\u201cThe client is single, with a refined eye and a genuine understanding of art,\u201d says Arik Aviv, the architectural and interior design engineer responsible for the planning, renovation, interiors and furnishing of the apartment.<\/p>\n
Much of the design process unfolded remotely, through an ongoing dialogue between designer and client. \u201cWe spent hours corresponding about every aspect of the design. What could have been a challenge became an enjoyable and productive process, and I think you can feel that in the finished home,\u201d Aviv explains.<\/p>\n
Spanning approximately 300 square metres, the penthouse takes many of its cues from its immediate surroundings. Set within a preserved building, its architecture responds to Tel Aviv\u2019s modernist heritage and the distinctive language of the White City.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe location had a profound influence on the planning,\u201d says Aviv. \u201cThe building and its surroundings carry the local character of Bauhaus architecture and the legacy of Tel Aviv\u2019s early development. There is a certain European refinement here, but we wanted to introduce another layer as well, something warmer, with Oriental and Moroccan influences.\u201d<\/p>\n
That dialogue between worlds defines the apartment. A bright, restrained architectural envelope creates a quiet backdrop for the homeowner\u2019s art collection and a carefully selected mix of original vintage pieces sourced abroad. Built in seating introduces a more Mediterranean sensibility, while subtle Moroccan references add warmth and texture without overwhelming the clean architectural language.<\/p>\n
The same approach continues outside, where the rooftop becomes an extension of the home rather than simply a terrace. Designed as a lush urban garden, it includes generous areas for entertaining and a plunge pool that brings an almost Jaffa like intimacy to the heart of Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n
The result is a home shaped by contrasts: European and Mediterranean, preserved and contemporary, precise yet personal. Rather than recreating the past, Aviv allows the different identities of Tel Aviv to coexist, with art, architecture and the city itself becoming part of the interior.<\/p>\n
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The apartment is grounded by warm, pale terrazzo flooring, its tones inspired by the original finishes found throughout the building\u2019s communal spaces. This subtle reference creates a connection between the renovated penthouse and the architectural history of the building.<\/p>\n
Above, the ceiling is finished with a seamless acoustic plaster system by Swiss company BASWA, exclusively supplied and installed in Israel by Yehuda Export & Import. Its continuous surface maintains the visual purity of the interior while absorbing sound and reducing reverberation throughout the open space.<\/p>\n
For Aviv, this largely invisible element is fundamental to the way the home is experienced. \u201cI design through all the senses. If the acoustics are wrong, the entire atmosphere is compromised. That is why I insist on an acoustic ceiling and precise system planning. These are details you may not immediately notice, but they define how a space feels.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The entrance opens directly into the home\u2019s main living space, where the kitchen, dining area and living room flow naturally into one another before extending towards the terrace.<\/p>\n
Large aluminium windows by Deda Aluminum wrap the space and establish a strong connection with the city beyond. \u201cWe wanted the aluminium to be as minimal as possible. Deda\u2019s coordination and the quality of the finished product were exceptional,\u201d says Aviv.<\/p>\n
During the renovation, a structural column that interrupted the connection to the terrace was removed. Combined with the slender window profiles and the continuation of the terrazzo flooring outside, the intervention allowed the boundaries between interior and exterior to almost disappear, creating one generous space for everyday living and entertaining.<\/p>\n
A wide, nearly ceiling height opening in front of the living room frames an uninterrupted view across Tel Aviv and brings an abundance of natural light deep into the apartment. The decision to use white aluminium profiles was equally deliberate. Rather than competing with the eclectic interior, they reference the architectural language of the preserved building while maintaining the sense of clarity and restraint that runs throughout the home.<\/p>\n
Here, the windows do more than open onto the view. They allow Tel Aviv itself to become part of the interior.<\/p>\n
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A built-in bench was designed on the balcony, filled with soft cushions, creatingA secret and special corner<\/strong>Facing the urban landscape. Next to the bench stands a small plunge pool, covered with green and white Zillij tiles with a meticulous graphic pattern, imported from Morocco byNonis Gallery.<\/strong>The tiles create a play of light and shadow on the water’s surface and emphasize the rich texture and precision of the local art, which is passed down from generation to generation.<\/p>\n \u201cEach tile tells a story,\u201d explains the designer. \u201cThe combination of green and white tones, the graphic shape and the precise texture, creates a space that is a secret and special corner within the city \u2013 a quiet, experiential place and precise in terms of proportion and material.\u201d<\/p>\n Nonis Gallery<\/strong>“They were responsible for coordinating with the local factory, which received precise planning for production and cutting. Despite the Corona period, everything was delivered at the highest level and without delays.” The tiles add texture and color to the balcony and also accompany the staircase leading to the upper roof garden. “I am a contextual designer – adapted to the location, the client, and the conditions. My leading principle is temporality, meaning not to be dragged into trends, but to think about how the project will look and become obsolete in twenty years. It must also have emotion. This is the heart of my work.”<\/p>\n Photography | Assaf Pinchuk<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A remarkable renovation transforms a penthouse in one of Tel Aviv\u2019s preserved buildings from a holiday apartment into a generous home designed for living, art and entertaining. Drawing inspiration from both historic Jaffa and the White City, the project extends onto an expansive rooftop conceived as a true urban garden above the city. Ofri Paz […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[250],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-revisionist-house"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stannelmarketplace.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6237_Assaf-Pinchuk-photography-1024x683.jpg\")
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The interior created a separation between the public and private spaces, which includes a guest room that also serves as a home office and a master suite. The tenant did not want a television in the living room, and to suit his lifestyle and style of hospitality, the kitchen, dining area, and living room were designed in parallel with each other. Locally produced iron facades were designed in the kitchen. Opposite it, at the back of the living room, a carpentry wall with a similar finish was designed to create a contrast to the light background. Open shelves combined with lighting create airiness and provide a stage for displaying art and decorative objects.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stannelmarketplace.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6141_Assaf-Pinchuk-photography-1024x683.jpg\")
On the roof, Arik created a magnificent, growing Zen garden. “We wanted to use natural vegetation and plant real grass. This required testing with consultants and experts to ensure that everything could be done safely in terms of weight-bearing, coordination with neighbors, and the application of special layers that replace soil so as not to create a load on the roof during rain.” In addition, an outdoor cinema was designed in the garden, with high-quality speakers and a projector sunk into the ground, which projects at a precise angle onto a plastered wall. “The client does a lot of walking meditation, so we deliberately did not plan a bar, kitchen, or seating areas there. The cinema was hidden in the vegetation, creating one of the most special experiences I’ve ever had – watching a movie while lying on the grass, under the open sky.”![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stannelmarketplace.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/5707_Assaf-Pinchuk-photography-1024x683.jpg\")
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Architecture and Design | Architect Arik Aviv<\/p>\n