john pawson transforms a former tel aviv hospital and monastery into the jaffa hotel

john pawson has restored a former french hospital and monastery in tel aviv‘s oldest, most vibrant neighborhood into the jaffa hotel. together with conservationist architect ramy gill and a team of restoration experts, pawson transformed the 19th century, neo-roman landmark for over a decade, maintaining the raw untouched surfaces and seamlessly blending old with new.

all images by amit geron

overlooking panoramic views of the 4,000-year-old port, the mediterranean sea, and the city, the jaffa combines pawson‘s signature minimalist style with traditional middle eastern architecture. the existing façade includes outdoor corridors with arched colonnades, where the plastered walls have been scraped down to reveal the generations of patina that touches the building’s signage and paint patterned walls, paying homage to its history. the hotel offers 120 rooms and suites, 32 luxury residences and amenities including an outdoor pool, sundeck and bar, the chapel bar lounge, a luxury spa and fitness center, a sheshbesh backgammon lounge, a tamarindi boutique store, and two signature restaurants.

the U shaped historical building, along with the new building surround a secluded courtyard enveloped under a canopy of trees, providing a tranquil oasis. throughout the hotel, details of local culture blend with contemporary motifs and patterns, alongside photography by israeli artist tal schochat, featured in all guest rooms. in the modernist lobby, located in the new building, remnants of a 13th-century crusader’s bastion wall, uncovered during the excavation of the project, converse with mid-century design classics from shiro kuramata and pierre paulin, topped with modern art by damien hirst.

developed by new york-based hotel and real estate company RFR holding and operated by marriott’s luxury collection hotel & resorts, the jaffa aims at becoming a new luxury destination in tel aviv. ‘from the outset I saw this was a unique opportunity to develop a truly remarkable hotel and residences at the heart of old jaffa, the longest continuously inhabited city in the world, which has become one of the coolest neighborhoods of tel aviv’ says aby rosen, owner and co-founder of RFR holding. ‘having previously worked with john pawson, I know and love his approach- especially with historical projects,’ she continues, ‘after purchasing the building, I asked him to bring his minimalist interpretation to the classical monastery building, his creative process has been one of the most rewarding I have been involved with.’