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First International Bank of Israel

Located at the heart of the financial district of Tel Aviv, opposite the new Stock Exchange, this glass-clad tower brings a distinctive profile to the skyline while enriching its immediate neighborhood with a landscaped public plaza.

Incorporating a banking hall, auditorium, trading rooms, and offices, the building sits adjacent to two historic structures, Beit Va’ad Hakehila and Rifka Greenwald House, whose restoration was among the goals of the project.

The asymmetrical design is based on a system of equilateral triangles that gradually step back as the building rises, creating a series of engaging gestures toward both the small-scaled historic buildings and the larger commercial structures around Rothschild Boulevard. Along the latter, the facade makes way for a generous plaza that extends beneath the tower to create a sheltered gathering place, inviting passersby to stop and enjoy the presence of the nearby landmarks and the peaceful landscaped environment.

Show Facts
Site

0.3 hectares, on Rothschild Boulevard

Components

38,000 m2 / 409,000 ft2 gross area; banking hall, auditorium, trading rooms, administrative offices, executive offices

Client

The First International Bank of Israel, Ltd.

PCF&P Services

Master planning, architecture, exterior envelope, interior design

Sustainability

Green Building Certified (SII)

lead designer

Ian Bader

Awards

The International Architecture Award
Chicago Athenaeum / European Centre, 2012

Excellence in Construction: Office Building
Foundation for Support and Development of the Construction Field / Association of Contractors and Builders in Israel / Bank Mizrahi, 2011

Excellence in Construction: Building Preservation
Foundation for Support and Development of the Construction Field / Association of Contractors and Builders in Israel / Bank Mizrahi, 2011

(A) Beit Va’ad Hatkela

Top: (B) Russian Embassy Building
Bottom: (C) Ester Greenwald House

Project Credits

Local Architect: Nir-Kutz Architects, Bnei Brak, Israel; Structural: S. Ben-Abraham Engineers, Ltd., Tel Aviv; Mechanical: Zvi Ronen Consulting Engineers Ltd.; Interiors: Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, Nir-Kutz Architects; Images: Amit Geron, PCF&P