IN FRONT OF AN URBAN VIEW: A SMART APARTMENT IN A TEL AVIV TOWER
It all started with a customer who is an avid music lover and smart and simple technologies, who wanted to get a system that knows how to manage the whole house remotely. Designers Tzipi Yabetz-Chen and Paz Hasdai packed this need into a sophisticated and designed carpentry wall that presents the practice of a smart home. In an interview on our blog, they talk about the apartment they designed in a Tel Aviv tower facing a green urban landscape, and about the added value of a smart home system in our era.
Tell us a little about the nature of the project, in terms of scope, concept, design style, material choices, etc.
“The project is located in a residential complex that was designed as a green space in the heart of the city. The urban landscape and the piece of sea that can be seen from between the towers are felt everywhere in the house. We emphasized the flow of breeze, light and scenery to create an open and multi-use space. For this purpose, we decided to strip the walls of the apartment except for a wide structural column In the living room and MMD room that remained as a cube in the space: we dismantled the plaster walls in order to allow maximum utilization of the height and space in the apartment, we exposed the concrete wall of the MMD from the plaster walls that enveloped it and were surprised to discover a smooth and beautiful concrete casting. Instead of walls we built a two-sided element consisting of a wall Carpentry, which started in the bedroom and ended as an exposed air conditioner duct above the island in the kitchen. Storage cabinets, sliding doors to the bathrooms, an air conditioning system, water piping and a media cabinet and smart home infrastructure were integrated in the vintage.”
Planning and interior design: Tzipi Yabetz Chen and Paz Hasdai Photography: Shay Gil Smart home system: Vitrea’s VTouch Pro
Planning and interior design: Tzipi Yabetz Chen and Paz Hasdai Photography: Shay Gil Smart home system: Vitrea’s VTouch Pro
At what stage of the project was it decided to go for a smart house, and what did that require at the level of planning the electrical plans?
“Already at the initial stage of the project, we knew that we would like to integrate a smart home system in the apartment. The client, an avid music lover and smart and simple technologies, wanted to have a system that knows how to manage the entire house with remote control. The importance of the simplicity of the application is critical for the user. With Vitrea, we saw how easy and simple it is to operate the house from a distance as well as up close for the next guests. The smart home system, along with the communication and the music were collected into a specially manufactured carpentry element: the fronts of the cabinet are made of strips with spaces between them for the passage of air.”
What are the reasons you chose Vitrea’s smart home solutions?
“After an in-depth investigation into the subject of a smart home, we decided to work with Vitrea. We were looking for an intuitive interface, which would be easy and convenient for the user. The visibility of the switches and the matching of colors and diverse design options helped us complete a meticulous look for the home. Even during the search process, dealing with Vitrea was professional. We received an explanation In-depth to all that is required, and along the way an escort for any question or problem. The process of implementing the infrastructure in the field was clear and simple for us planners and the professionals, the implementers. We recommend in all our projects to work with Vitrea’s smart touch solutions. High level product and service.”
Why a smart home? What is its added value to everyday life and the living experience?
“In the technological age we are in today, everything happens instantly, with the push of a button and remote control. That is why it is only natural to bring it inside, into our homes and lives and allow us, the users, to enjoy all this goodness also in home use. From wherever we are, we can turn on an electric heater , draw curtains, turn on good music and dim the lights. What else do we need?”
Share with us your tips for planning a smart home:
“The first thing is to know the choice of the smart home already in the planning stages, pre-execution, to understand the layout of the infrastructure and the volume in the area of the electrical cabinet and to create a designated place where all the systems will come together in an orderly manner. The location of the switches at a height that is comfortable for the eye that allows you to see the details of the buttons (something that is especially important for guests arriving (who are not familiar with the layout of the house). We recommend adjusting the shade of the switch according to the facade on which it is located so that it will blend in and not be felt in the space.”
Planning and interior design: Tzipi Yabetz Chen and Paz Hasdai Photography: Shay Gil Smart electrical system: Vitrea’s VTouch Pro
Planning and interior design: Tzipi Yabetz Chen and Paz Hasdai Photography: Shay Gil Smart home system: Vitrea’s VTouch Pro
Finally, tell us what is the most practical scenario in the family home? The one that improves their quality of life
“The scenario of entering and leaving the house is the most useful scenario for the customer. Turning off the lights in the whole house is done automatically and makes leaving the house quick and easy. Together with Vitrea, we were able to produce convenient scenarios specifically for the lifestyle of the residents in the house, such as moving curtains, playing music, turning on a heater and air conditioning”.