Building Exteriors designed by artist Yaacov Agam

The Neeman Towers by Yaacov Agam

Yaacov Agam was born the son of a rabbi in Rishon Le-Zion, Palestine, in 1928. After his Yeshiva studies, he trained at the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem. Today he is arguably Israel’s best-known artist and is acknowledged worldwide as a founder and innovator of the kinetic art movement.  

The large sculpture works for which he is most known include the “Fire and Water Fountain” in Dizengoff Square, Tel Aviv, The Salon Agam for the Elysee Palace in Paris, a huge outdoor sculpture “3×3 Interplay” at the Julliard School of Music at the Lincoln Center in New York City, and many other installations around the world. However, he is also known for the stunning work he has created on building exteriors, especially during the 1980s.

In 1983 after the developer Nicholas Morley couldn’t decide on a color for his apartment complex in Miami, Yaacov Agam was commissioned to make the 36-floor Villa Regina Building in Florida a bright, “happy,” and beautiful attraction.

In 1984, Agam began work designing the exterior of Villa Regina. When completed, this work created great market buzz and was titled “The Miami Agam at Villa Regina.” The painted facade of the building covered an area of 300,000 square feet and was referred to as the “largest painting in the world”. The building’s angles and recessed surfaces created by the balconies lent themselves to create the kinetic effect so popular in Agam’s works. More than a mural on a building, the structure itself became a work of art, constantly changing depending on the time of day and the viewpoint.  

The Villa Regina by Yaccov Agam

A similar story evolved when the Ashkenazy brothers bought the apartment building on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, in 1982. At the time, it was a basic, L-shaped building of white stucco with absolutely no distinguishing features. The brothers knew it did not look like a luxury hotel. This hotel eventually became known as “The Mondrian,” in homage to the great Dutch painter.

In 1984 Agam was commissioned to do the exterior facade. This commission, entitled “Homage a Mondrian,” addressed the outside of the building, which was painted in Agam’s characteristic vibrant multi-colored designs. The exterior work required 490 gallons of paint and 54 colors, taking a drab, boring appearance to one which drew great praise. After winning admiration for the exterior, Agam also created a fantastic edition of serigraphs on mirror that were hung in each of the hotel rooms, titled “Homage a Mondrian.”

“Homage a Mondrian” Serigraph by Yaacov Agam

At the time of the “Homage a Mondrian” building creation, it was the biggest work of art in Los Angeles.

The Mondrian by Yaacov Agam

Ne’ eman Towers is a complex of seven 13-story apartment buildings in the North Tel Aviv neighborhood, with exteriors designed by renowned kinetic artist Yaacov Agam. The cost of the colorful tile mosaic was more than 5 million dollars per building. As had previously happened, many once again touted it as “the largest artwork in the world!”

The Neeman Towers by Yaacov Agam

The Neeman Towers, Signature by Yaacov Agam

Artist Yaacov Agam at The Neeman Towers

The Dan Tel Aviv Hotel was originally built in the 1930s and started as a small pension called the Kate Dan. This was the first lodging of any kind on the beach in Tel Aviv. For a time, it served as the headquarters of Haaganah. In June 1947, Yekutiel and Shmuel Federmann bought the building. Adopting the name from the previous owner, they formed the Dan Hotels Corporation. They demolished the original building, and the new hotel was completed in 1953.  

In 1986 a new facade was added in the colors of the rainbow designed by Yaacov Agam. In 1994 the King David Tower was built adjoining the south of the hotel.

The Dan Tel Aviv Hotel by Yaacov Agam

As you can see, Israeli fine artist Yaacov Agam worked on a large canvas when he created his art on buildings around the world. His artwork, large and small, are sure to enchant for generations to come.

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