Background:

The unique environment of Mevaseret holds range possibilities for new relationships between city building and nature .Nature, human scale, and the unique climate of the area are the background for planning the city's conservatory. The site which located in a residential neighborhood, the physical conditions and the unique landscape values and on the other hand the required program allowing creates unique dialogue between community education structure, nature and culture.

Design principles:

The initial design derived from the given site conditions that extends along an urban boulevard, which is an exceptional opportunity to create a new urban realm that would serve the general public and visitors. In addition the unique topography of the area, Enables design a building that situated in various levels  of the site and thus creates an opportunity for wandering experience and, creating a variety of  indoor and outdoor relationships. For Eg lowering the learning spaces below the street level allows to create a certain isolation of existing traffic noise and moreover creating a dialogue between music and nature. Therefore, the first design act was creating pedestrian access that divides the site into 2 different areas and function as a landscape route that connects the upper street level to the lower level.

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In addition lightness, sustainability and structural honesty represent the main design principle of the building.

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Lightness: the requirement for stone facade constitutes a design challenge in creating a new relationship between the "Skin" structures. The understanding that the stone is a part of  system components of the building envelope allowed to create a unique structure that breaks the " Heavier "of the stone and on the other hand allows  control penetration of natural light into the building.

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Sustainability – the unique envelop of the building and the use of solar energy systems plus various shading systems. Constitute important elements in forming the architectural language of the building and on the creation of a comfortable climate environmental. In addition to the use of natural elements, for passive shading and the water fountains on the street level is also part of the climate concept of the building.

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Structural honesty - exposure to the structure elements of the building tell us part of the total context and the relationship of structure and space. That "structural honesty" allows recognizing and learning and realizing the total number of components and the various functions of the building.

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In summary, the main challenge in this project was how to create a proper structure for Conservatory that act as a cultural and educational center that have a unique performance which corresponding to the landscape and environment values and therefore create new public realm.