White City (Tel Aviv)
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Rieger House. Architect: Zeev Rechter, 1934. | |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iv |
| Reference | 1096 |
| Inscription | 2003 (27th Session) |
The White City (Hebrew: העיר הלבנה, ha-ʿir ha-levana) is the name given to Tel Aviv, Israel, because of the large number of white, or light-colored buildings built there between the 1920s and the 1950s in the Bauhaus or International style. [1]
Over 4000 buildings in these styles can still be seen in central Tel Aviv; the largest concentration in any one city in the world. In 2003, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), proclaimed "The White City" of Tel Aviv as a World Cultural Heritage site, for being “an outstanding example of new town planning and architecture in the early 20th century”. The citation recognized the unique adaptation of modern international architectural trends to the cultural, climatic, and local traditions of the city.
Historical Background
Tel Aviv was founded in 1909, when the Land of Israel was still controlled by the Ottoman Empire. Substantial Jewish immigration during the 19th century had caused considerable overcrowding in the ancient port city of Jaffa. As a result, several hundred families began a new town, the first Jewish city since biblical times, on the sand dunes north of Jaffa.
The development in Tel Aviv stagnated during World War I, but immigration from Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and Yemen grew. After the election of the Nazis to power in 1933, Jewish refugees began to arrive from Germany in large numbers. Included among these refugees were builders, craftsmen, and architects, many of the latter were trained and influenced by the Bauhaus architectural school, closed down in 1933 on the orders of the Nazis.
The framework of urban planning was set in 1925's master plan by Patrick Geddes which defined major routes and boulevards along with division into living quarters with internal green spaces.
This set of circumstances created a unique opportunity. On the one hand there was a desperate need for housing in Tel Aviv; on the other hand there was a surfeit of unemployed architects trained at the Bauhaus, a school that promoted an architectural style that was aesthetic, functional and economical. Tel Aviv was an empty canvas, a city with no established architectural style but requiring hundreds of new buildings. The Bauhaus style presented Tel Aviv’s designers with an architectural approach that did not rely on the past, but could be used to create an exciting new environment.
From Europe to the Middle East
The Bauhaus style was created to reflect the unification of art and functionality in post World War 1 Europe. In Tel Aviv the style seemed ideal. Buildings could be erected quickly and cheaply, and in the socialistic atmosphere of Palestine, the social aspects of Bauhaus housing design could be utilized to their full potential.
However, the architecture had to be adapted to suit the extremes of the Mediterranean and desert climate. White and light colors reflected the heat. Walls were not only for privacy but acted as protection against the sun. Large areas of glass that let in the light, a key element of the Bauhaus style in Europe, were replaced with small recessed windows that limited the heat and the glare. Long narrow balconies, each shaded by the balcony immediately above it, allowed residents to catch the breeze blowing in from the sea in the west. Slanted roofs were replaced with flat ones, providing a common area where residents could cool off in the evenings and socialize. Later, buildings were raised on pillars, which allowed the wind to blow under and cool the apartments, as well as providing a play area for the children.
Influence
The style of architecture and construction methods used in the hundreds of new buildings came to define the character of the modern city. Most of the buildings were of concrete, and in the summer were unbearably hot, despite their innovative design features. Tel Aviv’s residents took to the streets in the evenings, frequenting the numerous small parks between the buildings and the growing number of coffee shops, where they could enjoy the evening air. This tradition continues in the café society of the city today.
The apartment blocks provided a variety of services such as childcare, postal services, store, and laundry within the buildings themselves. Additionally, having a connection to the land was viewed as extremely important, so residents were encouraged to grow their own vegetables on a plot of land set aside next to or behind the building. This created a sense of community for the residents, who were in the main, displaced people from differing cultures and origins.
Unfortunately, many of the buildings from this period, some architectural classics, have been neglected to the point of ruin. In addition, before the relatively recent passing of preservation legislation, some were demolished. However, many have already been refurbished to their original condition, and there are at least 1500 buildings slated for preservation and restoration.
Gallery
There are over 4,000 buildings in Tel Aviv in the Bauhaus style. Some of the most notable are found on Rothschild Boulevard.
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Esther Theater, now days cinema hotel, part of the White City of Tel Aviv -
A building in the so-called Eclectic Style, which predates the International Style in Tel Aviv -
Thermometer house -
Another style of thermometer. -
#69 Rothschild Boulevard, which in 2007 was undergoing renovation. -
Yitzhaki House. Architect: Pinhas Hitt, 1933. Twin residential buildings that are a mirror image of each other, separated by greenery. -
#106 -
#118 Rothschild Boulevard has slats for its thermometer.
Footnote
- ^ The International style is generally regarded as an extension of the Bauhaus style, as continued outside Germany. In many cases, including in this article, they are used interchangeably.