Would Have Been Wednesday – Comverse Network Systems

We take a trip to 1999 for this week's Epstein 'Would Have Been Wednesday' for a design competition Epstein was invited to participate in for what would have been a campus for Comverse Network Systems in Ra'annana, Israel. Back in '99 Comverse Network Systems was a division of Comverse Technology, Inc., the world-leading provider of network-based enhanced service solutions for wireless and wireline telecommunications network operators.

Our competition conceptual design was planned to serve as the center for all Comverse's activities in Israel. The resulting design encompassed an overall architectural concept that includes items such as a flexible work environment, transportation and parking solutions, recreational and sport facilities, and food service and catering facilities. The campus was designed to meet the needs of Comverse employees both during and after working hours. In the end, Epstein designed a campus environment that met the overall research, manufacturing and distribution needs of this global telecommunications leader as well as the needs of its young, creative talent base.

And, when you think of how many of the technology campus' that have been built lately utilized most of the concepts we had in this scheme our architects and designers were very much forward thinking!

Lastly, if you were curious the early 2000's dot.com bubble burst killed this project as well. Comverse never picked a winner of the competition, which included the likes of Moshe Safdie, and the Ra'annana campus was never built.