Ofek Buildings D

Caesarea, Israel

Competition winners

Program: Commercial spaces
Client : The Caesarea Edmond Benjamin de Rothschild Foundation
Area: 14,500 sqm
Status: Completed 2010

The office complex in Caesaria’s Industrial Park consists of six buildings in a total area of 30,000 sq. meters. Several key components of the complex have involved the use of green architecture, both in terms of the urban layout and in terms of the separate buildings.

Connecting the buildings in a green avenue welcomes pedestrian movement and creates opportunities for social encounters. This area is bordered by “wetlands”, carpet lawns used for the building’s gray water treatment. This is an innovative system which utilizes vegetation as a means of purifying and recycling water.The greater part of the avenue is shaded, offering optimal conditions outdoors all year round. Paved walkways cover a minimum area in order to facilitate rainwater absorption and drainage.

The north-south orientation of the buildings is meant to optimize energy consumption affecting the air-conditioning usage in the summer and the winter. Furthermore, this orientation creates comfortable interior spaces where one can work without experiencing stress or fatigue. The high insulation properties of the enveloping structure and shades on the south façade both minimize direct sunlight on the buildings. The rooftops are fitted with photovoltaic solar panels.

Since modern life involves spending most of our time in office spaces, implementing these principles will raise public awareness of the need to adopt a more sustainable attitude of living and working in the city.