Not too narrow: How they overcame challenges to create a memorable home

Welcome to the home of a couple in their 50s—both engaged in freelance professions—and their four teenage children, located in a sought-after neighborhood of one of the central cities. Architect Sharon Weiser, who runs an office specializing in the design and planning of luxury homes, was given a large, narrow, and long lot of about 600 square meters, on which she planned a structure with three levels comprising a basement, ground floor, and an upper floor.

"The house was designed in full collaboration with its owners, and as such, it provides them with practical and design solutions that match their lifestyle," Weiser states. "One of the challenges we faced was planning since the rear facade borders an industrial area with tall office buildings. Therefore, we placed the house itself at the front closer to the quiet street, while the swimming pool and entertainment area were designed at the rear, surrounded by dense vegetation to hide and isolate the house from the industrial area."

At the couple's request, the house's exterior was designed in a warm, rustic style, featuring a tiled roof: "This style blends well with the tranquil rural atmosphere of the area, while the interior design leans towards a warmer but more modern style, in keeping with the facades and the surrounding yard," says the architect. "In general, during the planning process, we emphasized optimal flow and creating a connection between the outside and the inside. For example, we chose Belgian windows for the openings, and for the public section, we selected minimal systems that significantly contribute to the thinness and transparency effect and deepen the connection between the house and its surroundings. At the same time, we chose to work with a color palette consisting solely of light gray tones that blend with the colors of the graphite outdoor paving and the entrance door."

Weiser planned the house in two sections, each with its own tiled roof. What connects them is a flat roof under which the entrance lobby is located, creating a double-height space: "In this way, we created a separation between the wings. In the public wing, we designed the kitchen, which faces the front facade, while the dining area and the living room are located near the back facade. Overall, this is a family that often hosts, and indeed we created many hosting areas for them both inside and outside the house."

According to Weiser, "The kitchen serves as an important and central axis where the family gathers for quality time together around the large island in the spacious area. We designed for them an effective space that allows comfortable work and includes ample storage. Being detached from the other public areas, it gained significant space that is isolated on one hand and, on the other hand, allows direct connection with the house and views into the spacious living room, dining area, and even to the edge of the garden. Furthermore, the staircase in the center of the building divides the space into two sections and is made of lightweight, transparent materials that allow open viewpoints from every corner of the space. As part of the design and planning process, we also emphasized the selection of linear lighting fixtures that enhance the high ceilings; for this, we chose lighting fixtures from 'Light In' that include, among other things, hanging and delicate lamps with organic silhouettes that serve as an artistic focal point and integrate into the polished modern design."

A side entrance path, designed along the length of the house, is accompanied by vegetation and provides a glimpse of the backyard and the office buildings at the rear, creating an urban home that harmoniously integrates into a rural neighborhood characterized by low-rise construction. "The garden we designed is optimal for hosting, and the style chosen for it draws inspiration from design and architectural themes prevalent in the Far East," says the architect.

An example of this is the swimming pool, designed and executed by Plagim, which is also committed to this vision. It is built in varying levels, with hidden descents in certain areas, while in others, it serves as an infinity pool, where the water flows and merges with the horizon: "On one side, we created a wooden deck hovering over the water and combined it with a lounging area for chairs, sunbeds, and a seating bench overlooking the yard," explains the architect. "All these details together create an interesting effect of varying heights and blend successfully with the atmosphere that prevails throughout the yard."

So that the family and their guests can enjoy it throughout the year and on a daily basis, heating systems and counter-current swimming were installed in the pool. The bottom and walls are covered with bluestone in a grayish hue that gives the water a deep green color, and the wall separating it from the neighbor's yard was deliberately raised by the architect and surrounded by wild vegetation to create a partition between the garden and the neighbor's yard. Nearby, a spacious outdoor kitchen was planned with a bar under a high pergola. Seating and lounging areas were also designed, contributing to the fantastic hosting experience that characterizes this home—both outside and inside.