Background:
Eliavzon House was built in 1909 as part of Ahuzat Bayit at the corner of Herzl and Rothschild streets. Most of the original structure was demolished in the 1930s and replaced by the current structure. The ‘new’ structure was planned in an L-shape, following the principles of the International Style. The main façades display the architectural language characteristic of this style: a horizontal array of windows emphasized by cornices and hanging terraces (balconies); a stairwell protruding from the skyline; emphasis on the building’s corner by rounding and geometric division. These plans also incorporated the neighboring building (4 Herzl St.) as part of the new façade.

Project Description:
This project included the preservation of the building’s envelope and the stairwell, and a new western wing was added in the front, facing the new square.
All the envelope’s details were preserved or restored: the concretes were rehabilitated; the porch banisters were restored, as well as the lime-based plaster. Likewise, the wooden windows, doors and shutters were also preserved and restored.
The ground floor of the structure was converted into office and commercial space and was bought by the French Government to serve as the French Cultural Center in Israel.

Project initiation: 2003
Project completion: 2005
Project Initiator: Africa-Israel Investments Ltd.