Shirly Kujawski Kenett

Beit Amichai was founded in 1994 as a voluntary association of parents to kids with development problems. This project is an independent initiative of Amichai and it is unique because it seats in the heart of a rich neighborhood in Hod HaSharon.
The aim of this building is to give these unique kids and adults a chance of supervised independent life. The building has 4 units – nursing and therapeutic center for kids and adults, hostel for holidays and weekends and training center.

The main aim in the design was to make an institute that will feel and operate like a home, considering its habitants special needs like easy orientation, indoor and outdoor spaces and human scale. Designing a radial scheme made the orientation easy, the distances short and an open patio. The connection to the surrounding was an important principal to us and this was achieved through a small coffee inside serving the neighbors and let the habitants sell their crafts.