Villa Saudade | Chris Briffa Architects

A villa built around a 100-year-old cypress tree, within a strict passive-design brief, which included inverting a traditional home layout by placing the sleeping areas on lower levels, and living areas upstairs.

The clients, a family of 3, presented an ambitious program for their limited site, while stressing on its environmental credentials. After discussing the idea of switching the upper areas for living with the lower ones for sleeping, the architects presented a central ventilation yard inducing cross-ventilation in all rooms and a series of spaces on different levels designed around natural light and passive environmental design.

Externally, the house presents itself as a series of sinuous volumes sitting on a concrete-timber base, each hugging the impressive cypress tree which was meticulously protected during construction. The south-facing red block is punctured by narrow openings with retro-inspired railings, each overlooking an intimate yard below. A white windowless volume wraps the main living space, while gold-coloured aluminium louvres clad the central kitchen which overlooks the street.

The internal spaces enjoy different heights according to their function, each allowing a spirited shadow play inside and out. Apertures were placed on all six sides of the building – front, side top and bottom - to bring in reflected light, hidden and unexpected views; such as the ‘floor-window’ in the cantilevered living room that overlooks the pool.

Inspired by modernist volumes and textures, while built around thermal comfort suiting its Mediterranean setting, the timeless Villa Saudade manages to capture a true sense of place.