Building a Glass House

There is something very comforting about walls- their strength, their weight, their protection and the possibilities for expression. Our home in Montreal is intrinsically valued by the age of its walls and the height if its ceiling. Although our walls of our Westmount home are over 100 years old they were brought to life through our current story of our family. Ancient maps of Israel, Canadian oil landscapes of winter scenes and family portraits adorned our family home and cocooned us from the blistering cold winters.

(MONTREAL)

 

Leaving something of our own and becoming a short term renter of a house in R’aanana opened up an avenue of new possibilities. It also meant that we were living in someone else’s story and not investing in our own . Our boys are now in the “memory gathering years“ and their home (especially their bedrooms) highlight their lives whether it be sports trophies or piano recital certificates or the many magnet photos from the Bar Mitzvahs they attended. Living in someone else’s space surrounded by their things removes the opportunity for our boys to carve out their own space. For us, the adults- it was liberating to leave behind our comforts to make room for the possibilities of uncharted areas and to bring back a feeling of adventure. De -cluttering was therapeutic in helping us make the leap .Yet, for our boys I feel we have a responsibility to give them walls of their own to curate and to tell their story.
So our decision to look for houses started over a Kiddush at our shul with our friend Dov. Never ask a real estate agent over whisky and Bissli how much a house in R’aanana costs… At the time I was studying flight rates back to Montreal in the height of the stabbings and not putting down roots in the very place I was trying to escape.
On one Sunday morning we began our “walk” with our shul friend scouting the area and surveying the landscape. We arrived on a beautiful quiet street in a familiar area and noticed a Modern White BOX house in construction. I immediately refused entry declaring my mantra-”I don’t build- I am an Off the rack kind of girl” . Minutes later we found ourselves inside an antiseptic space that was surrounded by windows. A GLASS BOX- Fully exposed. I did not understand it but yet on our exit I looked at Todd and asked how he felt and he said
” It’s kinda exciting ”-we left it at that.

Many houses and real estate agents later (this is how the real estate market works here) we came back to our GLASS BOX but this time with the architect to share his vision and to help us understand this mysterious space.Full of skepticism we approached our Israeli born Sabra architect with a defensive attitude. He shared his vision and diffused my angst by pointing out the advantages of living in a modern space with natural light and easy access to the outside. This transparent vulnerability was so different from our solid (sometimes frigid) Canadian surrounding-This design embraces the outside landscape-sand storms and all and weaves it with the inside to make it whole. Ironically in a land that is riddled with insecurity and unstable conditions, here I was celebrating them and welcoming them into my transparent home. This refreshing vision intrigued my curiosity and left me wanting more.

Stripped from the comforts of familiar walls and mouldings from my roots, I have gained a picture of openness that I previously had not been ready to accept. I had to shed my pre-conceived notions of what a house must look like in order to accept this aesthetic shift. I simply don’t recognize myself at times because for 45 years I have been accustomed to a particular genre and now for some crazy reason I have let go. I am relishing the possibility of something new and possibly greater. One would expect a feeling of insecurity embracing change but ironically this awareness fortifies me with a sense of stability. What a paradox but yet Israel continues to amaze me at the most random times.
Grand windows flank the sides and back of the house illuminating the home with natural light and highlighting the open space. I recently learned in a SHIUR that a house of prayer should always have windows. The reason being if one sees beyond their walls they will see the opportunity in the outside world and they will be inspired to fulfill the obligations in the world in which he lives. Life is about participating and engaging and I feel this house positions us to welcome others and share moments, conversations and intimacy. The lack of defined borders- a MAKOM PATUACH celebrates this inclusiveness and family spirit.
What a privilege it is to work in partnership with an architect who is passionate about his work and can sketch your ideas in a flash and help you articulate how you live on a daily basis. I never considered all the decisions that needed to be made and the intelligence of the order in which they are activated. This creative process has surprisingly been healing for me in allowing me to design our home mindfully of where our family is today and not
something that was or should be. Each choice of material or fabric is helping make the intangible feel solid yet transparent and welcoming all in a GLASS HOUSE!