The most beautiful house in Israel? It might just be this one, in Beit Zayit outside of Jerusalem.
Designed by architect Yvan Lang, the home actually consists of two houses – the main one at 700 sq.m. and the smaller one at 150 sq.m.
“The large plot sits on a steep slope between two small roads and was partially used as a garden with hundreds of trees, such as pomegranate, orange, and centuries-old olive trees. “The client envisioned one main house and another smaller house close by,” said Lang, a veteran immigrant from France who has worked as an architect for some 30 years.
“For the general design of the plot, we placed the main house at the top, thus giving it an extensive view of the valley; and the cottage, which was totally renovated, is at the lower end. Between them, we placed the swimming pool and diverse elements, which created a subtle connection between the two buildings.
“The houses were also designed from the beginning with sustainability in mind, saving as much as possible of the existing house and garden, with options for water reuse, solar, and heating panels. It also has many other green features, such as a mass wall for heat and cold retention, installation of fans, and natural ventilation in the bedrooms,” he explained.
A "ridiculously long" architectural venture
Lang said the entire project took a “ridiculously long” 10 years, which included a year of designing a few versions, a break of three years for legal reasons, a two-year planning procedure that included sending the design to an outside architect to get his opinion, and four years of actual construction, which included furnishing and landscaping.
The 20-meter infinity pool features adjacent bathroom and changing rooms, and the house sports an entertainment room and a gym as well.
“For the design of the main house, it was important to keep as much as possible of the existing garden, playing with the contours of the house so as to preserve the mature trees. We also wanted to give a maximum view of the surroundings, which include stretches of the Jerusalem Forest. The result is a long rectangle with a few indentations and curves along the outer walls,” said Lang.
A founding member of the office of Oster Friedman Lang architects in Jerusalem, Lang designed the Zichron Menachem headquarters in Jerusalem, among many others.
“Another key decision was to bring the inside out and the outside in. The many large windows along the corridors and rooms open up the spaces to the outside, while part of the garden flows as a continuous element into the lobby.
“At the same time, the long elevation along the street is designed as a series of curved stone walls with oblong windows, which protect the privacy of the occupants. The opposite side – which has a lighter feel and is better protected from the sun – is open and glazed, facing the pool and the view,” he said.
The two-story house has clear separation between the public activities on the ground floor and the private functions at the top. On the ground floor, the double-height lobby with the steel staircase and the indoor garden leads to a large living room completely glazed on the pool side, a dining room, and a kitchen.
These rooms are connected by an open-sided passage with a guest room at the end.
At the other end of the house there is an office with a terrace above it. The top floor contains five bedrooms, which are connected by a curved and sloped corridor. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom and a terrace.
“I really like the design,” said Lang with an understatement, but sounding like a proud father.