12-10-20 Dispatch from Tel-Aviv: Kikar HaBimah - most beautiful public space in Israel

Tel-Aviv, October 19 - the square is based on modern foundation, with a unique combination of Middle-Eastern and Japanes motives, particularly in the sunk garden, on the backdrop of 1960s apartment buildings.  In the front of the Square, facing Rothschild Avenue, there are two blights (not shown in the photographs). The pretentious, rusty one would take a civil war to have removed...

The square is paved, and people sit on the floor in groups, just as seen in Barcelona.  There were a lot more people in the square than shown in the pics, but Israelis are apprehensive about being photgraphed, and may react in a rather agressive manner, when they believe that they were photographed, even if they were not.  Teen-age boy go skate boarding.  Unique to Israel - a group of teen-age girls were showing off in gymnastic somersaults, including one girl in a stylish tutu/mini skirt.

The gardening is the centerpiece of the square. In the sunk garden groups of people sit and talk, some picnic.  A group of 30 year olds were drinking wine in wine glasses!  The classic-pop soft music, pumped from under the Japanese style wooden benches surrounding the garden was a bit much for me, but then again, I may be in the minority in such opinion.  The design of the garden combines a Japanese look, particularly in the part that ends with a beautiful sandbox for kids to play in.  The center appears more along the design of the Middle-Easter formal garden and a Bustan.  The collection of plants near the sandbox appears like it could come for a beachfront house, not far from here, some 100 years ago.  The garden appears manicured, but overall, my guess is that it is relatively low maintanence and low on watering needs.  

The other extreme that comes to mind is probably the formal garden in the Getty Center in Los Angeles.  Plants are placed there with no match at all to the sun or water conditions. Accordingly, the Getty garden has a full time curator, which constantly replaces the plants on display, as they die out... The Getty is not a public space either, and cynics say that the whole museum was built as a venue for private cocktail parties.

The design and atmosphere in Kikar HaBimah, which has been renovated a number of times over the years, stands in stark contrast with public spaces in Jerusalem, of the same vinage.