Close to nature

One of the challenges when deciding to build a new home on an isolated or pristine piece of land is finding a design solution that maintains the beauty and integrity of the area.

A desire for total peace and quiet, well away from the hustle and bustle of a busy tourist destination, drove the design of this holiday home built by architect Alessandro Landi for himself and his family.

However, Landi recognised that to show his respect for the local landscape, his plans and design for the property had to blend with the surroundings as much as possible.

"Clearly, during the building process itself there was some impact on the land, but now that the work is completed, the plants have grown again and the house has integrated into the landscape. From the distance, you can barely make out the roofline above the forest, and the house is almost invisible. I believe we have succeeded in merging our modern lifestyle with the natural setting," says Landi.

"My intention was to design a house that was modern, clean, functional and secure against the local weather, which can be very wet and stormy. I also wanted to make the most of our beautiful setting on a cliff top with views of ocean and forest in every direction," he says.

The steeply sloping site faces the sea, so Landi decided the best approach was to cut out a small flat area for the main living spaces, while at the same time building so the house steps down through two levels, following the natural contours of the land. This had the benefit of ensuring all the rooms in the house could be positioned to enjoy views of the sea and forest.

The garage is at the lowest point of the house, its concrete roof topped with a lawn that opens off the living area and swimming pool one level above. A flight of granite steps leads from the car parking area up to the front door and into the large, glazed foyer of the house.

The kitchen is on the same level as the foyer, the uppermost floor in the house, and the indoor and outdoor living areas are a few stairs lower.

To maximise the views, the spaces are all as transparent as possible. The living area has glazing on three sides, opening it up to vistas in almost every direction. Elsewhere, Landi has used mirrors and coloured-back glass to reflect the outlook. Two of these walls open up through sliding glass doors suspended from a track along the ceiling, allowing the granite-tiled floor to flow uninterrupted out to the terrace, and large eaves are an extension of the internal ceiling. On the side of the house exposed to the stormy, westerly wind, the glass is fixed.

"When the doors are fully open, there are no tracks in the floor or anything to indicate whether you are inside or on the terrace," says the architect.

The swimming pool butts up to the terrace, so images in the water of the sun and sky reflect on the ceiling of the living area, helping to bring these spaces closer together.

Views can also be enjoyed from the master bedroom, which is along a mirrored hallway past the kitchen. An outdoor staircase at one end of the terrace leads down to a separate area containing two bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms. The concrete terrace on the upper level forms the ceiling of one of these bedrooms.

"Because the site is fairly compact, our design had to be condensed to accommodate everything we needed. Although the bedrooms are quite small, the use of mirrors and large areas of glass makes them appear airier and brings in plenty of natural light.

A limited palette of materials stainless steel, timber, glass, stone and mirror keeps the interior uncluttered, simple and modern.

"In addition, we have increased the sense of space by blending the various areas into each other," says Landi.

Story by: Mary Webb