2,300 Dwelling Units, Hod Hasharon (2006)

Hod Hasharon is a city created from the union of four originally rural towns (moshavim), characterized as green and rural. The neighborhood of the 2,300 dwelling units in the North (plan HR-1200) will be the first high density neighborhood in the city (24 dwelling units per 1000 sqm).

​

Our wish was to achieve in this large future neighborhood, "Consistency without Uniformity".

​

Henceforth, we defined our goals as follows:

​

1. Creating a typology with 'diversity' to promote 'individualism'.

​

2. Creating outdoor spaces: pedestrian pathways, parks and piazzas, creating opportunities for various interactions among inhabitants.

​

3. Promoting a sense of 'belonging' by avoiding the erasure of differences between the various neighborhoods planned. 

​

4. Basing the selection of design elements and materials on a research of the original building in the area.

​

5. Creating visual variety and contrasts.

​

6. Using the high density as an advantage: filling the public open spaces with meaning.

​

7. Blending in the built surroundings, two stories high, by creating a contrast of heights within the new neighborhood.

​

The residential buildings proposed were designed as continuous buildings defining the streets, as rows of two different heights piercing one into another: the lower lines define the north-south direction; the higher lines define east-west direction. The center of the neighborhood is emphasized by towers.

 

A big park, named 'Central Park' was situated on the West with a row of buildings highlighting its horizontal lines, and its East side by buildings emphasizing its vertical lines. The Public Buildings (schools, kindergartens) will be situated so that children will not have to cross the main street. To enhance the green, fences are to be kept low or non-existent, to keep an open field of view to the landscape.