The Concrete House, Pumping station and heritage site in Petah Tikva, Israel.
The Concrete House is a two-storey pumping station at the Yarkon springs near the Baptist Village, built in 1912 for the Palestine Company of Bezalel Yaffe to water the orchards of Petah Tikva. It was the first building in the Land of Israel made of concrete, designed in an eclectic style by architect Gedalyahu Wilbushevitz despite its industrial purpose. The abandoned structure stands beside the southern side of Route 5, with the Israel Trail passing nearby.
The building was constructed in 1912 by architect Gdaliyahu Wilbushevich and stands as the first concrete structure built in the Land of Israel. This early use of modern construction materials marked a turning point in the region's building practices.
The name Concrete House comes from its being the first building in the Land of Israel constructed of concrete, an innovation brought in 1910 by Daniel Lichtenshtein, whom the Arabs called Abu Tsmenta. Architect Gedalyahu Wilbushevitz gave the industrial pumping station an eclectic style as a modern statement. The Israel National Trail passes nearby.
The location is easily reached at Hovevei Zion Street 19 and lies near the Yarkon River, making it simple to find and navigate. Visitors should allow time to view the exterior and explore the surrounding area.
The building's diesel pumps were brought to Palestine by company employee Natan Shifris, and the outbreak of World War I in 1914 cut off the fuel supply, halting pumping shortly after operations began. The plant later passed to the Yarkon Irrigation Company and stayed in use until the 1970s.
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