Soaring towers rise above a network of winding alleys, courtyards, patios, and piazzas, marking the entrance to Jerusalem while introducing new life into its historic fabric.
Midtown Jerusalem occupies a pivotal site along Jaffa Road, the historic route connecting Jerusalem to Jaffa. The project is located on the former grounds of the landmark Shaare Zedek Hospital, a significant civic monument among several historic buildings along this urban corridor. Today, Jaffa Road is activated by a light railway system and a sequence of vibrant public spaces.
Positioned near the Chords Bridge, Midtown establishes a new gateway to the downtown district while engaging with the commercial energy of Mahane Yehuda Market and the intimate, low-rise streets of Nahlaot. The project bridges historic and contemporary urban conditions, creating a new focal point at the city’s entrance.
Program
Spanning approximately 250,000 square meters, Midtown Jerusalem integrates civic, commercial, residential, and hospitality functions within a unified urban framework.
At ground level, a central retail corridor weaves through the project, connecting a fine-grained network of alleys, piazzas, courtyards, and patios. These spaces alternate between intimate environments and open gathering areas, forming a layered and dynamic public realm.
Educational facilities, including schools and kindergartens, as well as sports and wellness centers, are embedded within this network, supporting daily life in the district. Two hotels are incorporated into the development, enhancing its mixed-use character. Offices occupy one tower, while three residential towers rise nearby, all designed to meet advanced LEED Platinum and AAA environmental standards.
The vertical organization—from public functions at the base to private towers above—establishes a clear spatial hierarchy while maintaining an active and vibrant street life.
Concept
The master plan operates through the integration of two distinct urban logics.
At ground level, an irregular grid responds to the geometry of the surrounding historic neighborhoods. Lower volumes follow subtle shifts and angular alignments, extending the fine-grain urban fabric and encouraging pedestrian movement through a rich sequence of spatial experiences.
A three-dimensional circulation system responds to Jerusalem’s topography, enabling seamless connections between different levels and enhancing the urban experience.
From this textured base, towers rise in contrast, aligned with the modern city grid to define a renewed skyline. The residential façades are composed of subtly shifted and angled units, generating a dynamic pattern that reflects individuality while animating the skyline with changing light and shadow.
A key architectural gesture is the dialogue with the historic Shaare Zedek Hospital. New volumes reinterpret its scale and rhythm, creating continuity without direct imitation and reinforcing its presence within the composition.
Materially, the project reinterprets Jerusalem stone through contemporary cladding systems and high-performance building envelopes. Both towers and podium structures remain grounded in local identity while meeting advanced environmental standards.
Midtown Jerusalem functions as both threshold and center—bridging historic streets and modern grids, low-rise neighborhoods and high-rise towers, and heritage with contemporary development—establishing a renewed urban gateway while extending Jaffa Road into a vibrant, layered, and distinctly Jerusalem experience.
