Esther Tower, Jerusalem Timber Structure, Israel Buildings Images, Architect, Architecture Design
Esther Tower in Jerusalem
10 Jun 2022
Architects: HAMR Hu? Architektury Martin Rajni?
Location: Jerusalem, Israel

Photos: Ivan N?mec and Pavlína Schultz
Esther Tower, Israel
Jerusalem is, not only for me, an enchanting city. In the spring of 2017, my friend Luká? P?ibyl, who is also the head of the Czech Centre in Tel Aviv, approached me with news that he and Mrs. Francoise Cafri from the Jerusalem Municipality possibly found a way to build an artistic object, a tower, in the center of Jerusalem. And that it would be a great way of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, as well as the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. Of course I did not hesitate, not even for a second.
Right away we set to work and an idea occurred to us: that the tower should resemble a cactus. Why" Well, when a cactus blooms with a beautiful garland of flowers, in its resilient and prickly nature it is a movingly beautiful plant. I found it symbolic. This combination of tenderness and determination was, as I noticed, similar to the character of the people I had encountered in Israel. Furthermore ? what do we call Israelis born in this spectacular yet somewhat hostile land, who manage to turn deserts into blossoming gardens" Sabra. A cactus! So, we found ourselves constructing a sabra in order to celebrate the people who possess the streng...