FRAGMENTED TOWER JERUSALEM

The site is located at the top of Bezalel Street in the neighborhood of Nachlaot in Jerusalem. What is unique about Nachlaot as a neighborhood are the buildings built around courtyards, which is where the watering hole or well was once located as well as the communal oven et cetra. The houses surrounding the courtyard were built in very close proximity of one another so that a surrounding block was created. The neighborhood is characterized by low, dense building and a web of narrow alleyways. The long and narrow site which currently functions as a parking lot is adjacent to an existing apartment building, and is located at the highest point in Nachlaot. Upwards building of any type is likely to harm the modest and unique neighborhood skyline. The plans for this project were influenced by a desire to not harm the skyline of Jerusalem, a city whose consciousness is in its depth and not height, as well as a desire to allow people who live nearby, in the existing building, daylight hours and space for living, this is despite the narrowness of the plot of land, which dictates maximized utilization of space. Thus, the high rise building which the site demanded, I divided into four smaller buildings and maximized the building area downwardly, with public floors which are organized around a shared courtyard and through which one is able to pass through the different parts of the building. Additionally, the building connects to an empty floor adjacent apartment building currently contains solely operational systems.