The house was designed for a sixty year old couple. Prior to construction the building site was characterized by flat and natural forestry.

© Shai Epstein

Architects: BE architects

Location: HaSharon, Israel

Project Year: 2015

Photographs: Shai Epstein

© Shai Epstein

From the architect. The house was designed for a sixty year old couple. Prior to construction the building site was characterized by flat and natural forestry.

© Shai Epstein

At the first meeting after receiving the program, I presented two basic alternatives to the customer the plan that was selected was for the trees on site to dictate the planning of the home.

© Shai Epstein
The initial planning incorporated placing a rigid square criss crossed with porous holes , the effect of the division within the square is similar to the closed and open spaces of the home i.e the covered and non-covered area depending on the location of the trees.

Plan

This is like laying an outstretched extended hand between the trunks out of a desire to preserve them as much as possible.

© Shai Epstein

Upon diving into the detailed planning, the rigid frame of the square was broken, and the house was divided into three parts: a central one which connects to two secondary parts through two "connectors" ? which are narrow transparent passages. Among the three wings - Courtyard retain...