Dov Karmi (‎1905 – 14 May 1962) was an architect of Mandatory Palestine and Israel.

Biography

Dov Karmi was born in 1905, the son of Hannah and Sholom Weingarten, in Zhvanets, Russian Empire, in modern-day Ukraine. In 1921, the family resettled in Mandatory Palestine, the future State of Israel. Karmi studied painting at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, but was attracted to architecture and went to Belgium to complete his studies in this field at Ghent University.

Architecture career

In 1932, Karmi moved to Tel Aviv and co-founded the Circle, a group aiming to introduce modern architecture to the city. Alongside Zeev Rechter and Arieh Sharon, Karmi helped shape local architecture and became a leading figure in the professional and cultural elite. Later Karmi also worked with his son, Ram Karmi. During his professional career he designed more than two hundred buildings, mostly in Tel Aviv. Karmi's main style was modernist; he influenced a generation of Israeli architects.

Israel Prize

In 1957, Karmi was awarded the Israel Prize, for architecture, the first recipient of the Prize in this field.

Family

Karmi married Haia Maklev; the couple had two children, both of whom became notable architects. In 2002, Karmi's son, Ram Karmi, was awarded the Israel Prize for architecture and Carmi's daughter, Ada Karmi-Melamede, was awarded the Israel Prize for architecture, in 2007.

Major buildings

Contributions