Concrete Nature
When asked to picture a villa set in the lush landscape of Bali, a raw concrete structure may not spring immediately to mind. Then again, Caceres + Tous, the architects of this house, make a point of pursuing challenging ideas which follow emotions, functionality and the landscape instead of following trends.
This 325 square metre villa comprises three standalone pavilions in a 800 square metre plot. The design offers increasing levels of privacy as you move inside: you would go from the garage, TV room and guest bedroom in the first building, past the pool and garden to the main building with its vast open plan living area, before reaching the final pavilion which contains the three main bedrooms. The buildings are open-sided concrete structures, with sliding floor-to-ceiling windows to create an inside-outside living experience. Sliding bamboo screens create a sheltered verandah as well as providing shade.
The raw concrete structures blend surprisingly well with the surrounding vegetation. Dark green leaves appear vibrant against the light grey surfaces, the dappled sunlight through the trees echoed in the board-mark patterns of the concrete. The interior features plenty of natural wood and textiles, the warmth and textures of which complement the coolness of the concrete harmoniously.
This is a house which feels so at ease with the surrounding nature that it appears to disappear into the tropical landscape; giving a whole new meaning to the term "concrete jungle".
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Product Inspiration
An industrial look goes surprisingly well with natural vegetation. Try the Iron Maiden sofa from Diesel Living, the Mix coffee table from Lyon Beton and the Smokestack fireplace from Frederik Roije.
Use lights in natural materials to add warmth to cold spaces. The Totem suspension light from LZF, the Hashira floor lamp from Menu and the Scraplight Ausi table light from Graypants are good examples.
The Sphere vase and Duck big tray from 101 Copenhagen are sculptural looking accessories which would look great against the concrete. For a dash of greenery why not try the Kentia palm plant from Grace & Thorn?
