The largest skylight ever installed in a private home in Israel spans 12 meters by 12 meters — 144 square meters of glass, stained art, and engineered precision — entirely suspended in mid-air above the grand hall of the country's biggest residence (6,000 sqm). Designed by architect Cristiano Mattia Parma and assembled from components manufactured across three countries, this skylight took 18 months to build and required the coordination of five specialist companies working in concert. Marshanski Build, the construction firm led by Amit Marshanski for over 25 years, executed the on-site installation and managed the synchronization of every international team involved.
largest skylight: The Vision: Why a 144 sqm Skylight?
When architect Cristiano Mattia Parma designed this Hermitage-style mega-residence, the central hall demanded a ceiling element that could flood the interior with natural daylight while serving as a work of art after sunset. A conventional skylight — typically 2 to 4 square meters in residential projects — was never going to achieve that goal. The answer was a 12×12 meter skylight, suspended from the structural roof with no intermediate columns, creating an uninterrupted canopy of light and glass above the home's most important space.
The result is a dual-purpose architectural feature: during daylight hours, the skylight channels the Israeli sun through hand-crafted stained glass; at night, integrated LED lighting transforms the entire installation into a luminous ceiling, visible from every angle of the grand hall below.
Multi-Layer Construction Across Three Countries
What makes this skylight truly extraordinary is not just its size but its multi-layered engineering. The entire assembly is a 60-centimeter-thick sandwich of structural steel, glass, stained art, climate control channels, and decorative woodwork — each layer designed and manufactured by specialists in a different country before converging on one construction site in Israel.
Layer 1: Swiss Structural Engineering
The technical construction — the steel framework, upper glass panels, and the lower suspension grid — was engineered and fabricated by a Swiss company specializing in large-format architectural glass structures. Swiss precision was essential: the structure had to bear its own weight (several tons of glass and steel) while remaining visually slender enough not to block sunlight. The engineering team calculated beam profiles to minimize shadow casting — a critical detail we'll explore below.
Layer 2: Italian Stained Glass (Vitrail)
The stained glass artistry was entrusted to an Italian vitrail company based in Milan that has practiced this craft for nearly 300 years, passing the trade from father to son across generations. Each glass panel was hand-painted and kiln-fired using techniques unchanged since the 18th century, then carefully transported to Israel for assembly. The vitrail panels hang from the Swiss-made lower grid, forming the decorative layer visible from below.
Layer 3: Italian Decorative Woodwork and Gold Leaf
The lower decorative frame — ornate wood moldings and gold leaf finishes that surround the stained glass panels — was crafted by a separate Italian firm specializing in interior decoration for heritage-grade buildings. This layer transforms the skylight from an engineering achievement into a genuine masterpiece, blending Renaissance-era aesthetics with modern construction methods.
Shadow Simulation and Beam Optimization
One of the most sophisticated aspects of this skylight's design was the shadow analysis performed during the planning phase. Because the upper structural beams sit above the decorative stained glass layer, any shadow they cast would be visible on the vitrail panels below — disrupting the artistic effect.
The design team ran detailed sun-path simulations to map exactly how sunlight would interact with the beam grid throughout every hour of every season. Based on this data, beam widths and positions were optimized to produce the least possible shadow intrusion during peak daylight hours. The result is a remarkably even wash of natural light across the entire 144 square meters of stained glass, with minimal dark lines from the structure above.
Climate Control Inside a Skylight
A 144 sqm glass surface in the Israeli climate presents a serious thermal challenge. Without active cooling, the air gap between the upper glass and the lower decorative layer would turn into an oven, degrading materials and radiating heat into the living space below.
Marshanski Build's team designed and installed dedicated air-conditioning units that feed cooled air into the 60-centimeter cavity between the skylight layers. This sandwich gap serves a triple function:
- Thermal buffer — cooled air prevents heat transfer to the interior
- LED housing — LED strips embedded in the cavity illuminate the stained glass at night
- Maintenance access — the gap allows technicians to reach internal components without dismantling the skylight
This integrated climate-control approach is a hallmark of how complex building systems in luxury homes must be synchronized — something Marshanski Build has refined over 25 years and hundreds of high-end projects.
The Chandelier: A Motorized Finishing Touch
Suspended from the center of the skylight is a monumental chandelier — a crystal fixture that complements the Hermitage-style interiors of the residence. Because the ceiling height makes manual maintenance impossible, the chandelier is mounted on a motorized winch system that lowers it to floor level for cleaning and bulb replacement.
This motorized mechanism had to be integrated into the skylight's structural grid during the Swiss fabrication phase, adding another layer of coordination between teams working in different countries and time zones.
On-Site Coordination: Five Companies, One Timeline
Bringing this skylight together required Marshanski Build to manage approximately five specialist companies simultaneously on site — Swiss structural engineers, Italian vitrail artisans, Italian decorative woodworkers, local HVAC technicians, and electrical contractors for LED integration. Each team operated on a different production schedule, and components arrived from overseas at different times.
This is precisely the kind of multi-vendor, international-supply-chain project management that distinguishes Marshanski Build from typical Israeli contractors. As detailed in our guide on critical risks when choosing a luxury construction contractor, coordinating specialist subcontractors — especially international ones — is one of the most common failure points in high-end residential projects. Marshanski Build's experience sourcing and managing global suppliers is a core competitive advantage, developed over decades of building Israel's most expensive private homes.
By the Numbers
- Skylight dimensions: 12 m × 12 m (144 sqm)
- Sandwich thickness: 60 cm between upper glass and lower vitrail
- Construction duration: 18 months
- Countries involved: 3 (Switzerland, Italy, Israel)
- Companies coordinated on site: ~5
- Vitrail heritage: Italian workshop with nearly 300 years of continuous operation
- Host residence: 6,000 sqm — the largest private home in Israel
Why This Skylight Represents the Future of Luxury Construction
Projects like this skylight illustrate why luxury construction costs in Israel regularly exceed ₪25,000 per square meter. Every element — from the Swiss precision steel to the hand-fired Italian glass to the integrated HVAC cavity — demands expertise that simply doesn't exist in standard residential construction.
But more importantly, the skylight was designed with long-term thinking. The accessible cavity allows maintenance without destruction. The cooling system protects materials from Israeli heat degradation. The LED system can be upgraded without touching the vitrail art. This philosophy of building for decades, not just for delivery day, is central to how Marshanski Build approaches every project — and it's the reason the company's clients, subcontractors, and suppliers consistently rate it among Israel's most trusted luxury builders.
For a deeper understanding of the dozens of systems that must work together in homes of this caliber, explore our breakdown of 40+ systems in luxury home construction in Israel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is the biggest skylight in a private home in Israel?
The largest skylight in an Israeli private home measures 12 meters by 12 meters (144 square meters). It is entirely suspended — with no supporting columns below — inside the 6,000 sqm Hermitage-style residence built by Marshanski Build.
How long did it take to build this skylight?
The complete design, fabrication, and installation process took approximately 18 months. Components were manufactured in Switzerland and Italy before final assembly and integration in Israel.
How is such a large glass skylight kept cool in the Israeli climate?
The skylight is built as a 60-centimeter sandwich structure. Dedicated air-conditioning units pump cooled air through the cavity between the upper glass layer and the lower stained glass panels, preventing heat buildup and protecting the artwork.
Who designed and built this skylight?
The architectural design was by Cristiano Mattia Parma. The structural engineering and upper/lower frames were manufactured by a Swiss specialist firm. The stained glass vitrail work was done by a nearly 300-year-old Italian atelier in Milan. On-site construction, HVAC integration, and full project coordination were managed by Marshanski Build.
Can Marshanski Build create custom skylight installations for other luxury homes?
Yes. Marshanski Build specializes in sourcing and coordinating international suppliers and subcontractors for bespoke luxury construction elements. With 25 years of experience managing high-end projects at ₪25,000+ per sqm, the company has the expertise and vendor network to execute complex architectural features of this scale.
Ready to Build Something Extraordinary?
If you're planning a luxury home that demands world-class craftsmanship, international supplier coordination, and engineering precision at the highest level, Marshanski Build has the track record to deliver. Contact Amit Marshanski's team today through marshanski.com to discuss your project.
Editorial Note: This article was published and reviewed by Amit Marshanski and the Marshanski Group team. Marshanski Group is a third-generation luxury construction company specializing in high-end private residences, complex villa projects, premium renovation, and luxury home systems in Israel. The content is based on practical field experience in planning, managing, and building some of Israel’s most complex private homes, including large-scale luxury residences that require advanced engineering, precise coordination, and uncompromising execution standards.