ToledoLifschitz

This single-family house was designed for a young family in the heart of a Kibbutz in Southern Israel. After many years abroad, they decided to return to their childhood scenery and community. The white and calm, minimalist cubed-massing, appears and disappears behind the old Eucalyptus trees. Their positioning and arrangement blurs boundaries between interior and exterior spaces and provide different levels of openness - versus privacy and intimacy - to its surrounding. The double-height living space, can be seamlessly merged with the adjacent, exterior terrace. The concrete staircase separates the house’s two main volumes. Beyond it are the bedrooms and service areas. The staircase leads to an open gallery, that serves as a study and overlooks the living space. A concealed skylight above the enclosed staircase provides indirect light and air flow to both levels. The shaded, decked terrace serves as an extension to the living room space, complimenting daily exterior activities. Its peripheral concrete beams house rolling fabric screens, that allow control over the amount of exposure to the surroundings.