THE NATIONAL SQUARE
LOCATION
Government Complex, Jerusalem
Government Complex, Jerusalem
SIZE
14,500 SQM
14,500 SQM
STATUS
Complete/In Progress
Complete/In Progress
The National Square (Kikar HaLeom) is located at the heart of Jerusalem's National Quarter, facing the Ministry of Justice and in proximity to the Prime Minister's Office and the Supreme Court. The project emerged from a competition proposal that sought to introduce a civic ground within this institutional landscape, opening a district shaped by national government buildings to public life.
Through the design of the plaza, we hoped to make this space more accessible to the public and encourage a greater sense of presence and engagement. In a place where national decisions are made, shaping the lives of people across the country, civic space becomes essential, allowing the public to remain visible and involved at the threshold of government.
This connectivity is articulated through integrated water features acting as urban anchors throughout the square and future promenade. A key technical feature is the decking over of the Ministry’s massive underground parking facility, a complex engineering task involving four distinct structural slabs constructed in successive phases.
This elevated platform provides the foundation for a series of Green Hills developed in collaboration with the INPA. Serving as a botanical prototype for Jerusalem, the project introduces a diverse range of indigenous flora as a pilot for future urban planting in the area. These hills function as a soft security infrastructure, discreetly concealing complex technical systems and rigid protective requirements within an organic terrain that prioritizes human scale over traditional institutional barriers.
The Confluence
Located at the heart of the National Square, "The Confluence" serves as the primary gathering area and a central focal point for the plaza. This hybrid water element integrates two distinct hydraulic systems: interactive vertical jets combined with a cooling mist mechanism, and a shallow laminar flow that moves across the plaza’s granite paving.
The basin’s surface is a technical "micro-topography", utilizing custom cut stone textures to generate localized springs and rhythmic ripples, inviting visitors to engage with the water through both play and observation. At its edge, a monolithic stone bench defines the element's boundary, discreetly concealing the technical drainage infrastructure while providing a robust surface for sitting, climbing, and lounging. Positioned directly across from the grand tribunes, the water feature acts as a horizontal stage, humanizing the institutional scale of the surrounding government quarter.
The Terrace
The Terrace extends the square upward, forming a stepped seating structure that marks the beginning of the National Promenade, a civic spine connecting the government district to the Supreme Court. Clad in Santiago Grey-Blue Granite, the terrace is designed as a continuous "architectural rug" where each stone was individually detailed to create a unified, monumental surface that rises from the plaza floor. The granite’s character is inherently dynamic; during Jerusalem’s rainy season, the stone’s muted tones deepen into a rich, dark hue, emphasizing its texture and tectonic weight.
The Ascent
Integrated alongside the seating is an outdoor glass elevator that ensures full accessibility while enhancing the spatial experience. As it rises, the elevator serves as a moving vantage point, unfolding a panoramic view of the government plaza below before revealing the upper terrace and the promenade’s path toward the Supreme Court. This vertical movement turns a functional necessity into a moment of civic discovery, keeping the public present and visible at the heart of the national quarter.
The Aperture
The Aperture is a steel-framed pergola structure with aluminum louvers, positioned at the upper terrace level above the grand tribunes. The louvers are angled to block direct sunlight while remaining open to winter snow, maintaining the terrace's connection to the sky and the seasons. Spanning the full width of the seating structure, the pergola frames the transition between the plaza level and the National Promenade above — a threshold that marks both a physical and civic passage.
Beyond its functional role as shade structure, The Aperture organizes the view: from below, it defines the sky; from above, it opens toward Givat Ram and the institutional landscape. The steel structure's geometry is deliberately slender, avoiding monumental weight while maintaining a clear architectural presence at the scale of the government quarter.
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Agan Ayalon
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