Planning and Construction Law

The main purpose of this study unit is to instill basic knowledge and understanding of the principles of planning law and to analyze the tools provided by the law to shape the built environment. The central subjects of study are as follows: Planning mechanism in Israel (the principle of hierarchy in planning institutions and plans and its impact upon architectural practice), Plans (plan structure and its modus operandi, the measurement and regulation of urban context), Plan approval procedures (from the moment of inception of a planning idea to final approval), Statutory tools for plan implementation (various plan adjustments, as required in terms of both "real live circumstances" and land ownership and design regulation through Design Guidelines), Building permits (explanation of the basic requirements of building permit issuance and the main changes in this field in recent years). Upon completion of the course of study, students are expected to understand the underlying principles of the Israeli planning system, to understand and correctly interpret plans, to be able to visualize the changes wrought by plan implementation and to be acquainted with the main routes between an architectural idea and actual construction.