The Transformation of the Tel Aviv Port: New Life for Reading Tanks

The three round Reading fuel tanks, one of the most prominent industrial landmarks in the Yarkon estuary area, are set to become a new hub for culture, leisure, and sports. The Local Planning and Building Committee of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality approved on Wednesday the design plan for the complex, within which the old tanks will be preserved and converted for public use.

The tanks, which were used for fuel storage between 1968 and 2007, will not be demolished. According to the plan, their round steel shell will be preserved, while the interior spaces will undergo a transformation to become a multi-purpose urban club that will combine culture, creativity, leisure, and sports.

The design is based on preserving the outer circle of each of the tanks and constructing an additional round structure inside it. This will create new interior spaces illuminated by natural light, while maintaining the industrial look associated with the site.

The design plan, promoted by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and the Atarim company, was designed by Milbauer Architects in collaboration with the Tama Landscape Architecture firm. Alongside changing the designation of the tanks themselves, the plan also includes the development of the open spaces between them, turning them into a public space that will feature leisure and seating areas, cultural activities, and events.

One of the goals of the plan is to create a more continuous connection between the Yarkon, the sea, and the city, as well as to link the new Sde Dov quarter with the center of Tel Aviv in the future. The complex, which was identified for years with the power station infrastructure, is expected to open to the public and add open spaces and public buildings to the area.

The plan also includes a significant environmental component. A natural retention area for runoff water is planned in the complex, and restoration works are expected to be carried out on the banks of the Yarkon. This move is intended to allow for the creation of habitats for fish, vegetation, insects, and birds, and to return to the area some of its natural characteristics.

The tank farm is located at the meeting point of the Yarkon with the sea. In addition to the three round steel structures, there are infrastructure facilities and other buildings in the area that represent the industrial architecture that developed at the site. The establishment of the farm was part of the development of the power station and its integration into the urban space of Tel Aviv.