Jaffa Art Apartment in Tel Aviv, Israel by Pertzov Architecture

Pertzov Architecture has designed a new multi-unit residential building, located in Jaffa, the southern and oldest part of Tel Aviv-Yafo, an ancient port city in Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon and Saint Peter as well as the mythological story of Andromeda and Perseus, and later with oranges.

The building sits in a neighbourhood full of old eclectic Arabic style houses. “This area of Jaffa is in a middle of a rapid urban renewal process. We believe it is a great opportunity and an honour for us to take part in this fascinating urban transformation,” said the architects.

Pertzov Architecture felt it was important to maintain the special atmosphere of the existing local urban environment, while simultaneously introducing a modern building that utilises materials that feel new and fresh in this particular context.

The main façade element is the “Mashrabiya” – a typical traditional Arabic concept that provides shade, air, light, and a gentle buffer between the interior and the exterior. One of the main planning goals was to design a “Mashrabiya” that preserves the continuity of the typical street facades whilst maintaining the privacy of the residents. While “Mashrabiya” is traditionally built from concrete or clay, the architects designed a “steel Mashrabiya” using horizontal beams filled with perforated metal. “We decided to use steel, which is not the obvious choice, because it represents the dialogue between the historical and contemporary architecture,” explain the design team.

Internally the apartment features a generous 5-metre ceiling, typical of the traditional housing in the area, which was adopted as the main architectonic principle for the new design.

At the request of the owner, the interior was designed with the basic premise of housing his extensive art collection. High blank walls become the natural place for the art to be displayed, while the concrete floor and ceiling provide the perfect background that completes the interior. In fact, the entire internal structure of the apartment was designed to be used as art display – even the concrete floors, which were imprinted with special moulds.

One of the main design principles for the interior was to create a single long space with minimal divisions, giving the occupants ample opportunity and distance to survey the many works of art.

A small backyard concrete-paved entrance surrounded with high walls provides a marked contrast between the busy street outside and the quiet, serene privacy of the art milieu within.