Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The new Mamilla

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Isn't it about time that you got to see some modern architecture on this blog? By architect Moshe Safdie, no less?

"David's Village -- Nothing will ever compare." That's the motto of the builders of this new residential community.

Foreigners, mostly French and North Americans, are about the only ones who can afford to buy an apartment here. Unfortunately, the owners come only for the Jewish holidays a few times a year, so the complex is a ghost town most of the time.

See the Old City wall on the left? Imagine seeing it through your living room window! And being five minutes walk to the Jaffa Gate!
A four-room apartment with a view of the wall will cost you around $2,500,000.
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David's Village was built on the edge of the former "no-man's land" zone which divided Jordanian Jerusalem from Israeli Jerusalem. The once run-down area was heavily shelled during the wars.
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23 comments:

  1. Interesting insigenous Israeli architecture! A good post that places it in context with few words. THAT'S great blogging!

    Shalom from Hawaii

    Comfort Spiral

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  2. It is beautiful; too bad it's only for the wealthy.

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  3. "Nothing will ever compare" indeed, not with that location. Your coverage is comprehensive, Dina. Great photos.

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  4. Fun to see the real estate! Quite the ritzy glitzy "digs!"

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  5. Looks very nice. I got a kick from your comment about absentee owners - we have a lot of those complexes here in Florida!

    But the "snowbirds" will be arriving in another month or so.

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  6. Israel is definitely one of the countries that I want to visit some day. These are awesome photos. Thanks for sharing these to us, Dina. :)

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  7. Nice architecture! With 4 rooom apartment do you mean 4 bedrooms, or are 4 rooms: living room, kitchen and 2 bedrooms?
    Our new condo is a 2 bedroom, and they are rented out for $2000-, and that's considered middle-of-the-road in L.A. at the moment (here, the only difference between an apartment and a condo is that with the latter you have your private washer and dryer).

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  8. Saw Mamilla from the outside a month ago when visiting Jerusalem. They look very impressing;too bad it is only for the very rich..

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  9. Yikes! That's rather a whole lot of money. And to not live there all the time. Such a waste.

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  10. only $2.500.000!!!
    Can I have two?

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  11. if I ever get to Israel I'll go between jewish holidays and take up squatting. Whose to know

    thanks for the link
    much appreciated

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  12. Dina: Holy smokes for the tobacco in the church field on our blog was a PRICELESS comment!!!!

    So interesting these abodes and sounds like a good use of land that was not being put to the best use.

    Loved the comments about the tour guides. Often, they are unsung heroes!

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  13. Nice place. Too bad that more people don't live there full time.

    I liked all the small domes popping up all over the place.

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  14. Walked by it every day, never saw a soul except a gardner or two. I love the confluence of the old and new.

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  15. Yep I am for the squatting option nice places but as we brits say a tad on the expensive side . XXX Don

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  16. Great perspective on the first shot! Wonderful!

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  17. I like the architecture of this new part of the city! Aren't the owners afraid of squatters? these houses would be broken into by squatters in our country very soon after the owners have gone.

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  18. Very interesting to see this type of Architecture there. In old times, mostly in cities in arid or semi-arid parts of Iran, a very similar architecture has been used. This can be a very good idea to modernize that architecture and use it again these days. I'm glad Israelis have done this. Iranian architectures (including Sara) should also learn from this innovative way.

    Have a look at these photos:

    This one is in Yazd
    http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/whyte/images/yazd-street.jpg

    I took this photo in Abyane village, Kashan
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_morrrIKNJ04/SLvJ7hPo7iI/AAAAAAAAA-4/56peSJfhWMU/s1600-h/Picture+354.jpg

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  19. Nice modern architecture, Dina. Incredible but true: David's Village is more expensive than Portofino!

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  20. Such a shame the buildings are not more lived in, it is a nice piece of architecture.
    Thanks for the lovely comment on Folded Word, Dina.

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  21. Oh, if only I had such money; that would be my dream view!

    I thought of you the other day when I saw an ad on television for fake lawns...can you believe it! Reminded me of your recent post. That's the first ad I've ever seen for fake grass. Perhaps our drought conditions here have generated some business for the company.

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  22. Ugh. I hate ultra-expensive vacation homes and residences like this. There's a whole bunch of them just outside Metro Manila. Farm, beach and golf estates. Only the very rich can afford them AND they've displaced farmers and fishermen!

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