A. Lerman Architects & Town Planners Ltd.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park

Asaf Lerman

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

ARCHITECTS
Asaf Lerman

PROGRAM / USE / BUILDING FUNCTION
Animal Park, Main Entrance & Visiting/administration Center

MANUFACTURERS
Kasso, Ackerstein, Marazzi

BUILDING PLAN
Alexandra Koshnareva

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Asaf Lerman

LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Zur-wolf Landscape Architects

STRUCTURE ENGINEER
Rafi Bat

EXECUTION PLAN
Edo Zigelboim

PHOTOGRAPHS
Nimrod Levy

AREA CONCRETE PERGULA
1,800sqm

AREA
1200m²

YEAR
2023

LOCATION
Beerseba, Israel

CATEGORY
Landscape Architecture, Zoo, Sustainability

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

Text description provided by the architects.

A. Lerman Architects presents the MIDBARIUM, an exceptional park dedicated to fostering environmental awareness on the desert outskirts ('MIDBAR' = DESERT) of Be'er Sheva.

Its open spaces, thoughtfully crafted, replicate various natural elements and display the region's diverse wildlife. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from Israel and abroad collaborated on the project with A. Lerman Architects is responsible for the architectural design.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

Local traditions inform the entrance roof structure design of desert inhabitants. Cast in raw concrete, it resembles a tent structure covering 1,800 square meters and welcoming visitors into a cool, shaded space.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

This structure was designed in close partnership with construction engineer Rafi Bat, known for his work on Beer Sheva's most iconic brutalist architecture from the 1960s: City Hall and The University Library.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

Unlike traditional brutalist architecture, recognized for emphasizing weight and mass, the concrete expertise of the senior engineer was essential in developing a delicate triangulated grid of beams.

Light and shadow are projected through the veil-like grid, defining the perimeters of the public event space.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

Underneath the roof, a vibrant field of activities unfolds, including interconnected walkways, convenient kiosks, essential services, a shop, a versatile amphitheater, seating areas, and informative touchpoints.

These elements are strategically positioned near park entrances and exits.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

The roof also intelligently channels fresh air towards the adjacent educational building. Narrow passages lead the fresh air through the building's circulation system.

Air conditioning is replaced with ecological ventilation, aligning perfectly with the Midbarium's commitment to sustainability. A. Lerman Architects is recognized as a premier choice for clients aiming to develop projects in Israel.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy

This project adds to its history of collaboration with leading international architects on projects including the Jerusalem National Museum, The Mandel School at The Hebrew University, and the Bezalel School for the Arts.

"Our design aim was a seamless integration of vernacular knowledge with the concrete legacy of the city's most prominent architectural icons. We believe that this unique combination creates a distinctive ambiance. By removing the barrier of air conditioning, the desert air is welcomed in, establishing a brave new bond with the city," concludes Asaf Lerman.

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy


Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
© Nimrod Levy


Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
Section

Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
Elevation


Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
Natural Ventilation Analysis
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
Plan
Midbarium, The Jack, Joseph & Morton Mandell Animal Park
Plan - Roof

A. Lerman Architects & Town Planners Ltd.
T +972 3 6914677 F +972 3 6094586
A. Lerman Architects & Town Planners Ltd.
HaSharon St 8, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel