Honey Bee Hive House - Atlas Obscura

Honey Bee Hive House

Ramot, Israel

A geometric jumble of homes. 

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Resembling the beehive which inspired its more common nickname, the Ramot Polin housing project was designed by Polish-born architect Zvi Hecker. Construction lasted more than a decade starting in 1972, the result is rows of geometrically inspired structures making up 720 housing suits, tumbled one atop another. Hecker is known for his unorthodox architectural style, often incorporating asymmetrical forms, unusual geometric shapes, and swirls. 

The extraordinary architecture has a surprisingly ordinary origin: it was a government-ordered housing unit for Orthodox Jewish families living in the Ramot settlement in the wake of the 1967 Six-Day War.

Since its construction, the unusual complex has been loved and hated by professional architects and residents alike. No one seems to be able to decide if it is a work of genius or experimental architecture gone awry.

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