This house was designed and built to serve as a summer home for a family that lives in a European capital and is considering, and hoping, to eventually repatriate to Israel. Subsequently, our design can accommodate two possible “modes” of life in the house: a vacation mode (summer activities, use of the swimming pool) and an everyday life mode for a family with 3 children. The chosen style was urban and classically inspired, with an emphasis on living rooms, hosting, and recreation, as well as a strong connection to the outdoors.
The client wished to experience an inviting entryway and a large, impressive, 2-level entrance hall. A large living room and a spacious kitchen, opening up to a paved yard and a classic swimming pool, emphasize the home’s main function as a summerhouse. The pool-facing guest unit also reinforces this aspect of the house’s plan.
The upper floor consists of four bedrooms and two small but carefully planned bathrooms, allowing it to support families who wish to make the house their permanent place of residence, rather than just a vacation home. All upper floor rooms open to spacious balconies: the master bedroom has a private balcony facing west, overlooking the sunset and sea breeze; whereas the children’s rooms’ balconies overlook the swimming pool. A staircase, leading directly from the back yard into the children's' rooms, allows the house’s younger residents to have free access to the pool and back yard without having to pass through the elegant lower level.
The facade's classic design, with a colonnade decorating the front, circumferential cornices, and rich frames on all the windows, emphasizes the distinctive character and style of the house, which stands out among its peers, as the client had requested. The finish materials also reflect the style: the stone floors throughout the house, including the staircases, and the winding, styled, steel railings on the balconies, staircases, fences, and gates complement the image.
The entire planning and construction process was done when the clients were abroad and, except for a few short visits, all communication was via telephone and email.