David Resnick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Resnick
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David Resnick, Architect and Town Planner
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| Born | 5 August 1924 |
| Died | November 4, 2012 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards | Israel Prize; Rechter Prize |
| Practice | David Reznik Baruch Reznik Architects & Town Planners |
| Buildings | Rabbi Dr. I. Goldstein Synagogue Jerusalem Hyatt Regency Yad Kennedy Agron House |
David Resnick (Hebrew: דוד רזניק; August 5, 1924 – November 4, 2012) was an Israeli architect and town planner. He was born in Brazil. David Resnick won important awards like the Israel Prize and the Rechter Prize. He is known as one of Israel's most famous modern architects.
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Life Story
David Resnick was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He grew up in a family that supported Zionism. This means they believed in the creation and support of a Jewish homeland in Israel.
While still a student, he worked for Oscar Niemeyer. Niemeyer was a very famous Brazilian architect. Resnick learned a lot about modern architecture from him. He called Niemeyer a "revolutionary and a genius."
In Brazil, Resnick met and married his wife, Rachel. In 1949, they moved to Israel. This move is called Aliyah, which is when Jewish people move to Israel. They settled in a Kibbutz called Ein Hashofet. A kibbutz is a community where people live and work together.
After two years, Resnick moved to the city to follow his career in architecture. He first worked in Tel Aviv. Then he moved to Jerusalem. There, he partnered with another architect, Heinrich Heinz Rau. In 1958, Resnick started his own architecture firm. His work helped connect older British designs with new Israeli architecture in Jerusalem.
David Resnick passed away on November 4, 2012. He was buried in Jerusalem.
Amazing Buildings and Projects
David Resnick designed many important buildings and planned several neighborhoods. His work helped shape modern Israel.
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Some of Resnick's first projects were with Heinrich Heinz Rau. These included the Rabbi Dr. I. Goldstein Synagogue and the Einstein Institute of Mathematics. Both are on the Givat Ram campus of Hebrew University. The university synagogue is considered one of the most beautiful synagogues in Israel. It looks like a gentle concrete "puffball" floating above the ground.
In 1958, Resnick designed the "Amir Center." This was a residential building in Jerusalem. After that, he worked on the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. He also designed buildings for Hebrew University's Mount Scopus campus.
Other famous buildings he designed in Israel include:
- The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jerusalem.
- The Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center.
- Yad Kennedy (the John F. Kennedy Memorial). This memorial is outside Jerusalem. It is 60 feet (18 m) tall and shaped like a tree trunk that has been cut down. This symbolizes a life that ended too soon.
- The Antiquities Museum in Hatzor.
- The Soldiers Home complex (Yad lebanim).
- The Israel National Academy of Sciences.
Resnick also designed many private homes.
International Projects
David Resnick worked on projects outside of Israel too. He designed the Israeli embassy in Rio de Janeiro. He also helped create the Israel Pavilion for Expo '67 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Expo '67 was a big world's fair. The pavilion was designed like a strong fortress with rounded corners. It had three levels and a spiral ramp inside.
In 2011, Resnick designed the Moshe Castel Museum of Art. This museum in Ma'ale Adumim displays the works of Israeli artist Moshe Castel.
Town Planning
Besides designing buildings, David Resnick was also a town planner. This means he helped design entire neighborhoods and communities. He planned neighborhoods in places like Kiryat Hasidim, Hatzor Haglilit, Modi'in, and Beit Shemesh.
One of his first town planning projects was the community of Nayot. This was built between 1959 and 1962. It was designed for immigrants from English-speaking countries. The homes looked similar from the outside but had unique inside spaces. The community also fit well with the natural landscape around it.
Exhibitions of His Work
In 2005, an exhibition of Resnick's work opened at Tel Aviv University. It showed twenty of his projects. The exhibition aimed to show how his architectural style developed. It highlighted his modern and human-focused designs. His designs used clean, modern elements but always fit well with the surroundings. They were also comfortable and easy for people to use.
This exhibition was chosen to represent Israel at the São Paulo Art Biennial in Brazil.
His Ideas on Architecture
David Resnick believed that Israeli architects were finding their own unique style. He felt that before Israel became a country, architects copied European styles. But after many years, they were becoming more confident. He said that Israeli architects, like archaeologists, look into the history of the Jewish people to find their "architectural identity."
Resnick also worried about tall skyscrapers in Jerusalem. He felt that Jerusalem was a special, "mystical city." He believed that only certain places in the city should be built on. He even said Jerusalem was a "melancholy place." Some of his designs, like the synagogue at Hebrew University, were meant to show that feeling.
Important Roles
David Resnick held several important positions. He was the Director of the Association of Israeli Architects. He was also the President of the Institute for Cultural Relations between Israel and Ibero-America.
Awards and Honors
Resnick received many awards for his work.
- In 1995, he won the Israel Prize in Architecture. This is one of Israel's highest honors.
- In 1964, he won the Rechter Prize. He shared this award with Heinz Rau for their design of the Israel Goldstein Synagogue.
In 2006, he became an honorary fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This honor is given to architects from other countries who have achieved great things.
In 2009, he received an award for architecture from Jerusalem's Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.
See also
- Architecture of Israel
- List of Jewish architects
