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"I am a man of details, she is the wizard of composition"

They start and end the day together, living and breathing the field and discussing the private and shared projects even long after the children have gone to bed. A peek behind the scenes, of the designers and architects who are a couple both in personal life and at work

• exterior design
• architecture
• Tu B'Av

Walla! Home and design

As in music, in the world of design and architecture many of the creators prefer to develop a solo career and there are few cases where spouses choose to direct their professional lives to a common path. Still, when you go back in time and recall the work of Ray and Charles Ames that influenced the architecture and design of the furniture or when you look at the iconic projects of the Chinese-British duo Neri & Hu, it is hard not to admire the joint work.

On the occasion of Tu B'Av we found some local stories about couples who chose to take the reciprocity and marital partnership to the workplace as well. They in turn testify that the symbiosis between professional and private does only good and the fact that both parties live and breathe architecture and design 24/7 is a major reason for their success.

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"Every house begins with a common vision that we weave together" - Dan and Hila Israelovich, Israelovich Architects

Dan and Hila Israelewitz, owners of Israelovich Architects, first met in Israel a few weeks after Dan returned to Israel from Scotland, graduating with a degree in architecture, and while she was on semester break: "The click was immediate and it was clear to both that professional bonding only contributes and deepens our relationship," recalls With a smile. "We would spend our days and evenings in cafes, with slices of sketches and plans on the table that Hila worked on just before returning for the next semester."

A few years later they decided to institutionalize the relationship, and opened a joint office that is currently celebrating 24 years of activity: "We started with a crazy drive and a desire to succeed that accompanies us even today and if I look back, the challenges and bumps we experienced only strengthened the relationship and taught us to complement and back each other In extreme situations, "says Hila. "Today every home starts with a shared vision that we weave together. We are both responsible for the planning and the dynamics between us continue long after the lights in the office go out. A moment after the kids fall asleep, we connect to laptops and start brainstorming for hours. We know each other so well we already know Exactly when to stop, separate forces and let the other delve into the content for which he is solely responsible for the project. "

"I am a man of details, she is the wizard of composition" - Dorit Sela and Nitzan Horowitz

Dorit Sela and Nitzan Horowitz met and fell in love while working on a joint project, with each of them already having an extensive independent career of over 15 years. They started collaborating and now work together and separately - she owns an office that specializes in providing architectural and interior design services for apartments and private homes and he owns an interior design office that specializes in apartments, houses and a variety of commercial projects, offices and showrooms of leading companies. They share a spacious common workspace with a wall separating them, and employees of the two offices share a common space.

They testify that in the joint projects each of them has a very specific niche: "I am a man of details and Dorit is the wizard of composition and proportion," Nitzan explains. "She has an excellent ability to examine essays, calculate, plan and put elements in the best way. She is a great conceptualist and I am constantly impressed by her ability to stand on her hind legs and not compromise or give up. Her tenacity leads to amazing products."

Dorit Masada testifies that Nitzan is the one who taught her to listen and not just talk: "Nitzan specializes in details, developing innovation and technology and has a phenomenal ability to deeply understand customer needs. He knows how to stretch the limit, utilize every resource and find unique and emotional combinations so space is different And special.Before our friends work together, all my life I have always preferred to work alone.I did not think there was anyone who could really add or innovate for me.Today I understand how much sharing and listening expand the mind and can greatly enrich the level of work.Each of us has his own office and we choose To embark on a joint journey when we identify a project that we can both together contribute to its success and we will use our abilities better together. "

"Passion has become a profession" - Keren Niv Toledano and Dudu Niv

Interior designer Keren Niv Toledano and her husband Dudu Niv, owners of Milstone and Parqueteam, met during their military service - he is a fighter in the General Staff Reconnaissance Squadron and is the wife of the Intelligence Corps' development unit. While his uncle continued his military career, Keren abroad. About two decades ago, upon becoming a citizen, Dudu entered as a partner with his teammate at Milstone, a company that specializes in the production and import of mosaics and special stone products from all over the world. Over the years, he has become a mainstay in a group of companies that specialize in the production and import of finishing materials for the field of construction. Keren's interior design connection grew stronger about a decade ago, when she built her private home in the village of Oranim, following which she decided to turn her passion into a profession. This is the stage where after decades of pursuing parallel careers in various fields, their professional path has also intersected.

"In conversations between us there is synergy and brainstorming on relevant issues and because I live and breathe the field I have the privilege of being exposed and experiencing my opinion on the materials and items that Milstone collects all over the world and being a pioneer in their use," says Niv Toledano. "In the process, I am also exposed to exhibitions that are not in the mainstream of interior design people but are intended for suppliers. During them I get to know new brands, delve into special technologies and processing styles and discover exotic raw materials and avant-garde suppliers. All these enrich me as a professional and of course my projects. ", Where I make sure to combine exclusive and innovative items and products that give them a unique and different look."