Masterclass in Conservation and Architecture 03: Industrial Buildings

Historic industrial buildings are an integral part of the memory and urban identity of Tel Aviv-Yafo, and their preservation allows for a bridge between the city's past and its future. While the trend of demolition and reconstruction dominates the Israeli landscape, more and more cities around the world are choosing to convert old infrastructure into public and cultural spaces that offer a contemporary interpretation of built heritage. These structures embody broad programmatic flexibility, derived from their massive construction, allowing us to imagine a dynamic urban space that responds to current needs.

The third meeting in the Masterclass series will be dedicated to the industrial area in the north of the city and the fuel tank that was part of the historic Reading Power Station - a vast industrial structure that invites us to rethink the connection between preservation, community, and contemporary urbanism. Looking at the remaining fuel tank, one can see how preservation principles can serve as a catalyst for action, viewing the conservation of the building and its new life as an opportunity. The project seeks to preserve the prominent industrial shell and pour into it new content for the new city, such as craft spaces, sports facilities, and events venues. The new building life proposes a reintegration into the urban nature that was neglected in the site's previous incarnation.

During the session, we will address questions that occupy architects and planners worldwide today: How do we read and use architectural values in buildings born out of functional and technological necessity rather than aesthetic ambition? How do we convert giant, closed structures into inviting public spaces? And where is the line drawn between meticulous material preservation and the need to adapt historic buildings to contemporary life?

Through an analysis of the architectural competition for the complex’s design, we will learn how architectural preservation serves as a tool for understanding the city in the present and as a basis for creative thinking about its future. We will examine the proposal of the competition winners, Milbauer Architects in collaboration with TAMA Landscape Architecture, and discuss the role of architects and planners in shaping the public space of tomorrow through the remnants of the past.

Participants:

Dr. Arch. Jeremie Hoffmann, Head of the Conservation Department, Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality

Arch. Orit Milbauer, Milbauer Architects (Architects of the winning project)

Landscape Arch. Lital Smoook Fabian, TAMA Landscape Architecture

Hadas Nevo-Goldberst, Senior Conservation Coordinator, Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality

Professional Management & Moderation: Arch. Sharon Golan, Director of the Liebling House Research Lab

Content Production: Arch. Noam Shar Shalom

The event will be held via Zoom; a link will be sent upon registration.

The Masterclass in Conservation and Architecture series offers a broad perspective on architectural conservation as a field that bridges research, building culture, and urban foresight. Using examples from the urban landscape of Tel Aviv, we explore how buildings tell the story of society, climate, and ideas, while addressing current urban issues related to the conservation of the built environment. Inspired by the philosophy of the Liebling House Research Lab, this masterclass presents the craft of conservation not merely as an act of protecting the past, but as a tool for understanding the city in the present and a foundation for creative thinking about its future.