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Azrieli Center (מרכז עזריאלי)


General information
Status	Completed
Location	Tel Aviv, Israel
Opening	1999
Cost	350,000,000 USD
Owner	David Azrieli
Height
Roof	186 metre
Technical details
Floor count	49
Floor area	150,000 sq. metre
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Eli Attiyah, Yaski Sivan
Developer	David Azrieli

The Azrieli Center is a complex of three skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. At the base of the three towers is a large shopping center whilst other public spaces within the complex are currently under development. Each tower follows a different shape, including a circular tower, a square tower, and a triangular Tower. The centre was originally designed by Israeli-American architect Eli Attiyah, and after he fell with the developer of the centre David Azrieli (after whom it is named), completion of the design was passed on to the Tel Aviv firm of Yaski-Sivan architects.

Site

The Azrieli Center is located on a 34,500 meter square site which was previously used as Tel Aviv's dumpster-truck parking garage. The $350,000,000 project revitalised the area, and the Fain Towers are now expected to be built directly across HaShalom Road.

Circular Tower

The Azrieli Center Circular Tower, is the tallest of the three towers, measuring 187m (614ft) in height. Construction of this tower began in 1996 and was completed in 1999. The tower boasts 49 floors making it is the tallest building in Tel Aviv, and the second highest in Israel. It was the tallest building in the country, however, was overtaken by the Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat Gan in 2001. The top floor has an indoor observation deck and a high end restaurant, whilst the 48th floor is home to Mr. Azrieli's personal office.

Each floor of the Circular Tower has 84 windows meaning the tower has a total of 8,000 windows. The tower's perimeter is 141 meters (462 feet); its diameter is 44 meters (144 feet). Typical floor space within the tower is 1,520 m².

Interior view of Tel Aviv's largest shopping center

On October 31, 2003, the first annual Azrieli Circular Tower run-up competition was held, in which the participants had to run up the 1144 stairs, all the way up to the tower's roof. Winners of the contest had the chance of participating in the following year's Empire State Building run-up competition in New York City.

Triangular Tower

The Azrieli Center Triangular Tower has a height of 169 m (554 ft). Construction of this tower, like the circular tower, began in 1996 and was completed in 1999. It has 46 floors and its largest occupier is Bezeq Communication, Israel's largest telecommunication company, who occupy 13 floors of the tower. Interestingly, the tower is a perfect triangle with 60 degree angles at each of the three corners.

Square Tower

The Azrieli Center Square Tower is the final tower of the Azrieli Center, which was completed in June 2007.. The tower has 42 floors, and is 154m high. It is the lowest of the three towers in the Azrieli complex. Construction of the third tower was stopped in 1998 due to urban planning disagreements and was only resumed in 2006.

The tower is due to be populated in late 2007. The lower floors will house Africa Israel's business hotel. The upper floors will be used as office space, and will be rented out for $21-25 per meter. Following completion, 18 floors of the tower may be used for residences or hotel rooms if the development agreement is followed.

Shopping center

The Azrieli Center Mall is one of the largest in Israel. There are around 30 restaurants, fast-food counters, cafes and food stands in the mall. The top floor of the is a popular hangout spot for teens, and many online message boards arrange get-togethers in the place during national holidays.

Due to high, constant terrorism threats, the Azrieli towers are, like all buildings in Israel, heavily guarded. The mall, however, is said to be the world's most secure shopping center, with 2 lines of defence on every entrance.

Other features

When completed, the 34,500 square meter plot which the Center occupies, will offer a 400-seat, open air auditorium. The large complex boats 8 cinemas, a large fitness club, night schools and is also connected by bridge to one of the busiest rail stations in the city. It is expected that a connection between Kaplan underpath and the project's underground carpark, which is one of the largest ever built in the region, will be constructed. A pedestrian bridge, completed on March 2003, connects the Azrieli Center with the street level of Matcal Tower.