JoAnn Greco explores Tel Aviv's trove of neglected Bauhaus treasures, which date to the growth of the brand-new Israeli city as a haven for Jews fleeing Nazi Germany.
Dating to the city's formative period, "as the city grew dramatically and welcomed new immigrants in the 1920s and '30s, the city's bright white edifices have become a hallmark, typically portrayed as glowing entrancingly under brilliant blue skies."
According to Greco, the new city, established in 1909, "provided a blank slate upon which architects could experiment." Tour guide Michal Minsky describes the attraction of the modern style this way: "The Bauhaus was very plain, so it fit everyone. The idea was not to show off. Everything was new and everything was the same."
Greco, however, finds many neglected examples during her travels through the city, despite a UNESCO conference organized around the topic held in 1994 and World Heritage designation in 2003. Although only about 1000 of the city's 4000 Bauhaus structures are currently protected by historic preservation guidelines, Greco describes nascent city efforts to "help building owners and developers give the structures the tender loving care they so need and deserve."
FULL STORY: Touring Tel Aviv’s faded but fabulous Bauhaus architecture
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
The Paradox of American Housing
How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan
Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.
How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities
Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.
Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing
Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.