Azrieli Towers Tel Aviv Under Construction – 1997 – 1999

When Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv were completed, they were the tallest in Israel. Although they are not the tallest anymore, they still bare unique aesthetics which makes them a notable icon and landmark in the Tel Aviv metro skyline. One of the reasons is their architectural simplicity – a trio of round, triangular and square buildings. First, the round and triangular were completed. The square one was constructed a few years later.

In this gallery, we shall see the buildings in two periods: December 1997, and May 1999.

At the end of 1997, the concrete skeletons of the two buildings were almost completed. At night, the floors were illuminated, and with the full moon in between, it was a charming sight.

and here are the buildings with “HaShalom” train station on front

a view from the south, from Ha’hagana bridge on Ayalon freeway

and another angle from the south – from Montifiori neighborhood, Yehudit St.

 

We now jump to May 12th, 1999. It was an exciting day – a visit to the roof of the round building, still under construction. How I arranged this visit is a long story, but the bottom line is, that it was a form of gratitude from the management. So we went up, to the 49th floor…

and out to the roof, 189 meters above street level, to the helipad that was already in place. This is a view to the north-west. The Reading Power Station chimney can be clearly seen.

This view to the north is quite remarkable, as it emphasizes how Tel Aviv has grown during the current millennium. Numerous towers now dot the horizon north of the tower, especially along Begin and Namir roads.

In this picture we see the triangular tower, with its curtain walls just installed, but without the outer window frames. We can also see the bustling Begin – Kaplan junction before an underpass was constructed. On the top-right area of the photo a parking place can be seen – the government office building is located there today. Beyond it is the Sarona Templar Colony, at that time – Israeli Defense Forces offices and additional structures that were later demolished during re-purposing of the area.

and we shall conclude with a photo from one of the upper floors, with the tower crane “stuck” inside.

 

Photos were digitized from slide films by “Zikaron Tzilumi“.