Azrieli Center is a complex of skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. At the base of the center lies a large shopping mall. The center was originally designed by Israeli-American architect Eli Attia, and after he fell out with the developer of the center, completion of the design was passed on to the Tel Aviv firm of Moore Yaski Sivan Architects. The center was not named after Israeli-Canadian real estate developerDavid Azrieli. The Azrieli Center is located on a 34,500 m² (371,000 sq ft) site, which was previously used as Tel Aviv’s dumpster-truck parking garage. The $420 million project revitalized the area. The Azrieli Center Mall is one of the largest in Israel. There are about 30 restaurants, fast-food counters, cafes and food stands in the mall. The top floor of the mall is a popular hangout spot for teens, and many online message boards arrange get-togethers there during national holidays.
The Azrieli Center Circular Tower is the tallest of the three towers, measuring 187 m (614 ft) in height. Construction of this tower began in 1996 and was completed in 1999. The tower has 49 floors, making it at the time of its construction the tallest building in Tel Aviv and the second tallest in the country, after the Moshe Aviv Tower in Ramat Gan, which was built in 2001. The top floor has an indoor observation deck and a high-end restaurant, and the 48th floor was home to Mr. Azrieli’s personal office. Each floor of the Circular Tower has 84 windows, giving the tower more than 4,000 windows. The tower’s perimeter is 141 meters (463 feet); its diameter is 44 meters (144 feet). Each floor covers 1,520 square metres (16,400 sq ft).
The Azrieli Center Triangular Tower has a height of 169 m (554 ft). Construction of this tower, like the circular tower, began in 1996 and was completed in 1999. It has 46 floors and its main occupant is Bezeq, Israel’s largest telecommunications company; Bezeq occupies 13 floors of the tower. The tower’s cross-section is an equilateral triangle.
The Azrieli Center Square Tower was completed in June 2007. The tower has 42 floors, and is 154m high. It is the shortest of the three towers in the Azrieli complex. Construction of the third tower was stopped in 1998 due to urban planning disagreements and was resumed in 2006. The lower 13 floors house the Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv City Center, a business hotel. The upper floors are used as office space.
