Architects: Hadas Tuval, SZCZ Jakub Szczesny
Area: 111 m²
Year: 2021
Photography: Yael Schmidt
Collaborator and Co-Production: Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Project Manager: Eliran Paz
Structural Engineer: Liron Yeshouroon
Scenography and Production: Anat Levy
Drafting: Karolina Potębska
Curator: Shira Levy Benyemini
Art Collaborator: Sharon Golan Yaron
City: Tel Aviv-Yafo
Country: Israel

The Fifth Space Installation designed by Jakub Szczęsny and Hadas Tuval at Liebling Haus in Tel Aviv-Yafo reimagines the rooftop as a public space aimed at fostering community interaction. Completed in 2021, this shaded, tent-like structure encourages visitors to reflect on the balance between connection and isolation while referencing the modernist concept of the rooftop as a “fifth facade.” Through recycled materials and collaborative events, the project fosters dialogue about place, culture, and community.

The fifth space installation at liebling haus / szcz jakub szczęsny + hadas tuval

Jakub Szczęsny and Hadas Tuval have transformed the rooftop of Liebling Haus into a public space where city residents can gather and connect beneath a temporary canopy. This lightly covered area—blending elements of a sail and a tent—invites visitors to explore the boundary between connection and seclusion.

Modernist architecture introduced the idea of rooftops as a “Fifth Façade,” highlighting their potential as shared public areas for building residents to form a community. Yet, in recent years, rooftops have come to symbolize the opposite: private spaces that reflect isolation and exclusivity.

Szczęsny extended metal cables across the rooftop, forming a structural “warp,” while Tuval’s recycled sacks—previously used in a Raumlabor installation in Bialik Square—act as the “weft,” creating a new spatial fabric. This collaboration seeks to reconnect the Liebling Haus with its surrounding neighbors through renewed social links.

The Fifth Space hosts events centered on themes of community, belonging, and cultural engagement. Jakub Szczęsny, an architect based in Warsaw, works on multidisciplinary projects globally, blending art and design. He is also co-founder of Centrala, a collective committed to preserving Warsaw’s modernist architectural legacy, with his project Keret House featured in the MoMA collection.

Hadas Tuval is a multidisciplinary artist and designer, whose work encompasses traditional and contemporary crafts, including textiles, weaving, and body-based art. She focuses on space design, costumes, and performance art while teaching and researching ancient crafts.