Old Becomes New in the Foothills of Central Israel

Located in Karmei Yosef, in the Judean foothills in Central Israel, this private residence for a family of six is built on the foundation of the client’s childhood home. Situated on an elevated hilltop that serves up panoramic views of grape and olive vineyards in the valley below, the home was designed to maximize these views while providing ample, flexible living space to raise an active, growing family.

To achieve the family’s goals, design firm Studio Corinne knew glass would play a critical role in guiding the design and architecture of the home from the earliest stages of the design process.

"The use of natural light is always a very important consideration in planning in general," said Corinne Levi, founder and principal of Studio Corinne. "But because there’s so much glass, it was even more important."

Levi tapped into the family’s intimate knowledge of the site itself to frame the exact views they wanted. In this sense, the unique topography of the land itself helped to shape the design and orient the home on the site.

Upon entering, two full stories of floor-to-ceiling Marvin windows dramatically open the home to the valley, pulling your attention across the natural wood floors to the views below and filling the main living space natural light. Because these large expanses of glass leave the home exposed to the elements, LoE 272 argon-filled windows were necessary to minimize the impact of passive heat gain and loss.

"I love the quality of Marvin windows," Levi said. "Both in terms of acoustic and thermal performance. It’s the reason I chose Marvin for this property, and the reason I used them in my own home as well." 

A mix of interior finishes on the windows help to define the spaces. In the living room and common areas, natural pine windows and doors were stained rich ebony to complement the home’s sleek, monochromatic design. In the bedrooms and bathrooms, however, Levi opted to leave the natural pine wood windows untouched, which adds warmth and texture to these intimate spaces and complements the flooring and décor accents.

In the end, the family received exactly what they had wished for: a modern, energy efficient home with comfortable, light-filled living spaces and gracious views of the valley, all wrapped in stunning, thoughtful architecture.