Designed by Tel-Aviv-based HQ Architects in collaboration with HWKN, the Ari Kushner Building, a new 27,000-square-foot addition to the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, significantly expands the advanced inter-art center’s presence on the campus of Hebrew University. The addition features a studio for jazz and improvised music, a multipurpose classroom, a vocal and opera studio, a choreography studio, a solo and chamber music recital hall, a greenroom including wardrobe and warehouse spaces, five teaching rooms, and eight practice chambers, allowing artists from across disciplines to work under one roof. The new building sits below and slightly to the right of the original building. A stone façade, composed of unfinished Jerusalem stone blocks turned 45 degrees on their side, extends across the entire complex, providing a sense of unity and establishing a contemporary identity. The main entrance and atrium space serve as a community hub for students and faculty and continue the material palette of the façade on the floor. The atrium’s exposed concrete continues throughout the main circulation of the building including stairs and bridges. Fabric strips function as a barrier between the atrium and the classroom corridor, providing acoustic insulation between the communal areas and the classrooms and highlighting the division between private and communal use.
