Garden On The Roof is a residential project designed by XS Studio in 2016, covers an area of 129 m2 and is located in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photography by Gidon Levin.

“From the first moment it was clear that the roof of this apartment should not only be a place with a great view, but also a place for the daily life of the young family living there; a place for family entertainment, for the girls to run around and for the parents to have guests over. Therefore, it was clear that the layout of the house should be flipped: The main floor went up, allowing the living room and the kitchen to enjoy the roof while the parent’s en-suite went down, lodging close to the girls.
The first challenge was to create an inviting entrance at the lower level that would point to the top floor’s public area, but would also be a pleasant connecting space to the private area. When the door opens, a concrete staircase is revealed, inviting us to ascend to the public floor. A skylight over the stairs allows light into the entrance hall. In the entrance hall there’s a wardrobe for coats and bags, a dresser for storing and placing keys and umbrellas, and a place to take off shoes and breathe after having climbed 2 floors on foot.
The parent’s en-Suite is reached through a long hallway with a woodwork façade. The hallway contains multiple storage spaces and a hidden entrance to the walk-in wardrobe and bathroom.
The girls’...