Shaar Hagai Interchange

Halfway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem at a point where the Judean Hills begin to rise abruptly from the foothills lies the natural gateway to Jerusalem. At this point an interchange was needed to connect the major east-west road between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with a new major north-south connection. The proposed bridge interchange would have blocked the historical view of the pass through the hills. After much study we proposed sinking the interchange beneath the existing highway a few hundred meters west of the mountain pass, thus preserving unimpeded the historic way up to Jerusalem. The design includes a series of stone terraces beginning at the base of the underpass, which integrate the new intersection into the existing landscape. The interchange is planted with more than a thousand mature olive trees. The newly designed area brings simplicity and order to the interchange, while tying the immense man-made roadwork to its natural surroundings.