Baranowitz Goldberg and Pitsou Kedem design Jaffa penthouse for Aby Rosen
We visit a Tel Aviv penthouse apartment by prolific developer Aby Rosen at the Jaffa hotel, a residence designed by Baranowitz Goldberg and Pitsou Kedem
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

On a clear day you can see the Jerusalem hills from the roof garden of the Jaffa Penthouse. Turn to the north and you’ll notice the modern ivory buildings that gave Tel Aviv its nickname, the White City. Pivot further and you can watch the sun fall clear into the Mediterranean, past a palm-lined beach.
These sweeping views and the 5,500-year-old timeline they represent inspired the design of this 1,500-square-metre apartment in the ancient, multi-ethnic enclave of Jaffa. Local practice Baranowitz Goldberg and Israeli architect Pitsou Kedem used warm Mediterranean stone and marble to construct a space with sweeping views from end to end, interrupted by sculptural dividers resembling megaliths.
The rooftop terrace may be the crowning glory of this property, currently on the market for US$65 million, but the journey there is quite a ride. Downstairs the architects have built out from the pared-back envelope with vast banks of wood and marble, pleated and sliced like modernist paper-cuts. Partitions crack apart like ruins; louvre-shaped travertine pillars cast shadows like sails on a dhow; a sinuous spiral staircase mimcs the intrepid rounded corners of Tel Aviv’s celebrated Bauhaus buildings. These non-walls allow a steady flow of light – and people – to bypass, even into the peek-a-boo master bedroom.
Opportunities to develop property in this prehistoric Mediterranean port come along rarely. The prolific developer Aby Rosen took over the original building, a French malaria hospice from the 19th century, and financed its restoration with plans for a luxury hotel on the site. In the process, workers discovered a 13th-century crusaders’ bastion. The hotel, simply called The Jaffa, took a decade to complete. The penthouse completed late last year.
The apartment’s neutral palette echoes the heat, dunes and sandstone that define the landscape. Furnishings by Carl Hansen, B&B Italia and De Padova are a natural accompaniment. Drifting from one seating area to the next mimics the experience of exploring the cool alleyways in the old city. Then you turn around to gaze out the full-height windows. The view, like looking down from a mountain, is biblical.
INFORMATION
pitsou.com (opens in new tab); baranowitz-goldberg.com (opens in new tab)
-
Feast your eyes: Nadine Ghosn brings cutlery-inspired jewellery to the table
Nadine Ghosn’s Youtensils jewellery collection brings a playfulness to the functional forms of the humble fork, spoon and disposable straw
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
Former builders’ yard transformed into a home and studio by Studio MacLean
This new project, a former builders’ yard in the Cotswolds, by Studio MacLean, showcases the design and build skills of Jason and Jenny Rose MacLean
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Herman Miller presents Alexander Girard posters from his panels designs
You can now buy Alexander Girard posters, inspired by his decorative panels, thanks to a new Herman Miller collection
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
Veil House balances openness and seclusion in Winnipeg
A large steel screen shields Veil House, a striking private residence in Winnipeg, Canada, designed by local practice 5468796 Architecture
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
The finest brutalist architecture in London and beyond
For some of the world's finest brutalist architecture in London and beyond, scroll below. Can’t get enough of brutalism? Neither can we.
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Khanna Schultz’s House in Michigan is an exercise in balancing contrasts
House in Michigan by Khanna Schultz was conceived to fulfil contrasting needs – and does so with poise and efficiency
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Ian Chee’s Singapore apartment blends past and present
Architect Ian Chee welcomes us into his Singapore apartment, where past and present cohabit in perfect equilibrium
By Daven Wu • Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; check back soon for new additions to our list
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Minimalist architecture: homes that inspire calm
These examples of minimalist architecture place life in the foreground – clutter is demoted; joy promoted
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Arthur Casas book explores the Brazilian architect’s elegant modernism
Arthur Casas’ book chronicles the houses, hotels and retail spaces the Brazilian architect has shaped around the world
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Cera Stribley’s Hideaway House adds a subterranean dimension to a modern Melbourne home
A new bespoke basement at Hideaway House by Cera Stribley transforms this contemporary suburban home into the ultimate domestic playground
By Jonathan Bell • Published