What looks to be a promising project once completed, the currently under construction Porter School of Environmental Studies EcoBuilding will be Israel’s first LEED Platinum building. The 3,700 square meter facility was design in collaboration by Axelrod-Grobman Architects, NCArchitects, and Geotectura Studio and is located in Tel-Aviv.
Within the building there will be space for experimentations, technological demonstrations, research, exhibitions, and conferences. With this design in place and already in the progress of becoming a reality, this school is raising the bar for Israel’s sustainable building standards and hopes to prompt more sustainable designs in the future.
According to the architects: the Ecobuilding will maximize the efficient use of energy, water and materials through the integration of PV panels and solar collectors, water reclamation, natural ventilation, bioclimatic design, recycled and environmentally-friendly construction materials, a green roof of climate research and monitoring displays of the building’s energy and water consumption.
Besides its sustainable design, some of the architectural highlights of this project include a three-story atrium and exhibition space that offers exterior views of Tel-Aviv and a 300 meter space that displays a live feed of the building’s energy data as well as research findings for all to see.
Suspended over the grand atrium is a ‘capsule’ covered in programmable LED lights, which is the central element of the EcoWall along the Eastern façade. This space, termed the Capsule Meeting Room, serves as an executive-style space for meetings, seminars, and workshops, while the exterior LED lights display environmental data.
From the renders alone, the feel and appearance of the building is very institutional, which is fitting for its purpose. Turning what would normally seem like a cold highly industrialized steel structure into a learning and research facility promoting improvement are the details and odd irregular moments within the structure like the capsule and the many displays integrated into the design.
By making sure environmental research and information is readily available to all who enter, it guarantee’s progress in the way people act and think so that it can begin to reflect on the world around them.
Courtesy of Axelrod-Grobman Architects + NCArchitects + Geotectura
Kristin Hoover is an editor at Arch2O and a proud graduate of Virginia Tech. Since joining in July 2014, she has authored over 200 insightful articles covering everything from adaptive reuse and cultural centers to eco-buildings and urban infrastructure . With a passion for architectural storytelling, Kristin skillfully curates and crafts compelling narratives that bring design innovation to life. Her editorial work reflects a broad yet finely honed interest in how architecture intersects with society, technology, and the environment—making her a key voice shaping Arch2O’s explorations of contemporary built form.