Special Projects
New City of Modi'in
In 1988 the Director General of the Ministry
of Housing and Construction Amos Unger, requested the planners Moshe Safdie Architects, to learn from past experiences in planning new cities in Israel and abroad and apply it to the creation of a new model City. The planned city is located midway between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, as part of the National settlement plan of urban decentralization. A vacant and underutilized area near Ben Shemen Forest of approximately 33,000 dunam (8,250 acres) was identified, for new City of Modi'in for 250,000 residents and 60,000 units. Conceptual planning was completed in 1991, and detailed planning and the preparation of the statutory plans began.
Modi'in is not a suburb, but a satellite city complete with a Town Center, employment areas accessible to the region, education, institutional centers, and mass transit, freeway and road connections. By 2004 approximately 16,000 units were constructed and 10,000 units occupied by about 35,000 residents; a building rate of approximately 2,500 units a year. This development required a completely new systems infrastructure, including, sewer, sewer pump stations, drainage, water distribution and reservoirs, roads, rail transit, and necessary public faculties such a schools, parks, playgrounds, and places of worship.
Modi'in is unique in the development of new cities both in its physical, social and financial plans, and the process by which it was implemented.
The Master plan divides the city area of urban land uses (residential, town center, employment, local road system, railway system and in open spaces). It describes the urban texture, density, materials, character blocks, building envelopes, and the concept of the avenues of the valleys is the basic idea of the city's founding. The plan also determines the location of archaeological sites open areas within the city environment. The master plan is not only an urban policy plan but an urban design plan that gives form and substance to the national policy.
The plan was implemented using a Public / Private initiative. That is, the public or State planned the city, constructed educational and institutional buildings and financed the necessary urban infrastructure. Residential parcels were auctioned to the private sector to design, construct and market housing for sale. All private development is regulated, and in some cased public policy of housing affordability was implemented. The State was able to regulate unban quality through a hierarchy of statutory plans, some of which were created especially for Modi'in, and are now common in all state developments.
The scope of work included all aspects of the creation including design, management and supervision of master plans, framework plans, zoning plans, site plans, residential and public institution plans and supervision of infrastructure totaling about - 2 billion shekels. In addition the scope of work included supervising the establishment of institutions including literally hundreds of public buildings (kindergartens, synagogues) and parks, walkways. Quality control mechanisms and timely reporting systems were specially developed to adjust the budget and estimate actual costs in real time.
The Ministry of Housing and Construction acted as a transitional local government until the first mayor was appointed, and local elections could be held.
| Client: | The Ministry of Construction and Housing. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Modi'in |
| Budget: | $2B - 8.5B shekels |
| Completion: | 1990-2011 |
The Regional Plan allocates land for building the urban living, and employment, integrates existing rural areas, outlines the general road alignment, define forestry and resort areas and sets forth standards and requirements for submitting detailed plans. The scope of work included managing the preparation of a District Outline plan of Modi'in, and was officially adopted in 1995 by the "Planning and Construction National Council". The planning area is about 80,000 dunam.
The Master Plan focuses on the City within the region and sets forth the guidelines for building and establishment of residential, commercial, industrial and employment areas. It sets forth and outlines arterial roads and railways, train stations and central bus stations, forestry and park areas, resort and tourism areas. It also uniquely sets forth the standards for the planning and designing of the urban housing and its urban character. The Plan also specifies the number of people, allocates the educational and institutional demands for land, and specifies the location and size of city wide open-space. The master plan is detailed at 1:2,500 scale and must be consistent with the Regional Plan.
The scope of work included management and overseeing the preparation of the plan and its approval by the Planning and Construction National Council. Scope of Work: The planning area is of about 46,000 dunam.
The Skeleton plan details the location of all the urban infrastructure systems within the City, and their connection to the regional system. This includes; the location of major road and transportation arteries, bus lines and depots, water lines and reservoir systems, sewer collection network, storm water drainage from within the city, detention retention management plans for flood protection, high voltage electrical distribution centers, telecommunications systems, and natural gas storage and distribution. The Skeleton Plan is statutorily part of the Master Plan and includes phasing schedule according to required development. The Skelton Plan ensures that there is sufficient capacity and services at each stage of City growth.
The scope of work included management and overseeing the preparation of plan, coordination with all the National authorities, environmental agencies, and its approval by the Planning and Construction National council. Implementation of more than fifty contractors and building contractors, operating quality control mechanisms to ensure quality of work, and timely adjustment of the budget estimate to actual costs. In addition, simultaneous coordination of hundreds of different design offices, overseeing the preparation of the permit and statutory approval of the project with a total budget of about NIS 8.4 billion in development work and oversees a cumulative scale public about NIS 1,800 million.
| Client: | Ministry of Construction & Housing |
|---|---|
| Location: | Modi'in |
| Architect / Planner: | Moshe Safdie |
| Architect/ Planner: | 46,000 dunam |
| Budget infrastructure: | $2.1 B – 8.4 B shekels |
| Budget Public facilities: | $450M – 1.8 B shekels |
| Completion: | 1994 - continuing |
Modi'in is divided into sub-areas that range in size from 1,000 to 5,500 residential units, depending on the topography and the infrastructure systems designed in the Skeleton Plan. For each sub area a Local Area Plan was prepared that included the 1:1,250 land use plan, and 1:500 scale site and building roof plans that indicate, walls, terraces, garden areas, parking entrances, garbage collection areas, on slopes were required.
Unique to Modi'in, and owing to the complex slopes and compact residential density, a more detailed statutory plan at 1:250 scale and 1:100 scale residential plans were required prior to granting of Building Permits. Plan review helped to ensure compatibility of material and grades between building projects, site drainage and compliance with municipal water run-off coefficients for water conservation.
Local Area Plan |Safdie Area (5,971 residential units) City of Modi'in
The Master plan was further divided into approximately 20 equal sized local areas of between 3,000 and 6,000 residential units each. The boundary of each local area is determined by topography and the location of valleys. The size is generally large enough to support both lower and upper level educational facilities.
Site E is one of Modi'in first neighborhoods planned and built in Modi'in. The plan specifies the maximum number of the residential units, residential density, parking requirements, number and location of public parks, buildings, educational facilities. Unique to Modi'in is the development of building types that that provide garden or large balcony usable outdoor space suitable for families but at a suitable density that allows for a high degree of open-apace, and pathways.
The planning area is approximately 2,190 dunam supporting approximately 6,100 residential units and 762 000 m² commercial, educational and public space, as well as the necessary public, commercial, open public areas, roads, and walkways. The plan creates the division between the living areas and the valleys (open space and pubic facilities) but connects them with intensive planted walkways.
The scope of work included the management and overseeing the preparation and implementation of detailed construction and public development plans, preparation of marketing plans and tenders of residence and commerce plots, and the engineering supervision on the construction and the infrastructure works. Coordination was required between the state authorities, developer and the City of Modi'in.
Local Area Plan | Kaiser North (2 950 residential units) City of Modi'in
The scope of works included overseeing the preparation of the Local Area Plan (1999) and coordination and supervision of detailed constructions plans and detailed plans for public development in scale of 1:500, and preparation marketing plans for tenders for residence, infrastructure, and commerce. Supervision included the construction of all infrastructure works of the area. The planning area is of about 1,505 dunam for residence, and 370,605 m² for public institutions, commerce, open public areas, roads.
Local Area Plan | Kaiser South (990 residential units) City of Modi'in
The scope of works included overseeing the preparation of the Local Area Plan (1999) and coordination and supervision of detailed constructions plans and detailed plans for public development in scale of 1:500, and preparation marketing plans for tenders for residence, infrastructure, and commerce. Supervision included the construction of all infrastructure works of the area. The planning area is of about 374 dunam for residence, and 141,600 m² for public institutions, commerce, open public areas, roads.
Coordination and supervision included various design teams including architect landscape architect and development consultant, roads, drainage, sewage, rail tunneling, as well as National Rail Authority National Drainage Authority, as well as with various government ministries including the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health. Coordination and preparation of the plan required acoustic impact statement and environmental impact statement that examined the sound and vibration implications of the proximity of the railway tunnel.
Central Business District (CBD) Modi'in
History shows that developing a viable Town Center in a new city is extremely difficult and fraught with problems. A city center needs area to expand over time to meet population growth, however, the center should be in the center and within easy walking distance from the residential areas. To over come this dilemma Modi'in adopted an expensive solution of integrating a transportation center with multi story commercial retail structures, based on an "urban street" concept with 100% underground parking. This is the only known Town Center in the world that mandates underground parking in the first phase. The advantage is concentration and proximity that encourages walking and discourages automobile use, the basis of a "sustainable" city.
The 147 dunam Town Center is located at the junction or confluence of three major valleys. This allows evening summer strolls through the winding Valleys to the town center for shopping, culture and recreation. The Town Center Plan is also a statutory plan approved in 2000 with special development restrictions and guidelines. The plan uniquely designates areas for commerce, institutions, offices, public uses, and integrated housing with strong emphasis on coordinating the main traffic arteries, railways, and central train station.
The scope of work includes managing and overseeing the preparation of detailed commercial and retail development plans, detailed public development squares, sidewalks and public art all in scale of 1:500. Management included preparing plans and marketing tenders, and provision engineering supervision on the infrastructure works.
| Client: | The Ministry of Construction and Housing. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Modi'in |
| Architect / Planner: | Moshe Safdie |
| Size: | 147 dunam |
| Budget: | $20 M – 80 M shekels |
| Completion: | 1994 - continuing |
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