Böcker av Oren Eldar

"Cloud-to-ground" is the scientific term for lightning that strikes directly into the ground. The title of this book, published in conjunction with the Israeli pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, is derived from this. It investigates the shifts in political power structure that result from the wide-spread use of cloud technology: the storage, processing and analysis of inconceivable amounts of data in computer "clouds". The focus is on major infrastructure projects currently underway in Israel and the Middle East region. These include Nimbus, a major cloud project pursued by the Israeli government for which Google and Amazon are building new powerful data centers, or the Blue Raman fiber-optic cable across the Negev Desert, also laid by Google, which will bypass Egypt on its way from India to Europe and at the same time revive the ancient trade routes that passed through this country. Cloud-to-ground also documents the decommissioning and demolition of countless telephone exchanges in Israel's cities that have become obsolete. It thus brings to attention the physical nature of these largely ignored "black box" structures and connects them to the history of the Middle East and recent developments in global communication technology. Essays by prominent Israeli scholars are complemented by numerous photographs, sketches, and archival documents, as well as a newly compiled index of 140 telephone exchanges in Israel.

Pitsou Kedem's spatial arrangements evoke a continuing shift of perspective: A recurring element of the Tel Aviv architect's buildings is the impressive double height living room that creates a connection between levels. Guided by fundamental principles of minimalism, the studio was involved in a constant pursuit of purity in order to reveal the essence of a space. After years of simplifying materials to the extent of avoiding all distractions, the architects began to add layers of materials as well as spatial layers. This comprehensive publication retraces the past 20 years of the Studio's practice. Alongside a photographic archive of its built history in Israel, it features Kedem's drawings and studies of light perforations from his time at the AA School of Architecture, highlighting his fascination for light as the characterizing element that is at the core of his architectural language.Pitsou Kedem Architects Studio was founded by PITSOU KEDEM (*1970) after graduating from the AA Architectural Association School of Architecture in 2000. Operating for two decades, the studio has planned many projects in Israel, and more recently around the world, often characterized by a contrast between simple and clean outward masses, and complex and rich internal sections.