Modern Villa Design and Build > Spain

_project Name: Bettina Villa

_location: Spain

_type: Modern villa

_project type: Design & Build

_brief: Maximize the small plot with a modern home with some more unusual detailing.

_considerations: Incorporate solar panels.

_response: Set amongst a concrete jungle of repetitive abodes, this ultra modern villa design and build project, is scribed into the natural fauna of the site. The house sits on a primarily southwest orientation running parallel to the natural site contours, which includes a small creek that swells during the seasonal rains. The angular shape of the structure shields the interior courtyard and pool area from the surroundings, and provides an oasis of privacy within the dense site. The sculptured roof helps protect the site from the gaze of nearby residents, while incorporating a terrace that delivers panoramic sea views and even more sun exposure. The house could be described as a hybrid, part modern villa, part garden pavilion.

The sculptural ethos of this residence is a deliberate mix of essential design concepts; creating a virtual embrace with the ancient trees, turning one’s back on the unsightly street and the protection of the unique location. The roof gives focus to the angular geometry of the plan as it grows from the asymmetrical tapering alignment of the site, creating dramatic outdoor living spaces. Working closely with the clients (a permanently Costa-based professional couple), the architects sought to create a house based on an intimate dialogue between the building and the landscape, seamlessly linking indoor and outdoor lifestyles. The pool, which wraps around the courtyard and private areas of the villa, acts as a natural contrast to the modernist construction. The waterfall smoothly cascades from roof to pool, and serenades the master suite with the cooling sound of rushing water. The ‘L’ plan allows each space in the house to orient itself towards the courtyard, using the pool as a focal point. The choreography of the house is flexible, allowing for various paths of movement and the outside courtyard acts as a counterpoint to the dynamic plan.