A penthouse apartment is always a celebration. The intersection between land and sky excites us every time. In the case of this apartment, the sea also joined the celebration. Within reach, from the edge of the terrace to the horizon, it completes a powerful triangle of land, sky, and water. The potential was there before us, waiting for the right interpretation.
Light is one of the fundamental elements of architecture, and in Israel, its importance might be even greater. The light here is stronger, sometimes almost blinding. In this penthouse, it is even more significant. It enters directly from every window, without filters and without shading.
The intense light penetrating this penthouse, surrounded by curtain walls on all sides, was the starting point. A significant factor that we had to control, shape, and adapt to our design approach and our clients' needs. Facing the wide curtain wall, we placed a giant reflector to handle these amounts of light—a carpentry system stretching along the apartment and terrace, with its exterior clad in blackened brass. Brass is a cunning material; it can shine like gold, almost blinding, but it also knows how to be dull, with the right treatment. There was already more than enough light here, so we opted for the dull and blackened our brass cladding using acids.
The penthouse is bordered by two parallel walls stretching from east to west, from the interior to the edge of the terrace. One is made of glass, completely transparent, allowing light to enter the apartment. The other, clad in blackened brass, absorbs the light and reflects it back into the apartment, softened and balanced. This system works differently throughout the day, depending on the direction and intensity of the sun. When it shines strongly at noon, the dark brass absorbs most of the light. When it softens in the evening hours, the brass reveals its hidden golden character, flooding the penthouse with soft sunset light.
Architect in charge: Sivan Kohn
Project Manager: Aviv Kafif
Photographer: Amit Geron
Contractor: Moshe Tamam
Kitchen: Boffi
Carpentry: Slavor Bela
Furniture: Tollman’s
Flooring: Avney Tall