Papers by Talia Abramovich
19th IPHS Proceedings, 2022
Planning Perspectives, 2018
Jewish colonies were established in rural areas of Ottoman Palestine in the late nineteenth centu... more Jewish colonies were established in rural areas of Ottoman Palestine in the late nineteenth century; a period full of radical changes, including the industrial revolution, political and cultural shifts in the Ottoman Empire, and social transformations wrought by World War I. These global and local events had a significant impact on everyday life in the colonies, challenging the resilience of the built-up and open public spaces. According to urban space research, the ability of public spaces to withstand change depends on how these spaces are created and defined and the extent to which they evoke a communal sense of ownership and belonging. In light of the above, this paper combines archival and theoretical research in order to examine and characterize the resilience of public spaces in the Jewish colonies in Ottoman Palestine over four decadesfrom 1878, the foundation of the first colony, to 1918, the end of World War I. Planned and designed by mostly Europeaneducated designers and entrepreneurs, the colonies' public spaces demonstrated modernity, accommodated change, and created vibrant centres geared to serve a diverse ethnic local population.
Education and Reuse, 2019
In the early 1930s, Modernism became the normative style of architecture in Tel Aviv. This was du... more In the early 1930s, Modernism became the normative style of architecture in Tel Aviv. This was due to the architects who operated in Tel Aviv, from all over Europe, including architects who studied at the Bauhaus. This essay will discuss how Modernist Tel Aviv evolved from the “White City” (UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the “Bauhaus City”, and how these myths, constantly being reinvented, have contributed to the city’s resilience, which has enabled urban and architectural conservation.
Planning Perspectives, 2018
ABSTRACT Jewish colonies were established in rural areas of Ottoman Palestine in the late ninetee... more ABSTRACT Jewish colonies were established in rural areas of Ottoman Palestine in the late nineteenth century; a period full of radical changes, including the industrial revolution, political and cultural shifts in the Ottoman Empire, and social transformations wrought by World War I. These global and local events had a significant impact on everyday life in the colonies, challenging the resilience of the built-up and open public spaces. According to urban space research, the ability of public spaces to withstand change depends on how these spaces are created and defined and the extent to which they evoke a communal sense of ownership and belonging. In light of the above, this paper combines archival and theoretical research in order to examine and characterize the resilience of public spaces in the Jewish colonies in Ottoman Palestine over four decades – from 1878, the foundation of the first colony, to 1918, the end of World War I. Planned and designed by mostly European-educated designers and entrepreneurs, the colonies’ public spaces demonstrated modernity, accommodated change, and created vibrant centres geared to serve a diverse ethnic local population.
Docomomo Proceedings, 2021
From the late 19th century until WWII, economic distress, religious persecution, and epidemics pr... more From the late 19th century until WWII, economic distress, religious persecution, and epidemics propelled significant Jewish immigration to Palestine, which influenced the establishment of two dichotomous institutional projects, one rural, the moshava (agricultural colony), kibbutz and moshav; the other urban, Tel Aviv and Haifa new neighbourhoods. Like many contemporaneous settlements worldwide, these projects reflected radical developments: the industrial revolution, massive immigration, modernization and medicalization.
The rural and urban modernization project sought to replace polluted and crowded cities. To cope with rampant disease and epidemics, doctors in the country searched out salubrious environments for healthcare settlements and institutions. Mount Carmel, Palestine's highest mountain near the sea, was their chosen site for settlements, convalescent homes, and sanatoriums, like Meir Shfeya and “Carmel” sanatoriums.
The architectural design of the sanatoriums was based on an optimal use of nature - wind, air, and sun - to provide restorative conditions, spiritual and physical. This made it possible, to renovate Meir Shfeya sanatorium to a rehabilitative facility for Kishinev pogrom’s orphans; then to a shelter for refugee families; and, finally, to youth village. The re-use of healthcare environments was facilitated by their initial planning, which allowed for accommodations to serve healing and recovery functions.
Examining case studies on Mount Carmel, this paper will re-evaluate the resilience of rural and urban settlements as they pursued and supported healing environments during fifty years of Palestine's early Jewish settlements. New archival materials will help demonstrate how this resilience was manifest in healthcare architecture - a topic of great importance.
Moshavot were a new form of colonies established by immigrants, mainly from Eastern Europe, to Ot... more Moshavot were a new form of colonies established by immigrants, mainly from Eastern Europe, to Ottoman Palestine from the late 19th century to the early 20th. The paper will explore the initial four decades of these colonies, from the founding of the first one in 1878, to the beginning of the British Mandate in Palestine, in 1918. During these forty years, the colonies were exposed to processes of radical change and modernization: the industrial revolution, political and cultural developments under Ottoman rule, and the social transformations wrought by World War I. The huge impact of these processes was particularly marked in the colonies' public spaces. To cope with the physical and functional changes wrought by the exigencies of the war, as well as an influx of immigrants and other demographic changes, these spaces required functional flexibility, adaptive design, and structural resilience. Planned and designed as modern spaces, they were characterized by broad boulevards, large administrative buildings, and landscaped promenades, all of which exhibited a strong capacity for resilience. The paper will examine the vigour and robustness of these early modern public spaces from three perspectives: their planning and construction; the functions they served; and how they changed over the course of these four decades. According to researchers of urban space such as Lewis Mumford, the resilience of public spaces is predicated on the ways they are created and defined, and the extent to which they evoke a sense of ownership and belonging in the communities they serve. In the colonies we have studied, public spaces were vibrant local centres for a multi-cultural population, whose wide-ranging ethnic, religious and national roots could be seen in wide French-style boulevards, with Ottoman-style civic buildings and water fountains, sebils, and in synagogues designed, apparently, by Templar German architects. In this paper we will discuss the characteristics that gave these public spaces their diverse, multi-cultural nature, and those that contributed to their robust physical and spiritual strength. On the basis of new, as yet unpublished archival evidence, we will present a few case studies of public spaces (parks, civic institutions, etc.) in the colonies of Palestine which thanks to their innate vitality managed to survive this volatile and stormy period of history.
Ofakim in geography, 2019
In 1962 Israel was asked to offer assistance in the Regional planning of Cote d'Ivoire. The count... more In 1962 Israel was asked to offer assistance in the Regional planning of Cote d'Ivoire. The country, that gained its independence two years earlier, invited Israeli experts to advance planning and development in non-urban areas. The article is based on new archival materials, amongst them are the Israeli reportand photographed documentation of the explored regions in Cote d'Ivoire. The exposed documents allow presenting the planning challenges that faced Cote d'Ivoire with significant insights concerning the challenges involved in the process of state building.
The archival documents present the point of view of the Israeli planning experts, following the regional planning experience consolidated in Israel in the 60's which emphasized the importance of national pre-regional planning. The paper elaborates on the challenges faced by Cote d'Ivoire as seen by the Israeli planners. These challenges often positioned local politics vs. foreign international politics, urban vs. non-urban planning and private vs. public interests.
Atarim magazine, 2020
The moshavot, Jewish agricultural colonies, which were established in the late 19th and early 20t... more The moshavot, Jewish agricultural colonies, which were established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were modern rural settlements. Their design matched the progressive public thinking of the time, with emphasis on the community’s wellbeing. The public spaces included broad boulevards, large administrative buildings and landscaped promenades. In contrast to extensive investment in the public space, many personal needs in private space remained unaddressed. These needs motivated spontaneous, popular construction of warehouses, outdoor furniture, and fences, mostly in the yards and agricultural areas. This paper examines several case studies of vernacular design in the moshavot, which utilized available materials and popular technologies. Today, the buildings, objects, and green areas designed and executed without architects, serve as a source of inspiration for architecture, design, and art. Furthermore, because of the way they were created, they present a unique conservation challenge.
docomomo, 2019
In the early 1930s, Modernism became the normative style of architecture in Tel Aviv. This was du... more In the early 1930s, Modernism became the normative style of architecture in Tel Aviv. This was due to the architects operated in Tel Aviv, from all over Europe, including architects who studied at the Bauhaus. The paper will discuss how Modernist Tel Aviv evolved from "White city", UNESCO World Heritage Site, to "Bauhaus city", and how these myths, constantly being reinvented, have contributed to the city's resilience, which has enabled urban and architectural conservation.
אתרים, גליון 8 Atarim, December, 2018
In the early 1920s, a decision was made to erect public buildings in the Hadera Colony. The commi... more In the early 1920s, a decision was made to erect public buildings in the Hadera Colony. The committee received a variety of architectural proposals for buildings, including schools, a committee building, an assembly hall, and more. This article examines the relationship between the requirements, aspirations, and worldviews of the community and its leaders and the design of public spaces in the creation of a
unique local identity. This objective is still valid today, as is evident in the various conservation projects.
Keywords: conservation of cultural heritage, urban history, public space, Hadera
Planning Perspectives, 2020
Jewish colonies were established in rural areas of Ottoman Palestine in the late 19th century; a ... more Jewish colonies were established in rural areas of Ottoman Palestine in the late 19th century; a period full of radical changes, including the industrial revolution, political and cultural shifts in the Ottoman Empire, and social transformations wrought by World War I. These global and local events had a significant impact on everyday life in the colonies, challenging the resilience of the built-up and open public spaces. According to urban space research, the ability of public spaces to withstand change depends on how these spaces are created and defined and the extent to which they evoke a communal sense of ownership and belonging. In light of the above, this paper combines archival and theoretical research in order to examine and characterize the resilience of public spaces in the Jewish colonies in Ottoman Palestine over four decades — from 1878, the foundation of the first colony, to 1918, the end of World War I. Planned and designed by mostly European-educated designers and entrepreneurs, the colonies’ public spaces demonstrated modernity, accommodated change, and created vibrant centres geared to serve a diverse ethnic local population.
The settlements created in Palestine in the nineteenth to the early twentieth century were subjec... more The settlements created in Palestine in the nineteenth to the early twentieth century were subjected to the forces of modernisation: the Industrial Revolution's impact, political and cultural developments under Ottoman rule, and social transformations wrought by World War I. Like many other settlements around the globe, they were influenced by war damage, massive immigration, and the concepts of the Garden City and social utopias.
This article explores the changes in the interior design of colony Zichron Ya'akov's synagogue, f... more This article explores the changes in the interior design of colony Zichron Ya'akov's synagogue, from the late 19th century to the early 20th. Synagogue, the Jewish colony's main public building, was considered to be of high importance. Synagogues such as those in Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion and Rehovot represented communal power and luxury. The research follows structural changes in Zichron Ya'akov's synagogue, demonstrating changes such as the rising of the bourgeoisie and feminism. The modifications to the synagogue's interior shape represent the worldwide changes in the religious-secular struggle and the shift in women's public presence.
Ofakim BeGeographia (Horizons in Geography) , 2016
The "Hameyasdim" (Founders square) is located on top of the hill that was settled by the first fo... more The "Hameyasdim" (Founders square) is located on top of the hill that was settled by the first founders of Petah Tikva in 1882. This article examines the competition over the character of the settlement by focusing on the design of its main square and its definition; first, as open grounds in a rural settlement, then as a public garden, and eventually as a town square. A close examination of the square reveals the forces that generated its physical changes as a result of the changing perception of its settlers and the power relations among them. Through documents that see light for the first time, we will argue that the changing design of the public space, its circulation patterns, its use and the experience it bestows is not only a reflective glass, but also, and mainly, an engine for the social change of Petach Tikva, and for pushing its farmers out of the representative space of the forthcoming city.
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Papers by Talia Abramovich
The rural and urban modernization project sought to replace polluted and crowded cities. To cope with rampant disease and epidemics, doctors in the country searched out salubrious environments for healthcare settlements and institutions. Mount Carmel, Palestine's highest mountain near the sea, was their chosen site for settlements, convalescent homes, and sanatoriums, like Meir Shfeya and “Carmel” sanatoriums.
The architectural design of the sanatoriums was based on an optimal use of nature - wind, air, and sun - to provide restorative conditions, spiritual and physical. This made it possible, to renovate Meir Shfeya sanatorium to a rehabilitative facility for Kishinev pogrom’s orphans; then to a shelter for refugee families; and, finally, to youth village. The re-use of healthcare environments was facilitated by their initial planning, which allowed for accommodations to serve healing and recovery functions.
Examining case studies on Mount Carmel, this paper will re-evaluate the resilience of rural and urban settlements as they pursued and supported healing environments during fifty years of Palestine's early Jewish settlements. New archival materials will help demonstrate how this resilience was manifest in healthcare architecture - a topic of great importance.
The archival documents present the point of view of the Israeli planning experts, following the regional planning experience consolidated in Israel in the 60's which emphasized the importance of national pre-regional planning. The paper elaborates on the challenges faced by Cote d'Ivoire as seen by the Israeli planners. These challenges often positioned local politics vs. foreign international politics, urban vs. non-urban planning and private vs. public interests.
unique local identity. This objective is still valid today, as is evident in the various conservation projects.
Keywords: conservation of cultural heritage, urban history, public space, Hadera
The rural and urban modernization project sought to replace polluted and crowded cities. To cope with rampant disease and epidemics, doctors in the country searched out salubrious environments for healthcare settlements and institutions. Mount Carmel, Palestine's highest mountain near the sea, was their chosen site for settlements, convalescent homes, and sanatoriums, like Meir Shfeya and “Carmel” sanatoriums.
The architectural design of the sanatoriums was based on an optimal use of nature - wind, air, and sun - to provide restorative conditions, spiritual and physical. This made it possible, to renovate Meir Shfeya sanatorium to a rehabilitative facility for Kishinev pogrom’s orphans; then to a shelter for refugee families; and, finally, to youth village. The re-use of healthcare environments was facilitated by their initial planning, which allowed for accommodations to serve healing and recovery functions.
Examining case studies on Mount Carmel, this paper will re-evaluate the resilience of rural and urban settlements as they pursued and supported healing environments during fifty years of Palestine's early Jewish settlements. New archival materials will help demonstrate how this resilience was manifest in healthcare architecture - a topic of great importance.
The archival documents present the point of view of the Israeli planning experts, following the regional planning experience consolidated in Israel in the 60's which emphasized the importance of national pre-regional planning. The paper elaborates on the challenges faced by Cote d'Ivoire as seen by the Israeli planners. These challenges often positioned local politics vs. foreign international politics, urban vs. non-urban planning and private vs. public interests.
unique local identity. This objective is still valid today, as is evident in the various conservation projects.
Keywords: conservation of cultural heritage, urban history, public space, Hadera