Azrieli Center

Azrieli Center
מרכז עזריאלי
The Azreli Center from above in 2010 with Ramat Gan in the background.
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Offices, Commercial Space, Mall, Public Space, Residential, Hotel
Location	Tel Aviv, Israel
Coordinates	32°4′27.56″N 34°47′31.49″E / 32.0743222°N 34.7920806°E / 32.0743222; 34.7920806Coordinates: 32°4′27.56″N 34°47′31.49″E / 32.0743222°N 34.7920806°E / 32.0743222; 34.7920806
Construction started	1996
Completed	1999
Opening	1998[1]
Cost	$350 million
Height
Roof	Circular-186 m Triangle-169 m Square-154m
Technical details
Floor count	Circular-49 Triangle-46 Square-42
Floor area	150,000 m2 (1,600,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Owner	David Azrieli
Main contractor	Cementkol
Architect	Eli Attia, Moore Yaski Sivan Architects
Developer	David Azrieli

Interior view of Azrieli Center shopping mall.

Azrieli Center is a complex of skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. At the base of the center lies a large shopping mall. The center was originally designed by Israeli-American architect Eli Attia, and after he fell out with the developer of the center David Azrieli (after whom it is named), completion of the design was passed on to the Tel Aviv firm of Moore Yaski Sivan Architects.

Site

The Azrieli Center is located on a 34,500 square meter site in Tel Aviv, Israel which was previously used as Tel Aviv's dumpster-truck parking garage. The $350,000,000 project revitalized the area. The Fain Towers are now expected to be built directly across HaShalom Road.

Circular Tower

The Azrieli Center Circular Tower, is the tallest of the three towers, measuring 187 m (614 ft) in height. Construction of this tower began in 1996 and was completed in 1999. The tower has 49 floors, making it the tallest building in Tel Aviv and the second tallest in Israel, after the Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat Gan built in 2001. The top floor has an indoor observation deck^[2] and a high-end restaurant, and the 48th floor is home to Mr. Azrieli's personal office.

A panoramic view from the circular tower

Each floor of the Circular Tower has 84 windows, giving the tower more than 4,000 windows. The tower's perimeter is 141 meters (462 feet); its diameter is 44 meters (144 feet). Each floor covers 1,520 m².

On October 31, 2003, the first annual Azrieli Circular Tower run-up competition was held, in which the participants had to run up the 1,144 stairs to the tower's roof. Winners of the contest had the chance to participate in the following year's Empire State Building run-up competition in New York City.

Triangular Tower

The Azrieli Center Triangular Tower has a height of 169 m (554 ft). Construction of this tower, like the circular tower, began in 1996 and was completed in 1999. It has 46 floors and its largest occupant is Bezeq, Israel's largest telecommunications company, who occupy 13 floors of the tower. The tower's cross-section is an equilateral triangle.

Square Tower

The Azrieli Center Square Tower was completed in June 2007.^[3] The tower has 42 floors, and is 154m high. It is the shortest of the three towers in the Azrieli complex. Construction of the third tower was stopped in 1998 due to urban planning disagreements and was resumed in 2006.

The lower 13 floors house Africa Israel's Crowne Plaza business hotel.^[3][4] The upper floors are used as office space.

Shopping center

The Azrieli Center Mall is one of the largest in Israel. There are about 30 restaurants, fast-food counters, cafes and food stands in the mall. The top floor of the mall is a popular hangout spot for teens, and many online message boards arrange get-togethers in the place during national holidays^{[citation needed]}.

Due to high, constant terrorism threats, the Azrieli towers are guarded to deter terrorist action, like many buildings in Israel.

Other features

The large complex boasted an 8-screen cinema until 2010 when Retailers H&M took over the space, a large fitness club, night schools and is also connected by bridge to Tel Aviv HaShalom Railway Station. A pedestrian bridge, completed on March 2003, connects the Azrieli Center with the other side of Begin Road and HaKirya. It is expected that a connection between Kaplan underpath and the project's underground carpark, which is one of the largest ever built in the region, will be constructed. When completed, the 34,500 m² plot which the Center occupies, will offer a 400-seat, open air auditorium.

Access

The Azrieli Center is bordered by the Ayalon Highway that crosses Tel Aviv from North to South, Begin Road and Giv'at HaTahmoshet Street (a short section that connects Kaplan Street with HaShalom Road). It is situated next to the HaShalom Interchange on the Ayalon Highway.

The center can be easily accessed from most parts of Israel by train to the Tel Aviv HaShalom Railway Station which is connected to the center by an enclosed pedestrian bridge or by one of the many buses that stop on Begin Road. In addition, the Tel Aviv Arlozorov Bus Terminal is located 1 kilometer north of the complex.

Gallery

• 

  Ground level view of the Complex

• 

  Fountain at the Azrieli Complex

• 

  Bridge connecting foot traffic to the Complex

See also

• Malha Mall
• List of skyscrapers in Israel
• List of shopping malls in Israel
• YOO Towers

References

1. ^ Yudelman, Michal (1998-04-01). "Tel Aviv's Azrieli Center opens to the public". Jerusalem Post. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/jpost/access/28368324.html?dids=28368324:28368324&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+01%2C+1998&author=MICHAL+YUDELMAN&pub=Jerusalem+Post&desc=Tel+Aviv's+Azrieli+Center+opens+to+the+public&pqatl=google. 
2. ^ "More informations and opening hours". http://www.telavivcity.com/eng/BDisplay.asp?BusinessCode=1698. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Construction of square Azrieli tower completed". Ynet News. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3408765,00.html. Retrieved 2007-06-05. 
4. ^ "Africa Israel Hotels official site". http://www.afi-hotels.com/. Retrieved 2008-04-27. 

External links

• Catch up for Tower 3 - World Architecture News