Have you ever admired beautiful homes, unique plans, exceptional designs, and intriguing materials, and wondered who is behind them? Who is the creator? What are their inspirations?
Dorit Sela's unique world, specializing in architecture, planning, and interior design of apartments and private homes, is diverse and primarily artistic. The most important concept for her is proportions, with sculpture being an essential part of who she is.
Sela's firm, founded in 2000, merges architecture and interior design, according to her concept of TOTAL DESIGN. The office, located in Bnei Brak, is shared with her husband, designer Nitzan Horowitz. Each of them has four employees, and together they achieve a synergy greater than the sum of their parts.
One of the key concepts in her work is proportions. No matter how beautiful a space is, it must be proportional. "This is a value I deeply explore in each of my projects," explains Sela.
"I have always loved spatial art. My late father was a contractor and paint
"Sculpture is a part of me. I've always loved sculpting. Sculpture is spatial art, just like a house. The perspective is three-dimensional. Looking at a sculpture in space is the same as looking at a house – its location, size, and space. Only in the last year or two has sculpture become a serious and central hobby in my life. At the shiva of a client of Nitzan's (her husband), I was exposed to amazing sculptures she had created. I was thrilled. She recommended I visit the studio where she sculpts in a basement in Bnei Brak. Coincidentally, a talented contractor I work with and highly respect, Dvir Arditi, also came there. After a few months, I left the basement studio and continued sculpting in my office in Bnei Brak, in the meeting room. Together with Dvir, we established a kind of private studio. We meet at the office once a week, sculpt, cast, and mostly enjoy."
The geometric architecture, carved volumes, and use of noble materials in shades of sand, earth, and stone give the house a protective atmosphere. The monochromatic palette and absence of color enhance the space, allowing a strong expression of light, shadows, and air. The most appropriate alternative for the plot was a structure rich in folds that opens harmoniously, gradually, and almost imperceptibly. The structure rises to a height of 7 meters, with a geometric shelter covering and connecting the layers organically, linking all parts of the house. Near the entrance hall, a monumental and sculptural staircase leads to the children's rooms and the master bedroom. Its curved shape was designed by freehand drawing, resulting from the desire to combine geometric and amorphous lines. Like the house's walls, the staircase's construction is coated with Arava plaster in a sandy hue, blending well with the various natural materials in the space, including stone and wood.