Cloistered Home: An Awe-Inspiring Single-Story House
Cloistered Home is an extraordinary single-story house in the heart of Israel, designed and built by architects Dan and Hila Israelevitz.
This property is unique in its own right, situated on two acres of land and spanning 500 square meters. The Israelevitz’ used concrete as the main material to create a home that perfectly synchronizes with nature and sunlight while utilizing the rising and setting sun for its inhabitants.
The exterior of the house features a glass wall and exposed concrete, while the interior is composed of bespoke carpentry, wooden cladding walls, and the expansive inner garden. To top it all off, the property offers an enormous double swimming pool for entertainment and relaxation.
About Cloistered Home
Cloistered, intricate, and slightly hidden from view, this property is a little humble to passers-by. It is characterized by an abundance of tension between its interior and exterior, and extensive use of authentic materials—concrete being the star of the show. Architect Dan Israelevitz refers to its ‘wow’ factor as something that “reveals itself once you enter the home where you experience a sense of quiet and immense admiration.”
Built, planned, and designed by Dan and Hila Israelevitz, this family home sits on two acres (8,093.6 square meters) of land in the heart of Israel’s center and houses a couple and their three children.
Entering the Home
As you enter the home, you discover an expansive and luscious inner garden with sleek facades made from wooden dividers, bare wood, and concrete. An enormous reflective pool with trees is situated inside, and floating slabs of concrete form the path leading up to the property.
A Spectacular Space
An enormous glass wall allows the outside garden to enter the home. On the right-hand side is the kitchen, and on the left is the inner patio spanning 16 square meters (172.2 square feet) and bursting with lush greenery. This natural divide separates the kitchen and living area. The walls are glass, with exposed concrete roofing and steel pillars that support the structure. The kitchen’s power outlet wall is greyish-black and comprises bespoke carpentry that conceals the home’s air conditioning systems. The kitchen also includes a large island made from Dekton, and bar stools on one side. The living area’s ceiling, made of exposed concrete, does not facilitate any storage.
Outside by the Pool
An enormous double swimming pool spanning 60 meters (656.2 feet) is divided into a shallow side and a swimming area, situated next to an informal seating space, an open-air kitchen, and everything you could need and want for hosting and entertaining around the pool area. The owner’s suite overlooks the pool and is divided into a bathroom and closet room by a sliding door. The bathroom features a private patio with a beautiful and scenic view.
Architectural Features
The entire home, both its interior and exterior, is made of solid concrete, including the ceilings and walls. The materials are monochromatic and comprised of glass and concrete. The architecture perfectly embodies the interior and outside spaces as one, with a roof of floating concrete and steel pillars that fortify the structure. The same roof structure is part of both the interior and exterior, with overlaying glass built between the concrete beams. According to Israelevitz, “I surround the spaces with glass to create continuity and a single unit between the inside and outside spaces. It creates inner gardens and areas of greenery such as the patio and inner courtyard and an abundance of nature and greenery both around the home and within it. I love drama in architecture and tend to distance myself from anything static.”
The Israelevitz Home: A Perfect Synchronization with Nature
This family home in the heart of Israel’s center is an exemplary example of how interior and exterior spaces can be perfectly synchronized with nature and sunlight. Its walls are made of glass, concrete, and steel pillars, with exposed concrete roofing that creates a tension between the interior and exterior. The kitchen includes a wooden cladding wall and a large island made from Dekton. An enormous double swimming pool, an informal seating space, and an open-air kitchen make up the outdoor area, while the owner’s suite overlooks it all. With a commitment to drama and continuity between the inside and outside spaces, the Israelevitz home is a place where the presence is deeply felt.
Photography by Oded Smadar
Visit Dan and Hila Israelevitz
- by Matt Watts
