Where is the White City?

Located in Tel Aviv, Israel, the White City was constructed from the early 1930s to 1950s, based on an urban plan by Sir Patrick Geddes. The buildings were designed by architects trained in Europe where they practised before immigrating. They created an outstanding architectural ensemble of the Modern Movement in a new cultural context. Over 4,000 Bauhaus or international-style buildings were built and all painted white. The architecture had to be adapted to suit the extremes of the Mediterranean and desert climate. White and light colors reflected the heat. Large areas of glass that let in the light, a key element of the Bauhaus style in Europe, were replaced with small recessed windows. The houses had long, narrow balconies and flat roofs for socializing in the evening.