Gran Mediterraneo: Project Process Progress

David Tajchman's first book about a self-initiated architectural research for a White City-specific High-Rise: the Gran Mediterraneo. Gathering working documents, sketches and rare pictures in an object specifically designed by graphic designer and art director Sara Jassim. In 2016, architect David Tajchman made public a self-initiated high-rise proposal on which he worked in secret during a few months. He decided to propose a new typology of skyscraper, more city-specific for Tel Aviv. Based on his previous observations that a new skyline is appearing in the White City, which according to his experience of the city and his knowledge of the local architectural history, does not take enough into account the 1930s and later Brutalist legacies. His yet unbuilt (but surely to get built) skyscraper is a spontaneous proposal from a foreign architect to the local decision makers, to open their eyes and their mind to other visions, for a more Tel Aviv-specific ver-tical architecture. The Gran Mediterraneo has been widely published as an architectural innovation and has won several awards gaining international recognition, with the recent Architizer A+ Awards 2017 received in New York. During the design process, David sketched, wrote, read and photographed about the various topics involved into his high-rise proposal. This book is an opportunity to share his references, background, research docu-ments, notes, drawings and working (3d) models. The book was first an exhibition-catalogue, presented last September 2016 in Paris in the framework of a solo show entitled « Gran Mediterraneo - Project Process Pro-gress ». It contains archive documents on different topics and texts from invited contributors. Foreword by Architect Carl Fredrik Svenstedt Design modelling sketches by Architect LUC IZRI Graphic design by SARA JASSIM

David Tajchman is an award-winning architect working at all scales and in various disciplines. He graduated in architecture in 1999 from the Victor Horta School in Brussels, and post-graduated in architectural design in 2003 from the Bartlett School in London. Since its foundation, his office has proposed several innovative architectural concepts to get built such as the Tenniscalator and the Gran Mediterraneo. He is involved into architectural teaching since 2009 and has taught at schools and universities located in France, Sweden, Canada and Israel. His teaching methodology entitled Futures From Natures is known for its experimental approach and the varied materializations achieved by his students, combining digital fabrication and handcrafting, three-dimensional draw-ings and rapid manufacturing. Futures From Natures is a studio dedicated to the invention and the making of new spaces and forms. David Tajchman is an art director working on experimental films. Using architecture as a filming tool, where bodies, geometric rules and narratives are at the focus of his cross-disciplinary art.