David Fisher (architect)

David Fisher (born Haim David Fisher ca. 1949) is an Italian-Israeli architect based in Florence. He is known for designing the Dynamic Tower, a rotating skyscraper proposed for construction in Dubai.

David Fisher
Born
Tel Aviv, Israel
NationalityItalian-Israeli[1][2][3][4]
Known forArchitecture

Early life

Fisher was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in about 1949.[5] In 1970 he left Israel to attend the University of Florence. After graduation he served as a lecturer of architecture and structural engineering at the same university.[6]

Career

Fisher launched Fiteco Ltd. in New York during the mid-1980s while also becoming involved in the development and building of hotels. He designed pre-assembled bathrooms for luxury homes and hotels.[5]

Failures and frauds

Between November 1995 and February 1997, Fisher was an honorary vice consul of Italy in Beersheba, Israel. According to the testimony before the Senate by Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rino Serri, the scope of Fisher's activities was limited, due to the small size of the Italian community resident in the consular disctrict, and his appointment was terminated following investigations into his businesses by both Israeli and Italian law enforcement.[7] During this time, Fisher was sole director of a construction firm misrepresented as being led by Alan Katz.[8] The firm went bankrupt in 1998.[9]

In November 2008, based on an affidavit from Katz and documents obtained from various tax havens around the world describing Fisher's assets,[8] Fisher was tried before the Italian court for the embezzlement of 70 billion Italian lira (35 million euros) and was sentenced to three years in prison.[9][10][11][12]

According to Kalmanson & Co., the liquidator's attorney, this represents one of the largest cases of corporate fraud in the history of Israel, and David Fisher still owes his creditors more than US$100 million.[8]

In 2008 in New York City, Fisher distributed a biography which said he received an honorary doctorate from "The Prodeo Institute at Columbia University in New York". No such institution exists, however, and Columbia said it had never awarded Fisher an honorary degree.[13] Fisher's New York publicists tried to explain the discrepancy by suggesting that he was given an honorary doctorate by the "Catholic University of Rome", or the "Pre Deo University".[14] There are no institutions going by those names.[14]

Dynamic Tower
Main article: Dynamic Tower

Fisher is the founder and chairman of Dynamic Architecture Group, based in London, UK.[15] He is the designer of the proposed rotating Dynamic Tower, his first ever skyscraper design,[16][14] billed as the world's first building in motion,[17] though the basic concept has numerous precedents, especially the 2001 Suite Vollard in Brazil with independently rotating floors.[3] The intention was to build an 80-storey skyscraper in two locations, Dubai and Moscow. The building featured revolving floors, some of which could have moved on command, providing the building with an ever-changing shape along with a changing view for the residents. The tower earned Fisher the 16th place in Time Magazine's list of Best Inventions of 2008.[18]

References
  1. Len, Jackie (2008-07-12). "Israeli-born architect unveils twirling tower for Dubai". The Jerusalem Post. He has relinquished his Israeli citizenship, but wouldn't say why.
  2. Randl, Chad (2008). Revolving Architecture. A History of Buildings That Rotate, Swivel, and Pivot. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-56898-681-4. While the introduction of the concept of time to architecture is not a new one, the Florence-based Israeli architect David Fisher...
  3. Randl 2008, p. 188. "...Italian-Israeli architect David Fisher."
  4. McKeough, Tim (21 July 2008). "A Prefab, Rotating Skyscraper Coming to a City Near You?". Architectural Record. The McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved 3 May 2012. ...the Italian-Israeli architect presented plans for what he has dubbed the Dynamic Tower...
  5. Goldberger, Paul (21 July 2008). "Shape-shifter". The New Yorker. Condé Nast. Retrieved 3 May 2012. Fisher, who was born in Tel Aviv fifty-nine years ago, is based in Florence, and believes that he has come up with the most innovative concept in architecture since the pyramids.
  6. Majeski, John (2 July 2008). "It's alive! Euro architect unveils rotating building". Real Estate Weekly. Hagedorn Publication. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  8. "Dunhill Concern". Case Studies. Kalmanson & Co. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  9. "Architetto grattacielo Dubai condannato". Corriere Fiorentino.
  10. Paoli, Gigi. "Bancarotte Milionarie Architetto sotto accusa". La Nazione.
  11. "Sotto Accusa architetto del Grattacielo..." Repubblica.
  12. "Bancarotta Fraudolenta". La Nazione.
  13. Caruso, David (2008-06-25). "Architect hopes new skyscraper keeps us spinning". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
  14. Lewis, Hilary (26 June 2008). "Architect Behind Dubai's Rotating Skyscraper A Fraud?". Business Insider. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  15. "Asia Business Conference 2008". Archived from the original on 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  16. "David Fisher, architect". Chicago Tribune. 2008-06-25. Archived from the original on 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  17. World Architecture News
  18. Kari Jormakka, "The Empire and its Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", Architecture in the Age of Empire, Bauhaus-University: Weimar, 2011, pp. 69-70.
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