Tel Aviv of the 1950’s meets 2000 | Jacobs-Yaniv Architects

For the clients, who were born and bred in Tel Aviv, but spent most of their adult life in a house in the suburbs raising their family, the ultimate dream was to come back to Tel Aviv as mature and independent individuals, available to enjoy all that the city has to offer.
Informed and inspired by their love to Modernist Tel Aviv of 50’s and modernist design, with today’s influences and technological advantages, they gained what they had hoped for.

The clients asked that the majority of space is kept open for maximum diversity in family activities.
There is only one formal bedroom placed in the far end of the flat while all other functions are concentrated in the centre of the space, holding the family area, a desk for 2 people, the kitchen and a play area which is a flexible space used both as a play room and guest bedroom.
This room is placed right by the family area and can be isolated by 2 sliding doors - very typical of Tel Aviv’s 50’s.
The design of the kitchen, which was placed in the centre of the flat as a piece of furniture, involved meticulous detailing. The oak and coloured Formica cupboards, lined with black internal finishing, are held within a steel structure.
The structure also houses all the required electric fittings – smart home control panels, lighting and speakers. The kitchen was tailor-made to the requirements of the owners who love to cook and host.

Great thought was put into day-to-day functionality. There is plenty of storage space and display shelves for items that the clients have collected throughout the years.
The utility room is placed by the master bed room. It serves also as the guest bathroom and can be accessed through the main living space too, providing great ease around house work.

We strongly believe that optimum functionality and harmonious living in a home should be as flexible and fluent as possible. Therefor we plan a variety of access points from room to room and design at least one space as a ‘flexible room’ which can be used in different ways.
It was a great joy to study flats of Tel Aviv’s 50’s, which were designed very cleverly providing exactly that; Functional, comfortable and pleasurable.

** Regarding the girl, it was an experiment in which we tried to demonstrate the flow, the dynamics of the space. Shani Licht, who is a professional modern dancer, was asked to improvise, to inhabit the space spontaneously. This is the result.