Glass Brick Wall

Tal Goldsmith Fish Design studio completed the design of a duplex in a residential tower in Tel Aviv; the result is a serene and peaceful place for its owners coming in from the busy street.

During the planning process, Tal Goldsmith Fish Design studio searched for the right mixture of materials, colors and dynamics so as to provide to the clients a cosy home. While entering the main hall, a double height space is revealed. To soften the feeling and provide a sense of home rather than alienation, the studio decided to create a bridge right at the center of the space. Splitting the space in two not only provides a better human scale proportion but also provides a variety of interesting viewing angles and movement possibilities. The bridge leads to a western window with a view towards the sea and so there we created a small reading and relaxing area overlooking the sea. Separating the public and private areas was achieved through the creation of a large wall made of metalized glass blocks. Glass blocks have been in use all over the world for over 200 years now. Their strongest advantage is that they can be used to create constructive walls which transfer light and form reflections and thus soften the space and generate layers of interests. The glass blocks used in this project aren’t fully transparent but do transfer light and the silhouette of the person walking by on the other side. In addition, during different times of the day, different types of reflections are created adding more character to the space. The living area is a cleanly designed open space with calm tones. Under the bridge we find two sofas that give a lot of softness to the environment. A touch of extravagance is given by a sculptural object in the dark blue color of the appearance of a woman with ugly shapes.

Alongside the sofas, on the other hand, a minimalist black kitchen stands out for its industrial style. Here, the studio has reserved a breakfast area for the kitchen island, accompanied by two wooden stools. But the strong point is what we find above the sink: a series of shelves hanging from the ceiling that act as a support base for plants and various décor objects. The dining area is located near the stairs and, like the rest of the house, has a simple style. It is made up of a table and chairs, all in wood. The designers have also opted for the use of a rug that delimits the space making it more intimate.

The glass block wall accompanies the person climbing up the stairs to the upper level where the parents’ area is located along with the bridge. In the master bedroom, there is a second glass block wall which separates the sleeping area from the dressing area and bathroom while still keeping a connection between all. Instead, the children's bedroom is located on the first floor: here a wall with yellow and blue shades gives a playful touch. Together with the wooden floor and the upholstered furniture, a complete and harmonious image is created that induces serenity and tranquility.