An old house on an agricultural estate in a moshav in central Israel was demolished and a new house was built in its place for a couple in their seventies. On the outside, existing olive trees were preserved and the yard was designed according to the existing slope of the lot. On the inside, the use of natural materials and warm colors is prominent, providing a homely atmosphere that blends harmoniously with the greenery outside. Architect Rotem Guy was asked to combine the Land of Israel with the spiritual outlook of the homeowners, and created a house that manages to be modest and impressive at the same time. A house that embodies a personal story and also offers several principles that anyone renovating or building should take inspiration from.

Ofri Paz | Stanley Home

Separation between private and public

The house has an area of 130 square meters and the road to it runs through a grove of old olive trees that was on the estate and it was decided to preserve it. The entrance was highlighted by a foyer that was completely covered in black and has an impressive door in the center. The entrance reveals an elegant space 6 meters high and in front of it is a carpentry wall that clearly and distinctly divides the space into two wings – the public wing, which has a kitchen, dining area and living room located near the entrance to the house, and the private wing that includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms, located behind the public space. The presence of the carpentry unit and the use of a natural, warm wood tone create an elegant separation between the two wings and define the living and entertaining area.

Reasoned choice of materials

The architect opened the answer to the question about choosing finishing materials for the house with the title “A connection between idea, place and materiality.” Each and every finishing material incorporated here represents the design and planning concept in some way, and every choice here has a conceptual justification. For example, he chose to use cypress wood, “a tree native to the Land of Israel with a vertical presence,” in his words, and combined it with white oak. In this way, a natural and refined warmth is created, as well as a unique rhythm, which adds interest and creates pleasant proportions in the space.

Another prominent material in the house is stone, and Rotem chose to use porcelain granite in a desert sand shade “that draws inspiration from the landscapes of the country and connects the house to its geographical environment.” In addition, elements of natural granite stone were incorporated, whose warm tones connect all the materials and colors chosen in the spaces of the house. The white shade serves as a neutral background and symbolizes purity and cleanliness for the architect, and the black shade “defines the proportions in the space, creates a frame for the landscape and emphasizes significant points of view,” he explains.

Design that represents the homeowners

The homeowners are expressed in this home on all levels, from the abstract to the most practical. The planning and conceptual concept takes into account the principles of Feng Shui and the spiritual lifestyle of the homeowners. Rotem adds that abstract ideas were given architectural expression and adds that the vision was based on “creating a hierarchy between the physical and metaphysical worlds” through space, light and geometry. On a practical level, the homeowners’ personal taste and specific needs were key factors that guided the planning and design decisions. For example, the architect was asked to plan a designated place for storing holy books and Judaica utensils, as well as to ensure that the passages in the home were wide and accessible. Note, for example, the master bedroom, where two separate entrances to the bathroom were designed to ensure easy access and passage for the couple.

Multipurpose carpentry design

The carpentry wall in the public space essentially tells the story of the entire house and functions as a separating and connecting element at the same time. It stretches from the end of the living room to the end of the kitchen and visually connects them. At the same time, as we mentioned in the first section, it creates a clear separation between the private and public spaces in the house. In addition to its significant role in defining the space, the wall combines additional functions such as storing and displaying holy books and integrating systems such as air conditioning. On one side, the entrance door to the master bedroom was integrated, and on the other side, the tall kitchen cabinets, with the refrigerator in their center, were integrated. Additional carpentry items play a dual or multifunctional role throughout the house, such as the entry cabinet, which separates the entrance from the kitchen and incorporates storage on both sides, and the carpentry wall between the master bedroom and the bathroom.

Connecting the traditional and the contemporary

Although this house is new, it is considerate of the existing environment. It integrates harmoniously with the sloping estate and existing vegetation, drawing inspiration from its surroundings and representing the landscape of the Land of Israel through materials and textures. Likewise, the spiritual lifestyle of the homeowners, which we also discussed a bit in the previous sections, is expressed in the house, but in an implicit way through minimalist architecture and contemporary design. The lines of the house are clean, the lighting is mostly technical, the systems are integrated with the carpentry, and many elements stretch from floor to ceiling to create a harmonious, elegant, and continuous appearance.

Planning: Architect Guy Rotem

Photo: Gideon Levin