Jerusalem museum reopens
The Israel Museum in Jerusalem has reopened following a 3-year, US$100m (£64.5m, €77m) redevelopment programme involving new galleries, orientation facilities and public spaces.
Led by James Carpenter Design Associates of New York and Efrat-Kowalsky Architects of Tel Aviv, the project also included the renovation and reconfiguration of the museum's three collection wings and the reinstallation of its encyclopedic collections. The museum's architectural footprint has increased considerably since its opening in 1965, with its collections having grown significantly throughout this time and particularly in the past ten years. The redevelopment work, which commenced in June 2007, has doubled the museum's gallery space and increased its architectural footprint by around 15 percent, all within the existing 20-acre campus.
In total, it encompasses 7,800sq m (84,000sq ft) of new construction and 19,000sq m (204,500sq ft) of renovated and expanded gallery space. Isaac Molho, chair of the museum's board of directors said: "The project strengthens the museum's position as one of the most important social and cultural centres in the country and also as one of the most outstanding museums in the world.
"The renewed museum will provide generations of visitors, both from Israel and from abroad, with unique experiences of the art, culture, and history of communities throughout time and around the globe." Visitors now enter through three newly constructed glass entry pavilions, housing ticketing and information, retail, and restaurant facilities. Beyond this point, they can now either ascend the museum's refurbished Carter Promenade or follow a newly created route to the heart of the museum. The latter, in a move aimed at improving the visitor experience, is flanked on one side by a translucent glass wall with a water feature running along its top edge and brings visitors into the lowest level of a new three-story gallery entrance pavilion.
This offers access to the museum's three collection wings and temporary exhibition galleries on its main floor, while also allowing visitors to reach the museum's uppermost Crown Plaza via its top floor. The redevelopment has also seen the reconstruction of all three of the museum's collection wings - the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Archaeology Wing; the Edmond and Lily Safra Fine Arts Wing; and the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Wing for Jewish Art and Life.
Highlights include a chronological presentation of the museum's archaeological holdings from the ancient land of Israel; the first permanent galleries for Israeli Art and more than double the gallery space for the extensive modern art holdings in the Fine Arts Wing; and a newly configured Synagogue Route at the heart of the Jewish Art and Life Wing.
UAE’s first Dior Spa debuts in Dubai at Dorchester Collection’s newest hotel, The Lana
Europe's premier Evian Spa unveiled at Hôtel Royal in France
Clinique La Prairie unveils health resort in China after two-year project
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Four Seasons announces luxury wellness resort and residences at Amaala
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Tom Walker exploresthe storybehind TottenhamHotspur’sgroundbreakingnew footballstadium