WHERE
Thriving, on a 14 km sun-bronzed strip of Mediterranean coastline, Israel’s second largest city serves as a major transportation artery. It extends beyond the Yarkon River to the north and the Ayalon River to the east. Closely fringed by Jerusalem and Haifa, Tel Aviv is easily accessible by air and road.
WHEN
March to April and September to November, basically, spring and fall work as the best periods to visit the city’s sweet tourism spots and be guaranteed of pleasant temperatures. Celebrations and festivals based on anything from beer to science fiction make October an appropriate month to consider a vacation.
WHY
Tel Aviv, is caught in the midst of an exciting transition from a medium-sized urban centre to a bustling metropolis. The UNESCO listed Bauhaus era buildings that popularly tag it the ‘White City’ are a major draw as is the historic port of Jaffa. A store house of energy, Tel Aviv is a sure ‘must visit’!
A ‘Retro-Chic’ Address
Nicknamed the ‘City that never sleeps’, Tel Aviv, is also gaining recognition for innovative contemporary design particularly when it comes to the city’s perfectly curated boutique hotels. The Brown Beach House is a well-executed reimaging of the 1950’s summer resorts remixed with Tel Aviv’s unique urbanism.
Making its mark on the beachfront, this 39 room hotel, sister to the Brown TLV chain of hotels has no detail that is overlooked. It is a brave and astonishing contribution to this design dizzy city.
A charming balance of elegance and eccentricity is detectable in every piece of handpicked vintage furniture on display throughout the property. Filled with the playful and quirky – a mix of black and white textiles, yellow chesterfield sofas and tropical hints of colours and graphics, it is sure to steal your heart. Cane chairs and bamboo panels contrast ornate lamps and geometric, monochrome rugs and cushions.
The room options range from standard single rooms to a pet house suite accommodation for four. Each room has a distinct personality. Relaxation is the key focus here with spa facilities and private sun terraces offering sea and city views. The hotel also flaunts a fish focused gourmet kosher restaurant, bars and lounges and a much awaited pillow concierge.
The Geometry Of Art
The new Herta and Amir Building of Tel Aviv’s Museum of Art, poses as an extraordinary architectural challenge.It strives to resolve the tension between the tight, idiosyncratic triangular site and the museums need for large, neutral rectangular galleries that are organised around the ‘Lightfall’ – an eighty-seven feet tall spiralling atrium that refracts light into the crevices of the half buried building. Architectural excellence is achieved by squaring off the triangular plot from within.
Composed along multiple axes that deviate significantly on each floor, the building is a series of independent plans with steel structural systems stacked one atop the other. The program includes galleries of Israeli art, temporary exhibitions, photography study centres and archives, auditoriums, libraries, restaurants, offices and public amenities.
Cantilevers accommodate discrepancies between plans and provide overhangs at the perimeter. None the less, it offers a new type of museum experience – one that is rooted in the Baroque as well as the Modern.
A Taste Of Fresh Air
The Segev Kitchen Garden is a portrayal of how ‘green’ can both carry a space and add style, sophistication and a touch of the exotic. The greenhouse like eatery is a unique garden hybrid which doubles as both décor and sustenance. The large variety of plants and fresh herbs hanging from the ceilings and popping up between tables puts this restaurant design into a category of its own.
The use of natural materials is predominant. Soft natural tones are contributed by the furniture and counter tops made out of local wood while a leafy garden encircles an alfresco dining area. All in all, a picture of rustic charm, it also has a fully stocked bar with a good representation of Israeli and international wines.
Docking A Tourist Magnet
The Jaffa Port Market is a new culinary, shopping and entertainment venue with an eclectic mix of permanent businesses and pop up stalls that attract a varied audience. Inbuilt within a large warehouse, it features a gallery, indoor and outdoor seating areas and passage ways.
The port’s current location, the original role of the building as a storehouse and the versatility of its history offered abundant architectural possibilities but the hollow building envelope with a central core showcases conservation and planning restrictions.
Stainless steel meshes and sheets, solid wood and grey bricks were deliberately chosen as they would weather naturally in the salty and humid location. The stainless steel mesh that provided several functional benefits not only defined zonal layouts but also celebrated the height of the warehouse.An amalgam of the city’s traditions and trends never failed to act as a guide at each stage of development.
Text By Kanupriya Pachisia
