the tower into two proportionally tall and thin geometric bodies.
From the onset this urban "island" structure was planned at ground level without a backside, thus supporting pedestrian use next to the required bus parking, drop-offs, and loading zones. At entrance level a pedestrian north-south axis runs through the building and links the train station with the neighbourhood to the north, and includes two urban plazas. The commercial axis extends on an east-west axis on the above ground levels.
The interior of the unified mass includes a skylight and openings between the levels "carved" out from the wholeness of the volume. These define seating areas, bridges connecting the public spaces, and constantly changing views weaving the fluent space together. The skylight continues the Slit between the tower masses. Through the shade of the triangular divisions of the skylight, the building’s exterior's pattern is reflected to the interior. In contrast to the exterior's pristine white wholeness, the interior "carved" forms are cladded in wood creating islands that create for warmth in the user’s experience.
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Azrieli Rishonim, the vertical office structure and the horizontal commercial slab are unified into one whole entity through a singular silhouette.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, A lit Pedestrian Bridge connects the building with the residential neighborhood to the north.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, the "island" building was planned at ground level without a backside thus supporting pedestrian use while allowing for the required bus parking, drop-offs, and loading zones.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, the building’s “fifth façade” continues the folds of the tower’s white aluminum envelope, therby framing the curtain wall facades to the North and to the South.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim Center, alongside the “Rishonim” Train Station, and highway 431, creating the Southern Gateway for the city of Rishon Le Zion.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, the unification of the two masses allowed for irregular opportunities which helped enrich the spatial engagement by the user.
Photo: Amit Geron
Half of the buildings footprint levitates above the ground level, allowing for Bus Parking underneath and for pedestrian movement around the building, accompanied by landscape development.
Photo: Amit Geron
The continuous triangular divisions of the aluminum envelope allows for the volume’s foldability. It is cut by a slit between the two tower masses providing for light to enter the depth of the levels.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim Centre, East Façade, a traffic island turned to an urban center and point of entry.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, West Façade, the building’s origami-like foldable white envelopes a complex program into one unified volume.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim Centre, East Façade, a large opening cut into the volume’s edge allows for a meditative view from the interior foodcourt to the cityscape and the adjacent highway flow.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, the skylight and openings between the levels are "carved" out, defining seating areas, bridges connecting the public spaces, and changing views weaving the fluent space together.
Photo: Amit Geron
Azrieli Rishonim, "Oneness" - the project's minimalistic Design Concept unifies the vertical office structure and the horizontal commercial slab into one whole entity with a singular silhouette.
Mann - Shinar
"Oneness" - The concept's inspiration lies within such products as Apple's MacBook or Hedi Slimane's Skinny Jeans, entities which envelope a complex program into a unified mass with no loose edges.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Ground Floor Plan.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Level 01 Plan.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Roof Plan.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, section through the Commercial Centre, Train Station, and Pedestrian Bridge.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Traffic and Circulation Diagram: Pedestrian.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Traffic and Circulation Diagram: Private Cars.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Traffic and Circulation Diagram: Dropoffs and Taxis.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Traffic and Circulation Diagram: Bussing.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, Traffic and Circulation Diagram: Rail.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, the vertical mass is cut by a slit creating for two slim towers, introducing light into the depths of the office levels.
Mann - Shinar
Azrieli Rishonim, project work model, (from right) Amir Mann, Ami Shinar, Asaf Mann.
Tel-Aviv
Israel
Azrieli Group
07/2018
160000 mq
Mann - Shinar Architects
Asaf Mann, Liran BenAmi, Stass Kolik, Noam Safra, Matan Pisante, Jenya Polyschuke, Roy Boaron, Yael Oppenheim, Lilian Zahlawy, Ori Adiri, Simon Gershowitz, Liron Barkay, Michal Shalom, Kfir Galtya-Azulay, Martin Neyman
Danya Cebus
Amit Geron, Sharon Tzarfaty, Skylens - Aerial Photography
Curriculum
The office of Amir Mann and Ami Shinar focuses on the architectural and urban design of a wide spectrum of projects, ranging from city planning, new urban quarters, residential neighborhoods as well as new office, commercial, high-tech and public buildings. Recent projects include the new American Consulate General in Jerusalem, directly by the US State Department; a new International airport for Eilat; An office tower and commercial center for the Azrieli Group; Headquarters and campuses for high-tech companies such as HP in Yehud, Motorola, Mirs and Audiocodes amongst others in the new Airport-City development; The central support and operations building at Ben-Gurion International Airport and a residential tower in Tel-Aviv and more.
