Rising quarter : Sarona, creative capitals

Small ochre stone houses line up wisely in a garden shaded by date palms and, all around, tall skyscrapers form a modern ring around this urban oasis: the Sarona districtAt the end of the 19th century, a colony of German Protestants, the Society of the Knights Templar, came to the Holy Land in the hope of realising their prophetic visions. They settled in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, where over one hundred and forty years ago they built thirty-three houses - quite a symbol! - which were completely renovated in 2014.

The project, launched by the municipality of Tel-Aviv in 2006, has taken eight years to see the light of day, no doubt due to the fact that it has been a long process. so that everything is perfect. And indeed, everything is. These delightful buildings have been transformed into boutiques, restaurants, cafés and art galleries, which come alive at weekends when families come to stroll along the green avenues, relax on the terraces or go shopping. At the back of the lush park, under the vast Sarona Market hall, is a succession of carefully selected food shops. From a local chain selling dates and dried figs to Fauchon, there are 91 stalls and restaurants.

Sarona, a true paradise for gourmets and strollers? Yes, but not only that. The district changes its face on Sunday mornings, the first day of the week in Israel. Young families give way to young tech freelancers, computers under their arms and trainers. These young entrepreneurs are invading the cafés, but above all the upper floors of the market, where WeWork, the American leader in coworking spaces, has set up shop.

Dominating the district, the three towers of the Azrieli Center are home to the headquarters of major companies. A good neighbourhood for the multitude of start-ups that are developing in Sarona.

Built in the 1920s by a company of German Protestants with apocalyptic visions, the red-roofed houses of Sarona later housed the British army, then official offices when the State of Israel was born, including the headquarters of Mossad. Now beautifully renovated, the complex has taken on a lifestyle feel, with the Sarona Market (4) at its epicentre, a popular weekend spot.

Cats and dogs welcome

This temple of creativity, which occupies the entire third floor, has long been fully booked. The atmosphere is as studious as it is cosy and colourful. Here, you can sip coffee in mugs bearing the logo of the place, comfortably seated on a chair. pretty designer sofasIn private offices or public spaces, accompanied by your best four-legged friend, as cats and dogs are welcome.

The concept, imported from the United States, has taken off so well that in December 2016 another WeWork space opened on Ibn Gabirol Street, just a few steps from Sarona Market, this one on four floors. Larger, but just as elegant and warm with its peppy decor, this oasis for self-employed workers is filling up at the speed of light.

This is hardly surprising, given that Sarona is the the beating heart of the tech city that Tel Aviv is today. Among the incentives that attract start-ups, the fact that the area is surrounded by buildings housing major groups and law firms is not insignificant. For example, companies such as Bezeq, the pachyderm of Israeli telecommunications, are based in the Azrieli Center, a complex of three towers built between 1996 and 2006, the lower floors of which house a vast shopping centre. Electra, the neighbouring tower, houses the eight-storey offices of Google, as well as those of Waze, Golan Telecom, Paypal, Broadcom and many others.

That's why Sarona already has more thansome fifty successful start-upsThis figure is set to rise in the very near future with the inauguration in 2017 of the Azrieli Sarona tower, a majestic 53-storey building offering 125,000 m2 of office space. In short, Israel's future tallest tower. A clear sign of prosperity, but also a sign that Tel Aviv's future lies in tech.