The Jerusalem Academy of Music & Dance new Ari Kushner Building and the new Tennis Center facilities are maong the new buildings that the article investigates as the newest architectural additions in the city.
The journalist follows the boom in public construction taking place in Jerusalem that is reminiscent of the institutional construction of public buildings after the declaration of independence. These days the buildings from the 1950s and 1960s are being relocated and rebuilt. As part of the urban trend, the new building of Bezalel (by SANAA & HQ Architects) was opened this year and these days the National Library also opened in its new premises. These institutional buildings are joined by a new wing for the Ari Kushner Dance and Music Academy building in Givat Ram (in collaboration with HWKN Architecture) and the HQ's Tennis Center near the Malcha Mall and Teddy Stadium
The facades of the building were covered with a shell of glass and stone walls supported by a white steel construction system. "We treated the stone in the structure like a lace," Ella explains, "we created a system in which each of the stones hangs by itself on a base that supports it and enables the play of transparency between the stone and the glass behind it. Since most of the activity in the structure does not require daylight, we were able to play with the intervals between the stones - in the places where daylight had to be brought in, we widened the space between them, and in the halls where only artificial light was required, we reduced it.''
The academy building was first used as a school for ''social work studies, and as such it was not suitable for music classrooms or dance spaces," these tell about the principles that guided the planning. Erez Ella continues that "The advantage created by the unsatisfactory acoustic conditions is the reverberation of the music throughout the building. When you walk in the corridors of the building you can hear a trombone from one of the classrooms or a piano from the other classroom and watch the dance students perform for class. In the new wing, the ambition was to plan the activities according to the required standards, without losing the qualities of The art experience from the various genres through the classrooms."
In regards to the use of Jerusalem stone ''The law was correct when the stone was a constructive part of the construction process," explains Ella, "in the past they would place the stones one on top of the other and pour concrete between them to bind them together. The Jerusalem construction that was based on the stone was so identified with the city that the British sought to preserve it. Over time , the roles of the stone and concrete changed - a concrete structure was built which, due to British law, was covered with stone. The stone became very thin and became a means of decoration."
"From the research initiated by the municipality to examine the significance of giving up the stone, they concluded that the stone is not required everywhere in its classic form," Ella concludes.
The tennis center, which is expected to open in early 2024, also joins the Jerusalem construction boom. The structure, which is expected to be spread over two floors with a total area of approximately 9,000 square meters, will be completely covered with louvers to ensure maximum ventilation and allow the game to be played in all months of the year. The limited land areas adjacent to the train are being utilized and indoor tennis courts are being raised to the upper level. On the ground floor, activities are planned that will support the sports and community activities. Small halls for judo and squash classes, clinics and commercial areas will be placed on this floor.
