Some homes have a soul that predates their owners. This was one of them.

Nestled on a mountainside outside Jerusalem, this small, intimate house was built in the 1960s and had remained largely untouched ever since. Beneath it, we discovered an ancient karst cave from the Second Temple period – a quiet, extraordinary presence that shaped the spirit of the entire project.

The clients are an older couple with a rich inner world – a sculptor and literary figure, an extensive book collection, and five cats. The renovation of this two-story, approximately 180 sqm home on a sloped three-quarter dunam plot with terraces was guided by four clear principles.

The residents – every design decision was tailored to their daily lifestyle: practical, functional, and easy to maintain.

Architecture – the original modernist character of the house was preserved and strengthened, celebrating its exposed concrete and local stone cladding and deepening its integration with the surrounding landscape.

View – the design maximizes exposure to the Jerusalem hills, drawing natural light and scenery into the heart of the home.

The cave – the ancient cave beneath the house was carefully preserved as a unique and irreplaceable feature, without assigning it a functional role. Its presence alone is enough.

The house is organized into two main volumes – public and private – with a clear and considered connection between them. The public space flows as an open plan, free of partitions, allowing light and views to move through it freely.

Materials were chosen to reinforce the home’s connection to its environment – natural stone-look tiles and light oak veneer run throughout the carpentry, tying the interior to the landscape outside.

At the center of it all stands a sculptural library – at once connecting and separating the living room, dining area, and kitchen, while housing books, artwork, and media systems. In a home where materiality and culture are everything, it felt like the natural heart of the space.

The entire project was completed within a defined budget, in close and ongoing collaboration with the clients.