On the mountain in front of the sea

On a one-dunam plot, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, a residential building was built. Within the space of Israeli eclecticism, I was happy to meet a family who wanted to build a home connected to the roots style of the place, the materials in it and the local flora. In the residential vicinity where the plot is located, there are historic buildings built of kurkar stone alongside one-story agricultural buildings with sloping roofs. The buildings surrounded inner courtyards and created protected outdoor spaces. The owners also wanted the experience of a house around an inner courtyard. We chose to design 2 separate buildings. One two-story building is covered with kurkar stone and resembles the historic buildings in the area. The building contains the living and dining space on the ground floor. On the second floor is a master bedroom open to a view from the balcony. The second building is a one-story longitudinal building with a tiled roof. The building houses the children's bedrooms. A corridor leads to the bedrooms and contains several doors along it facing directly into the garden. The doorways in the children's rooms are arched with external wooden shutters, a reminder of the residential buildings of the first settlers. Another one-story building with a flat roof and a glass façade towards the garden connects the two buildings. The kitchen is in a building that connects the bedrooms, the sharedspace and the connection to the garden. The patio created between the buildings, together with the strong opening to it, gives a feeling of intimate space. An intimate space that includes a pool, pergola, sharedspace and connection to local vegetation growing throughout the patio. The access corridor to the rooms was designed with a rhythm of vaults reminiscent of an arcade around an inner courtyard. At the entrance to the lot, mature oak trees were planted to get an experience of passing through an intimate "grove". A path full of native vegetation leads visitors to an arched kurkar entrance. Passing through an ancient wooden door brings you home into the main space open to the pergola and the magnificent sea view and intimate patio. Cars are freely parked among the trees. A basement was built under the main kurkar structure. The basement has an external entrance through a lowered courtyard. In the basement is a cinema room and entertainment space for the family. Using natural materials of stone, wood and mineral plasterers matched the rustic experience we wanted to achieve. The wooden beams of the tiled roof were left exposed to enhance the rustic experience. Wooden windows and doors and wooden shutters were fitted to the facades of the house. A wealth of local vegetation created intimate corners in the garden. A pool slides towards the direction of the sea and towards a lower eco-pool which creates feeling of a natural water source. The area of the house including the basement is about 400 square meters. A variation on local Israeli architecture.