Mivtachim Sanitarium or Worker's Convalescent Home () is a

Brutalist Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by Minimalism (art), minimalist constructions th ...

building in Zikhron Ya'akov, Israel designed by Israeli architect

Yaakov Rechter Yaakov Rechter (14 June 1924 – 26 February 2001) ( he, יעקב רכטר) was an Israeli architect and an Israel Prize recipient. Biography Yaakov Rechter was born to Paula Singer and the architect Zeev Rechter on 14 June 1924 in Tel ...

in 1966.

History

Early history

The Mivtachim Sanitarium was originally designed for the Israeli labor union

Histadrut Histadrut, or the General Organization of Workers in Israel, originally ( he, ההסתדרות הכללית של העובדים בארץ ישראל, ''HaHistadrut HaKlalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael''), is Israel's national trade union center ...

to serve as a retreat center for Israeli workers. The organization conceived of the center as a place where public-sector workers could rest and recuperate. Mivtachim, a pension fund company associated with Histadrut, commissioned Israeli modernist architect Yaakov Rechter to design the building in the mid 1960s. Construction began on the project in 1966 was completed in 1969. Rechter was widely recognized for his work on the project, receiving the

Israel Prize The Israel Prize ( he, פרס ישראל; ''pras israél'') is an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honor. History The Israel Prize is awarded annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state cer ...

in Architecture in 1973 for his projects including this building.

Later functions

The building's operations changed hands among a number of companies throughout the 1980s and 90s. As Eilat and Tiberias grew in popularity as vacation destinations, the hotel saw decreasing use. In 2005, the building was placed on the market, and ultimately purchased by Lili Elstein. Despite originally expressing the intention to preserve the building, Elstein moved to demolish parts of the structure with the goal of expanding the structure's size sixfold. In 2009, following criticism from local residents and architectural preservationists, Elstein settled on a less extensive plan not entailing any additions to the original building. For her renovation of the building Elstein hired Amnon Rechter, son of Yaakov Rechter, and hotel architect Rani Ziss. Following the completion of renovations in 2015, the hotel reopened as the ELMA Hotel.

Gallery

File:WikiAir IL-13-02 149.JPG, Aerial view File:Elma Arts Complex and Hotel bottom.jpg, Walkway in Elma Hotel File:Mivtachim.jpg, Exterior view

References

{{reflist, refs= {{Cite web, url=http://www.archdaily.com/412005/ad-classics-mivtachim-sanitarium-jacob-rechter/, title=AD Classics: Mivtachim Sanitarium / Jacob Rechter, date=2013-08-06, website=ArchDaily, language=en-US, access-date=2019-04-04 {{Cite web, url=https://www.curbed.com/2016/1/25/10843622/hotel-elma-mivtachim-sanitarium-renovation-israel-brutalism, title=Stunning Seaside Retreat Gives Brutalist Icon a Second Life, last=Sisson, first=Patrick, date=2016-01-25, website=Curbed, access-date=2019-04-04 {{Cite news, url=https://www.haaretz.com/1.5130670, title=Legendary Histadrut Hotel on the Carmel Getting Major Face-lift, date=2011-03-03, work=Haaretz, access-date=2019-04-04, language=en {{Cite web, url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-historic-hotel-reclaims-its-cultural-past-in-zichron-yaakov/, title=A historic hotel reclaims its cultural past in Zichron Yaakov, last=Steinberg, first=Jessica, website=www.timesofisrael.com, language=en-US, access-date=2019-04-04 {{Cite web, url=http://www.uncubemagazine.com/blog/15673493, title=Socialist Labour to Capitalist Luxe, website=uncube magazine, language=en, access-date=2019-04-04 Buildings and structures in Haifa District Yaakov Rechter buildings Buildings and structures completed in 1969 1969 establishments in Israel Zikhron Ya'akov Brutalist architecture in Israel