Way Inn

On the outskirts of the Jewish Quarter in Old Safed, near the Artisans' Quarter, 'The Way Inn', a small boutique hotel, was planned. Seven guest rooms, workshop spaces, a hammam, treatment rooms and a chef's restaurant were planned in the place. The planning included preservation and reconstruction of existing buildings in addition to a new construction. Old Safed, built city upon city, is piled up with stone buildings, courtyards and alleys, the course of which moves in a kind of mystery and discovery. It was important for us to keep the local characteristic in the planning of the place and to add modest, tiny additions with a lot of sensitivity and respect for the past and the language of the place.

 In Old Safed there is a fascinating combination between the ancient stones, which give a feeling of heavy and sometimes difficult energy, and between details such as barred doorways and ancient ornaments in happy and light colors.

 The design work at the place was done with the aim of removing the heaviness from the stone by using elements of color, joy and lightness. The use of eclectic furniture and fabric collages brought color and softness to the place. A collection of artefacts, personal photos and carpets fills the rooms. Books and pieces of art are scattered around the place to give a warm feeling of a private home. The vegetation was also used to create privacy for each area, and helped soften the feeling of stone's heaviness.

 In accordance with the spirit of the city - instead of numbers, the seven rooms received the names of the seven sefirot in the Kabbalah. Each such element is a room that simulates another world and is characterized by a specific color.