Tel Aviv-based Zarhy Architects shared with us their proposal for a New City Hall and Concert Hall in Holon International Competition, for which they received 3rd Prize. More images and architect’s description after the break.
Holon’s Plaza Throughout human history, the “city square” has served a consistent purpose – a political, commercial, and social gathering space. The character of the gathering varies, but not the square; a successful square facilitates a wide range of gatherings. It is a platform for human interaction – charismatic and cozy, but also elegant. A true plaza fulfills many roles at once. Holon’s plaza will be the open-air stage of the city, a manifestation of genuine democratization of the urban sphere. The adjacent streets will converge in it, making it the heart of the city. Numerous activities, public, commercial and private, will take place there side by side, harmoniously.
Holon’s City Hall A proper city hall should generate a pleasant and efficient work environment as well as an inviting and warm atmosphere for its residents and visitors. The architecture of Holon’s City Hall facilitates its transcendence. It is more than a building; it is a public space, a connector. Visitors will be able to go up and down the stairs, move across its tiers, and continue to the public Plaza. The City Hall of Holon will be an emblematic entity in the city, highlighting its development rather than competing with it.
Holon’s Music Center Holon’s Music Center, which will provide the Plaza with an open amphitheatre as well as a music hall, will naturally deepen the essence of the Plaza as an open-air stage of the city. We wish to redefine the typical scheme of a theater by encircling the auditorium, usually indifferent to its surroundings, by a public program in communication with the city.
Unity The different functions of the plaza– city hall, concert hall, residential and office buildings– maintain their unique character while being connected with a landscaped terrain housing retail underneath and a public park on top.
Architects: Zarhy Architects Location: Holon, Israel Design Team: Daniel Zarhy, Anat Patrycha Zarhy, Reni Toros, Chen Natan, Ben Saragoussi, Nimrod Serok Size: 50,000 sqm Year: 2010 Images: Courtesy of Zarhy Architects
