New Architecture Studio Pavillion at Technion

The Aviva and Andrew Goldenberg Architecture Studio Pavilion – the result of a generous donation by Technion Guardians and alumni Dr. Andrew and the late Aviva Goldenberg – was inaugurated.

The lives of Dr. Andrew and Aviva Goldenberg (Z”L) have long been intertwined with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Both are distinguished Technion alumni and Technion Guardians – a title reserved for the University’s most generous supporters. In June 2018, both Andrew and Aviva Goldenberg were awarded Technion Honorary Doctorates and announced their gift for the Goldenberg Pavilion.

Cutting the ribbon: Dr. Andrew Goldenberg and his daughters, Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan and Prof. Alona Nitzan-Shiftan

In a moving ceremony held in the Technion, Dr. Andrew Goldenberg said: “Together with my daughters, we are happy to participate in the opening of the Pavilion that is part of the Technion faculty. My wife Aviva had a vision in respect to teaching and training architects. An accomplished architect, professor of architecture, and founder of an architecture firm, she was a successful and committed professional. Aviva and I committed to help the Technion – and the plan is now nearly completed.”

The couple’s twin daughters, Maya and Keren Goldenberg, also attended the ceremony.

Maya Goldenberg: “My parents met in 1967 as students of the Technion. Now they are helping a new generation of architecture students attain their education in the Technion and become outstanding professionals. My mom would be very happy to see her dream realized.”

Keren Goldenberg: “The link is both professional and emotional. It’s hard to focus on this wonderful event as we are grieving our mother’s recent passing. We wish she was here to witness the recent realization of this dream.”

L-R: Dean of the Faculty Prof. Yasha Grobman, Dr. Andrew Goldberg and his daughters, and Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan

Andrew and Aviva Goldenberg began their studies at the Technion in the mid-1960s. Andrew went on to graduate from the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical Engineering under the supervision of Professor Emeritus Julius Preminger, while Aviva graduated from the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning.

In the early 1970s, Andrew and Aviva Goldenberg travelled to Canada so that Andrew could continue his doctoral studies at the University of Toronto. He was made a professor in 1982 and has remained there ever since. His long robotics-focused career path includes working in an elite team with NASA and Canada’s National Research Council to build robotic components for the space shuttle. Aviva Goldenberg was a renowned architect, who founded her own architectural firm and was a professor and program coordinator of Architectural Technology at Centennial College AAT.

Professor Alona Nitzan-Shiftan from the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning said: “I will start by speaking about a very special person … the late Mrs. Aviva Goldberg. She was a highly respected architect, wife, mother, and grandmother. She studied here and graduated in 1971. This is a powerful way to honor Aviva’s legacy for many years to come and will be a reminder for generations. The Pavilion is not only a legacy in name but also a place where students will acquire tools they need for the world of architecture.”

Technion President Professor Uri Sivan said: “It’s sad I never had the chance to meet Aviva. We will remember her through this Pavilion, which will enable the best and brightest students to achieve excellence in a modern studio workspace. We’re very grateful for your tremendous generosity over the years. Aviva will never be forgotten. Her memory and legacy will continue at the Technion, and we look forward to your future visits – where you will be able to see this place flourishing and full of life.”

Professor Yasha Grobman, dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning: “It’s a great honor to participate in this inauguration. It’s very symbolic that the new building is opening almost 100 years after Einstein’s visit in 1923. This wonderful pavilion is the first studio space for master’s degrees in Israel. As Eileen Gray once said: ‘to create, one must ask questions.’ This pavilion is the result of such questions. We realized that we need to reinvent ourselves. We’re confident this new model will be a beacon and role model to the profession. All this would not have happened without the vision and generosity of the Goldenberg family and especially Aviva. Thank you. Architecture should speak for a time and place but yearn for timelessness. It’s a small step towards a better world.”

Pavilion building

The Pavilion was designed by Mochly Eldar Architects – set up by Dagan Mochly, himself a Technion architecture graduate, together with Reuven Crimow.

Mochly has built a successful company for Urban Planning and Architectural Design of Buildings for commerce, medical facilities, offices, industry, high-tech, universities, research centers, pharmaceutical industry, retirement homes, residential properties, and hotels.

Watch, video created when Andrew and Aviva Goldenberg received Technion Honorary Doctorates :

Click here for the Technion website of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning