Are you one of those who are deeply in love with Tel Aviv or one of those who are kind of turned off by the big city? Abstainers will say that Tel Aviv is a disproportionately and ridiculously expensive city, and that finding a parking spot is a project from hell, and that the humidity is unbearable. And they are right, unless you put their arguments into a comparison table that includes a wide range of aspects. What do I mean?
Yes, in Tel Aviv housing prices are significantly higher than in Holon, traveling by car is a bad idea to say the least, and yes, it is horribly humid in the summer months. Despite all of this, Tel Aviv has the life qualities that cannot be measured by money.
Like everything in modern life, it all comes down to priorities and "trade-offs".
Let's start with the employment aspect - most employment opportunities are in the Tel Aviv area, and as a result, those who live outside the city and commute to work, will spend a significantly longer time on the road.
And I wonder – can you quantify the added value of going to work by foot or bicycle, instead of having to spend a few hours each day in horrible traffic?
If you ask me, these two hours a day that you can spend with your family/friends, can significantly raise your level of happiness, especially comparing it to the alternative. All of this couldn’t happen if you choose to work far from home. Basically – time equals money (or quality of life).
Another aspect is the accessibility and availability of cultural and culinary experiences that are a walking/cab drive away for most Tel Avivian residents.
Outside the city, it is harder to find such a variety. For outsiders, arriving to Tel Aviv requires time, searching for parking, and extra payment for babysitters and such every single time!
That’s my opinion in a nutshell about "why it is better to live in the city". 😊
What does it all have to do with architecture or interior design, you might ask?
There’s a deeply-rooted notion in the Israeli DNA that "a 5-room apartment in the quiet suburbs, away from the big city, with a storage room and private parking” - is the ideal we all should pursue.
So here's my 2 cents - don't ask how many rooms there are in the property, but rather what is total floor-space, and what is the optimal way to design and use it. The amount of rooms does not always indicate the quality of the space, it depends on when the apartment was built and what the standard room size back in those years. For example, a 3-room apartment built in the 1970’s may have the same floor-space as a modern 5-room apartment.
Has the size of space we need as humans changed? No. Our basic needs and agronomical requirements are the same – meaning the definition of a comfortable room with an accessible desk, bed, closet and the space between them has not changed.
In my opinion, there is something powerful about the diversity and multiculturalism that the city provides to those who live and grow up in it. And to conclude - since the apartments in the city are more compact, you need to make the most of each space, using smarter design and optimal storage solutions etc. Luckily, that is exactly my specialty and what I do best 😊
