dana oberson architects completes contemporary stone villa in israel

CONTEMPORARY
CALCULATION
VILLA in israel: A CALL TO COEXISTENCE
Israeli architectural studio dana oberson recently completed the ‘contemporary stone villa’, a new project in neve ilan, israel. the two story house is built on a gentle slope overlooking the neve ilan forest, the plain and the mediterranean sea on the horizon to the west.
Originally a cooperative kibbutz, the villa grounds borders the Arab town of Abu Ghosh where remains of historic Bible establishments have been unearthed. ‘the house sits on the border of the two cities, Arab and Jewish, and as such, it creates a border that has a statement that must respect the place, the neighbors, and that calls for coexistence‘, explains architect dana oberson.
the unrefined natural stone on the facade is inspired by the local agricultural terraces of neve ilan
create balance and integration with the historical context
the entrance facade is composed of a single level which blends into the view and reflects the balance and integration into the environment. ” the choice of material came from the observation of the rough stone which builds the agricultural terraces of neve ilan,“explains Oberson.
‘we loved how the layers of history are evident in the stone. we wanted to tell a story of identity and context through a structure in which this stone is an important part. these rough stone slabs flow from the outside into the interior spaces of the house and connect them ”. you can see more of the architect’s projects here.
a light and soft glass fireplace acts as a double space within the villa
placed between two stone volumes, a light and soft glass fireplace creates a double space and reveals a spectacular view of the terraces and the forest. on the top floor of the glass foyer, an internal bridge connects the master bedroom to other spaces within this same floor.
complementing the transparent entrance to the house is a selection of exposed and raw materials. brutal concrete ceilings; brushed oak and burnt-look upholstery in the kitchen and fireplaces; natural iron in the staircase, the living room library, and local rough stone. in addition, a black basalt floor connects the interior with the exterior, another local material that has been mined, stacked and given a new interpretation as the floor of the house.
a concrete bridge connects the master bedroom to other spaces on the same floor
merging with the terraces, the horizon and the sky
the contemporary stone villa in israel is complemented by an outdoor terrace and an infinity pool that blends in with the agricultural terraces, the horizon and the sky. ‘when developing the landscape, it was important for us to avoid fences and railings to assimilate into the landscape. due to the location of the house, at the edge, we thought it might act as a seam rather than a dividing border, ‘ comments oberson.
this challenge was repeated in the design of the balustrades between the two levels of the house. “Unlike a continuous balustrade that connects two points and creates a border, we designed a balustrade from random-looking flat iron pillars, which serve as the basis for the growth of climbing plants and thus integrate as much as possible to the landscape ”.
natural black iron staircase
the kitchen extends onto an unobstructed view of the hillside landscape and the garden patio