Atarim Square, Public square and building complex in Tel Aviv, Israel
Atarim Square is a public square and building complex in Tel Aviv, Israel, designed by Yaakov Rechter in a Brutalist style. It sits close to the beach and connects to the promenade, Sderot Ben-Gurion, and Hayarkon Street, with the Gordon Pool adjacent to the west.
Before the square was built, the area was a shanty town for Jewish refugees who left Jaffa after the 1921 riots. In the 1950s the shacks were cleared, and construction of the complex began in 1971 as part of a plan to redevelop the northern beaches.
Locals often use the square as a shortcut between the beach and the city, and the lower level near the parking area has a raw, unfinished look that some find striking. The name Atarim comes from the Hebrew word for sites, a reference to the nearby archaeological digs.
The square is easy to reach on foot from the beach promenade and nearby streets, and its different levels are linked by stairs and ramps. Visitors should watch their step on the concrete surfaces, which can be slippery near the pool area.
The design uses the natural slope from the beach up the cliff to create multiple levels, with a parking area and gas station tucked underneath a high-level road. This arrangement protects the lower levels from wind and rain, a practical response to the harsh coastal weather.
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