Selling high-end real estate, even in skyscrapers, sometimes requires extra effort to captivate buyers. Designer Arik Ben Simhon, known for crafting luxury apartments down to the smallest details, was tasked with designing a standout duplex penthouse on the 44th floor of the second tower in the Park Bavli project by Yitzhak Tshuva’s Plaza Group.
The penthouse, sold for 43 million shekels ($11 million), exemplifies how thoughtful design can turn a property into a dream home. “You design it completely, hoping someone says, ‘This is my vision,’” Ben Simhon told Ynet in an interview.
Gal Naor, the project’s developer and architect, enlisted Ben Simhon to design the 360-square-meter (3,875-square-foot) duplex with 140 square meters (1,507 square feet) of balconies. “We sat together and imagined what we’d want in such a home,” Ben Simhon explained.
“Despite its sky-high cockpit feel, we aimed for warmth and humanity, avoiding ostentation.” Using natural materials like wood, rattan, hemp and brass in muted tones, they divided the expansive space into distinct, functional zones to create a relaxed atmosphere.
“There’s a risk in designing without specific buyers, as it narrows the pool to those who love both Naor’s architecture and my interior design,” Ben Simhon noted. “But we succeeded—a buyer purchased it as is, furniture included, and we later added a few custom touches.”
The penthouse, shaped like the Hebrew letter “chet,” is surrounded by a large balcony with floor-to-ceiling glass walls offering stunning views of Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean Sea.
The entrance, on the inner side of one “leg” of the structure, leads to a guest bathroom on the right and the main living area on the left, defined by a double-height ceiling. To make the vast space feel intimate, Ben Simhon created human-scale zones with furniture and accessories.
A spacious entryway doubles as a reading nook, marked by a soft straw-colored rug and a brushed brass bench for displaying art. Nearby, a walnut armchair upholstered in crinkled white leather adds warmth, avoiding the sterile look of glossy finishes.
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The living area features a dual-facing white linen sofa with cognac-leather bookshelves as armrests, bridging the entryway and lounge. A longer, deeper sofa faces it, paired with two dark walnut armchairs and a glass-topped coffee table designed to showcase collectibles.
Two oversized ficus plants bring greenery indoors, while long white pleated curtains soften the light from the massive windows. Beyond the lounge, a large dining area holds a wooden table with built-in shelves for decorative items, surrounded by rattan-backed chairs.
Nearby, translucent metal-and-glass cabinets flank the entrance to a reinforced room, used as a wine cellar in peacetime, with stairs leading to the second floor.
The kitchen, sourced from Tollmans, features high oak cabinets with pewter handles and a vibrant, patterned island housing a sink and stove. A smaller hidden workspace tucks behind sliding cabinet doors.
Past the kitchen, a cozier family nook with a standard-height ceiling includes soft armchairs, a lush green plant and a wooden “totem” structure with randomly arranged metal shelves holding decor.
The bedroom, with fishbone-patterned wood flooring, feels intimate due to lower ceilings and walls separating it from the open-plan areas. A walk-in closet leads to the master suite, where an iconic bed by the Campana brothers for Edra, handwoven from golden steel threads, creates a luxurious, floating effect.
Gold accents reappear in twin vanity tables, a wall-mounted artwork, and the adjacent bathroom, where a gilded ladder leans against a modern freestanding tub and a wood-paneled sink cabinet.
Despite the opulence, the bathroom lacks a window, a nod to the planning constraints Naor, Tshuva’s daughter, navigated. Beyond Park Bavli, Naor’s design credits include transforming New York’s iconic Plaza Hotel, acquired by Tshuva’s Elad Group in 2004, into luxury residences.
Residents enjoy a staffed lobby, swimming pool, gym, guest salon, business lounge, residents’ club, parking and gardens. Built on the site of the former Givat Amal neighborhood, the project still has units available for purchase, offering a rare chance to own a piece of this meticulously designed luxury.