Housing the Masses: How Architecture Changed Lives

A Story Unfolding Across Timelines.

Recap from previous episodes

In this series of episodes, I’m sharing my dialogues with my father and inviting you to join our conversation. The series begins with a brief overview of what happened in the pre-state period until we reach the early days of Israel and the construction solutions adopted to house almost a million immigrants who arrived in Israel with nothing but the clothes they wore.

Current Time.

Liat: Dad, I’ve been thinking about the international style in architecture. Can you explain what happened before it developed? I mean, where did the poor live? What was it like for people who couldn't afford to live in a fancy decorative building designed by an architect??

Nissim : Good question. Well, Back then, the world was completely different. Building regulations were generally introduced in many parts of the world during the 18th and 19th centuries, but their enforcement initially focused on the wealthy and elite.?

Governments only began prioritizing public health and safety in the late 19th century. So, housing for the working class and poor were often built without formal supervision or regulation, leading to unsafe and unsanitary buildings.

The wealthy lived in safe, luxurious homes with decorations, tall ceilings, and intricate facades. The working class lived in modest, overcrowded, and poorly built areas. Their housing wasn't designed with aesthetics or even comfort in mind. The poor usually lived in slums, tenements, or on the borders of wealthier neighborhoods. Their homes were basic, sometimes unsafe, with little thought given to proper ventilation, light, or even sanitation.

But that's where the International Style made such a big difference in the world, especially for lower classes and even the poorest of people. It was about practicality - creating simple, functional, and affordable spaces for everyone. This shift was significant in places like Israel, where waves of Jewish immigrants arrived during the pre-state period and needed housing quickly. Architects began maximizing space and functionality, building up instead of out to house more people in less space.

Impact on Housing in Israel

When Israel was established, David Ben Gurion's government adopted many of the laws and regulations from the British Mandate, including the urban planning laws, exactly as the British implemented them in the area. To this day, the process of planning and approving construction projects in Israel is still pretty similar to the way the British did it. Over the years, we've made changes and adjustments to meet our specific needs, such as the climate, soil, and geodetic conditions.?

The British left us their legacy of planning and construction approval processes, but after they left, we had to figure it all out on our own. They were an empire with centuries of experience, and we were just starting out as a new nation, so we made plenty of mistakes along the way. Our young state faced many challenges, with housing being one of the most difficult to address. After all, building a country from scratch is the most complex entrepreneurial project in the world.

It’s important to note that the common apartment buildings in Israel are mostly a product of the International Style. The concept of creating simple and functional residential buildings as cost-effective solutions to the housing crisis during the early 1920s emerged in Europe. This concept was widely adopted in Israel, particularly with the waves of Jewish immigrants arriving during the fourth and fifth aliyot of the pre-state period.

Keep in mind that housing complexes, such as workers' dormitories and Kiryat Meir in Tel Aviv, were considered innovative buildings, and they were built in the 1930s. However, there is a significant contrast between these earlier housing buildings and the mass public housing projects built after Israel's establishment.?

The mass public housing projects built quickly in the 1950s and 1960s were of much lower quality than the carefully designed buildings of the 1930s. These projects, especially in the country’s borders and development towns, have been criticized from the beginning and continue to be criticized even today. Israel's national trauma was rooted in the Maabarot (tent camps) and worsened when the immigrants moved to public housing projects.

We will talk about these housing projects in detail next time. This was just a brief overview of the urban planning principles and architectural styles that characterized the British Mandate period. Many of these concepts continued to influence the region's development even after the British left.?

Liat: If that was just the opening, it was one hell of an overview.

Nissim : I threw a lot at you, huh?

Liat: A lot? That overview feels like a whole library.

Nissim : We’ve covered a good chunk of the region’s history, so let’s take a break here. We’ll pick it up next time.

Liat: I definitely need a break and something to eat. My Foodie Disorder woke up.

Nissim : Let's get something to eat. We need to fuel our brains with energy, and you know that’s essential to processing information. What does your Foodie Disorder want to have?

Liat: Hmmmm, I think my Foodie Disorder wants Burekas.?

Nissim : You know I love Burekas. I love every kind of Burekas.

Liat: Mom says you love Burekas too much. She thinks it’s a dangerous love.?

Nissim : Let's not talk about what your mom says.

Liat: Love is in the air…

Nissim : Let’s fix something to eat.

But before we grab a bite, remember to invite your friends again. And hey, don't worry if they don't come right away, just keep inviting them. They will show up. Trust me. If you invite them, they will come.

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Liat

In this journey, I weave together episodes from my life with the rich tapestry of Israeli culture through music, food, arts, entrepreneurship, and more. I write over the weekends and evenings and publish these episodes as they unfold, almost like a live performance.

Each episode is part of a set focused on a specific topic, though sometimes I release standalone episodes. A set is released over several days to make it easier for you to read during your busy workday. If one episode catches your attention, make sure to read the entire set to get the whole picture. Although these episodes are released in sets, you can read the entire newsletter from the beginning, as it flows smoothly, like music to your ears? - ?or, in this case, your eyes.