Designed for the Climate First
Deep overhangs and a cross-ventilated plan do most of the cooling. Air conditioning is there for the worst of the afternoon, not for the whole day.
Every opening was modelled against the sun path before it was drawn on plan, which is why the deepest overhangs sit on the west elevation rather than symmetrically around the house.
Two Ideas Behind the Layout
The plan reads simply from the outside, but two deliberate choices sit underneath it.
Planting as Structure
The garden was drawn at the same time as the building, so the planting screens the neighbours rather than a boundary wall doing it.
A Pool You Can Reach from Any Room
Every ground-floor room has a direct threshold onto the pool deck, so getting into the water is never more than a few steps from wherever a guest happens to be.
Built for Villa Rental Use
Because the villa also operates as a short-stay rental, several choices were made specifically to hold up under guest turnover.
- Sealed natural stone flooring throughout wet and dry areas
- Louvred timber screens that guests can adjust for privacy
- A covered outdoor lounge usable in both sun and light rain
- Low-maintenance tropical planting selected with the on-site gardener
How It Performs Day to Day
Occupancy data from the first year showed guests running the air conditioning for under four hours a day on average, well below what the owners had budgeted for.
Guests keep telling us the house feels open even with the doors shut. That was the whole point.