Metromall

For over two decades, our firm has overseen the projects comprising the Northern Entrance and Transport Hub in the city of Rehovot, including the Train Station, Bus Terminal, and a group of mixed-use office towers for which we have provided both masterplan and detailed design services. The latest addition to these ongoing projects is the "Metromol Tower".

Situated on the border between the Science Park and the Weizmann Institute, separated by rail line, the tower spans 19 floors and is connected to the commercial center and train station platform through a bridge. The tower's planning and design were guided by two primary factors: the Climate and the building as an Object.

In keeping with the principle of Form Follows Climate, the tower's northern facade features a curtain wall while the remaining three facades are clad with prefabricated concrete panels featuring window inserts. This design choice distinguishes the northern facade as the building's main facade, but also creates a challenge as it turns away from the Weizmann Institute and the city. To address this, our strategy was to treat the building as an object, a mass that could not accommodate any additional floors.

We created the object by rounding the corners, both in the plan and in the three-dimensional meeting with the roof, creating a complete capsule structure. This structure creates a dialog with the wonderful particle accelerator building at the Weizmann Institute by the late architect Moshe Harel. When viewed from the direction of the city and the Weizmann Institute, the Metromol Tower appears as an impressive wholesome object rather than a rear facade.