For the first time in history, Israeli architects who designed Tel Aviv’s Port took best design at the European Biennial of Landscape Architecture Awards.
The port of Tel Aviv had been an abandoned concrete pile for years before Mayslits Kassif Architecture turned it into one of the most hopping spots in Israel’s seaside city. Every day of the week, the port astride the Mediterranean is packed with cyclists, sun goddesses, tourists, and locals, and on the weekend the farmer’s market rivals any of the best in the west. In addition to generating income with a series of shops and restaurants, the new look has given Israelis a sense of pride, as well as an urban escape. For this the architects received the European Biennial Landscape Architecture Award for Best Design.
Ganit Mayslits Kassif and Udi Kassif were astounded to receive the most coveted of all landscape architecture awards in Barcelona over the weekend. The first for Israel, their Tel Aviv Port design was chosen as the best out of 470.
“We were up against amazing projects by the world’s best architects. People came up to us and showered us with congratulations,” they told Yedioth Ahronoth. The competition was adjudicated by a panel of judges and a voting audience, who, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, unanimously chose the Kassif’s design.
Before and After:
Commissioned by the Marine Trust and executed in tandem with the Tel Aviv Municipality, the pair developed the port between 2003-2008.
“We are literally pinching ourselves to make sure this is not a dream,” Mayslits Kassif told Yedioth Ahronoth on Saturday, moments after the award was announced.
Area of the renovated port:
::YNetnews
::Mayslits Kassif Architecture
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Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
Oh Jeez, Shira. Thanks for that, and deep apologies.
A month ago I was there, biking with a group of people from my community. It was a wonderful event at a dream like site in the middle of one of the most crowded city in Israel.
Kudos to the people that made it happen, and improved the lives of so many!
Tafline,
“…most hopping spots in Israel’s capital.” Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Please correct your post.
Thank you,
Shira