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wood and plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands
CategoriesArchitecture

wood and plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands

By Zarkon Group,

Villa K340’s Split-Level Design traces the undulating terrain

 

Architect Francois Verhoeven constructs Villa K340 in Vroondaal, a natural and recreational area near the Hague, aiming to blend modernity with nature. The region encompasses several designated residential complexes, such as ‘De Hoogte’ where the house stands. The area allows modern villas to be built in a landscape of artificially constructed hills.

 

K340’s design aligns with the concept of a split-level layout that runs along the contours of the undulating terrain. The entrance rests at a lower elevation while the living areas perch atop the hill, forging a dynamic interplay between architecture and landscape. The project features a juxtaposition of raw, natural materials against sleek design elements. Wooden components and lime plaster, contrast the facade’s clean divisions and slender aluminum window frames. Wooden cladding extends in front of windows and along the front facade, creating a robust silhouette. In the evening, light shines through the gaps of the cladding elements from within the villa.

wooden cladding and lime plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands
all images courtesy of Francois Verhoeven Architect

 

 

wooden cladding coats the house creating a robust exterior

 

A large pivot door merges into the facade when closed, offering a sense of privacy and structural delineation at the entrance area. A central staircase and adjoining outdoor spaces provide views of the villa’s various levels. The design team attends to meticulous detailing to ensure fluid transitions between interior and exterior spaces, concealing the window frames behind cladding and plasterwork. The wooden facades cover up the roof edges and blend gracefully with set-back windows, extending the main shape from the top to ground level. Floor-to-ceiling windows free of mullions and thresholds are incorporated into the interior, integrating into the walls.

wooden cladding and lime plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands
the design of Villa K340 aims to blend modernity with nature

 

 

Francois Verhoeven inserts eco-Friendly Features in Villa K340

 

Aiming for a sustainable design, the project features triple glazing, a geothermal heat pump, CO2-controlled ventilation, and strategically designed overhangs that provide shade in the summer and allow plentiful sunlight in during the winter. Solar panels, discreetly set behind the elevated roof edge, keep the villa’s energy consumption to a minimum. The villa’s garage, thoughtfully integrated into the architectural design, features a green roof. The roof, the surrounding organic garden and pond are designed and landscaped by Biotooptuinen and complement the modern design, enhancing the house’s overall aesthetic appeal.

wooden cladding and lime plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands
the project features a split-level layout

wooden cladding and lime plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands
the entrance rests at a lower elevation while the living areas perch atop the hill

wooden cladding and lime plaster cover the solid form of villa k340 in the netherlands
the surrounding organic garden and pond complement the modern design

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Otherworlds transforms Goan villa into restaurant that “celebrates chance encounters”
CategoriesInterior Design

Otherworlds transforms Goan villa into restaurant that “celebrates chance encounters”

By Zarkon Group,

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into the Terttulia restaurant and bar.

Housed in a Portuguese-style villa, Terttulia Goa is defined by a central island bar informed by the balcão – an outdoor porch with built-in seats that serves as the entrance to a typical Goan home.

The restaurant takes its name from the Spanish word tertulia, meaning a social gathering with literary or artistic associations.

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into a restaurant and bar for Indian chain Terttulia.
Intimate two-seater booths flank the bar

“The balcão is a crucial part of a Goan home as this is where one spends most of their time,” Otherworlds founder Arko told Dezeen.

“At a time of rampant urbanisation, all houses tend to become very self-contained, private and detached, separated away from the city or the neighbourhood,” he continued.

“The balcão becomes all the more important at such a time as it is built with the idea of reinforcing the kinship between the house and the neighbourhood.”

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into a restaurant and bar for Indian chain Terttulia.
Terttulia Goa is defined by a central bar informed by the balcão

Multidisciplinary studio Otherworlds overhauled the villa, which it describes as a “formerly enclosed shell”, by removing some of the external walls and extending the dining area into an outdoor porch.

This area is sheltered by a large bamboo canopy with elliptical openings that diffuse the natural light, transforming the space throughout the day.

The canopy is intended to mitigate the region’s extreme weather conditions; sheltering customers from the rain during monsoon season and providing a semi-open space with plenty of air circulation during the hot summer months.

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into a restaurant and bar for Indian chain Terttulia.
Low-hung lamps add a sense of “whimsy”

Otherworlds designed the bar so that customers face each other, rather than facing the wall, in a bid to “encourage chance encounters”.

“The intention was to create an immersive atmospheric experience that inspires a feeling of being in a tropical, lush outdoor space under an overgrown natural canopy,” said Arko.

A metal and fluted glass structure hung from the building’s external walls floats above the white marble bartop and holds the arc-shaped lamps that light the intimate two-seater booths flanking the bar.

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into a restaurant and bar for Indian chain Terttulia.
A bamboo canopy was inserted to mitigate the region’s extreme weather conditions

At night, the restaurant is lit by low-hung sinuous lamps informed by sweeping stems that are intended to add a sense of “whimsy” to the interior.

Adhering to Terttulia’s signature green and white colour scheme, the studio opted for a palette of locally sourced materials, including the green-pigmented hand-cast concrete that it used to create the restaurant’s flooring.

“The green pigmented hand-cast concrete floor, largely termed as IPS [Indian Patent stone], is found in most places in the country and is also used to finish the balcão in all Goan homes,” Arko explained.

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into a restaurant and bar for Indian chain Terttulia.
Terttulia Goa is housed in a revamped 1980s villa

Otherworlds worked with local workshop Jyamiti & Sea to create ovoid terrazzo accents that are scattered in various places across the floor and walls.

The studio achieved what it terms “the perfect green” using a mixture of white and grey cement and green oxide pigment.

Local design studio Otherworlds drew on the traditional Goan balcão when converting a 1980s villa in Panjim, India, into a restaurant and bar for Indian chain Terttulia.
Otherworlds opted for a palette of locally sourced materials

“The tricky bit with coloured concrete is achieving the exact shade [because] once the cement sets and is polished, the result is quite different from the initial wet mix,” said Arko.

“The process required numerous iterations and experiments to get the right mixture of materials that would yield the correct shade.”

The green cement is offset by dark wood derived from the matti, Goa’s state tree.

“We imagined the restaurant to be an extension of the house and while being part of it, [we also wanted it to] feel like a part of the city.”

Other projects that take a contemporary approach to Indian design traditions include a rammed-earth family home in Rajasthan designed by Sketch Design Studio and a Rain Studio-designed “native yet contemporary” home in Chennai.

The photography is by Suryan and Dang. 



Reference

India Mahdavi enlivens Rome’s Villa Medici with bold geometric furnishings
CategoriesInterior Design

India Mahdavi enlivens Rome’s Villa Medici with bold geometric furnishings

By Zarkon Group,

Architect India Mahdavi has updated six rooms within Rome’s 16th-century Villa Medici to feature an array of contemporary and colourful furniture.

The intervention comes as part of a three-year project called Re-enchanting Villa Medici, which was launched in 2022 to amplify the presence of contemporary design and craft within the Renaissance palace.

India Mahdavi revamps Villa Medici in Rome
India Mahdavi has furnished six rooms inside the Villa Medici including the Chamber of the Muses (above) and the Lili Boulanger room (top image)

While the first phase of the project saw fashion brand Fendi revamp Villa Medici’s salons, Mahdavi was asked to freshen up rooms on the building’s piano nobile or “noble level”, where the main reception and the bedrooms are housed.

She worked on a total of six spaces including the Chamber of the Elements, Chamber of the Muses and Chamber of the Lovers of Jupiter, which once served as an apartment to Cardinal Ferdinando de Medici.

India Mahdavi revamps Villa Medici in Rome
Several of Mahdavi’s Bishop stools were integrated into the design

The three other rooms – titled Debussy, Galileo and Lili Boulanger – were formerly used as guest quarters.

In the Chamber of the Muses, which is topped with a dramatic coffered ceiling, Mahdavi inserted sea-green editions of her Bishop stool alongside an enormous hand-tufted rug by French workshop Manufacture d’Aubusson Robert Four.

Its geometric design features green, purple, red, and rosy pink shapes, recalling the flowerbeds that appear across the villa’s sprawling gardens.

India Mahdavi revamps Villa Medici in Rome
Chairs were reupholstered with eye-catching raspberry-hued velvet

Only subtle alterations were made to the Chamber of the Elements and Chamber of the Lovers of Jupiter, where Mahdavi has repositioned an existing bed to sit against an expansive wall tapestry.

Some of the chairs here were also reupholstered in raspberry-hued velvet.

A cluster of bright yellow sofas and armchairs sourced from the French conservation agency Mobilier National was incorporated into the Lili Boulanger room, named after the first female composer to take up residence at the villa.

The furnishings sit on top of a blush-pink rug by French manufacturer La Manufacture Coglin and are accompanied by octagonal tables designed by Mahdavi.

India Mahdavi revamps Villa Medici in Rome
The Lili Boulanger room has a grouping of bright yellow sofas and armchairs

A Renaissance-style four-poster bed was added to the room named after astronomer Galileo Galilei, who reportedly visited Villa Medici twice in his lifetime.

The bed’s tiered wooden base and headboard were inlaid with graphic, berry-toned marquetry by cabinetmaker Craman Lagarde. The pattern, which also appears on the curtains that enclose the bed, takes cues from the design of the villa’s flooring.

India Mahdavi revamps Villa Medici in Rome
A grand four-poster bed is inlaid with berry-tone marquetry

A similar bed can be seen in the room named after French composer Claude Debussy. But this time, the marquetry done by French furnituremaker Pascal Michalon is executed in more “acidulous” colours that Mahdavi said reminded her of Debussy’s piano piece Clair de lune.

Mahdavi has lent her distinctive colour-rich aesthetic to a number of significant venues. Recent examples include the lavish London restaurant Sketch, to which she added sunshine-yellow and golden furnishings.

The photography is by François Halard.



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wooden hedge facade enfolds villa on the coastline of stockholm
CategoriesArchitecture

wooden hedge facade enfolds villa on the coastline of stockholm

By Zarkon Group,

‘Fenced Maximalism’ stands on a coastal area of Sweden

 

Swedish architectural studio Byggfenomen takes over a domestic villa program congested inside a fence-like facade located in a coastal area of Stockholm. Standing on the eastern waterfront region of the capital, the residence is surrounded by weathered pine trees that divide the landscape plane into vertical strips while the low and harsh ground cover gradually transforms into naked bedrock towards the waterline, a typical disposition of seafront topography. Emerging from the dense vegetation, the wooden cladding enclosing the structure expands vertically fusing with the woodland and leaving specific external surfaces uncovered. The openings set up glass frames overlooking the scenery. Deviating from conventional villa-type structures spreading the program on the site, ‘Fenced Maximalism’ assembles all functions within the defined plan, namely the lawn, flowerbed, pond, gravel, breakfast terrace, evening terrace, conservatory, social space, guestroom, bedroom, bathroom, wine cellar, kitchen.

wooden hedge facade enfolds villa on the coastline of stockholm
all images by Henrik Nielsen

 

 

The layout spreads ten levels treated with specific materiality

 

To avoid the elimination of trees and plantation on the site, the plot condenses all indoor and outdoor functions inside a strictly defined plan forming a fence structure that applies wood cladding throughout the exterior. The double-skin facade blends with the surrounding nature allowing open views from specific parts where the hedge subsides and through the vertical slits of the sheltering formation. The project by Stockholm-based studio Byggfenomen distributes ten levels laying out each zone on the plan treated with specific materiality.

 

The planes overlap and connect in a spiral-like circulation and the intersections are emphasized in different ways to allow sensory negotiations between the environments. The different layers of the construction present convenient spaces and features, such as the ‘Bacchus’ temple that shapes a folding framework stored beneath the building cooling the wine naturally before it is elevated into the common dining area. Another sufficient element is the rainwater collector holding the water on one floor and draining it as a natural shower in the pond below.

wooden hedge facade enfolds villa on the coastline of stockholm
the wooden cladding enclosing the structure expands vertically merging with the woodland

wooden hedge facade enfolds villa on the coastline of stockholm
the double-skin facade allows light to pass through the vertical slits of the sheltering formation

Reference

Studio8 transforms 1930s Hangzhou villa into hotpot restaurant
CategoriesInterior Design

Studio8 transforms 1930s Hangzhou villa into hotpot restaurant

By Zarkon Group,

Promotion: Chinese architecture practice Studio8 has renovated the interior of a 1930s villa in Hangzhou, China, transforming it into a hotpot restaurant and cocktail bar that celebrates the building’s history.

The Gud restaurant and bar includes a roof terrace, dining space on the upper floors and bar on the ground floor.

The 496-square-metre space occupies a three-storey building that was built in 1939, as well as a later-built extension and the ground floor of an adjacent property.

Interior of the cocktail bar at Gud restaurant by Studio8
Antique hotpots are displayed throughout the interior

Although the villa had previously undergone a number of renovations, when designing the restaurant Studio8 aimed to maintain the building’s original features, including the street-facing facade.

Service areas, including the kitchen, restroom and staircase, are located in the extension and adjacent building, leaving the full space of the historic villa for restaurant dining and the cocktail bar.

Interior of the cocktail bar at Gud restaurant by Studio8
The cocktail bar features red velvet seating

The Gud restaurant specialises in hotpots, which lead Studio8 to study the culture of the cuisine and introduce aspects of it into the interior design, creating a “museum-like experience”.

The project’s design was informed by three stages of making and experiencing hotpots – the heat from the fire that cooks it, water as the main medium of the food, and the elevation of the flavour coming from the steam.

Studio8 used the themes of “heat, medium and elevation of flavour” to influence the function, materials, textures and light used in each space.

Antique hotpots at the Gud restaurant by Studio8
The restaurant interior was informed by hotpot cuisine

The cocktail bar on the ground floor of the historic villa was designed to be a lively space. It features a red floor, a fireplace, structural columns that display antique hotpots and red velvet sofas.

Part of the original brick wall was left exposed and a recessed mirrored ceiling at the perimeter of the room makes the space feel larger and more luxurious.

Restaurant at Gud by Studio8
The interior nods to the building’s history

“As the first element, heat is a fundamental design factor on the first floor, where human interactions were planned out accordingly,” said Studio8.

“The aim was to create a warmer and more welcoming space at the beginning of the hotpot experience, where people and friends meet first, have a cocktail and wait for everyone to arrive.”

Glass-brick niche in the Gud restaurant by Studio8
The restaurant features glass-brick niches

On the upper floor is the restaurant’s main dining area, which features glass-brick niches in the walls where windows used to be.

At the sides of the dining area, Studio8 opened up the ceiling to expose the wooden roof structure.

Private dining area at the Gud restaurant by Studio8
The third floor includes a private dining room

“After passing through the heated cocktail bar, comes the second element, water – the medium that reunites all elements,” said Studio8.

“Family and friends are seated together in groups around the round tables on the second floor for the food experience, a process that the architects relate to water reconstructing the atoms of the ingredients.”

Terrace at the Gud restaurant by Studio8
A roof terrace overlooks the city

The building’s original timber staircase was removed and a new enclosed staircase that connects the three floor levels was added in the patio area.

The staircase has double glazed U-shaped glass partitions along its floors with a “lighting system to represent the continuous energy flow transition”.

A terrace and private dining room are located on the third floor of the villa.

Staircase designed by Studio8
A new enclosed staircase that connects the three floor levels was added in the patio area.

“Here, the customers are reconnected with the city and able to look at it from different heights and angles, corresponding to the last element, steam, the elevation of taste,” said Studio8.

“The simply designed interior shows off the geometric shape of the attic, while benches on the roof allow customers to have a more exclusive interaction with the city.”

Metal staircase designed by Studio8
The staircase has double glazed U-shaped glass partitions along its floors

Studio8 is currently working on a number of renovation projects that aim to respect the history of the building, including the transformation of hotels and restaurants.

The photography is by Sven Zhang.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Studio8 as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

Reference

Fendi introduces modern furnishings to Rome’s historic Villa Medici
CategoriesInterior Design

Fendi introduces modern furnishings to Rome’s historic Villa Medici

By Zarkon Group,

Italian fashion brand Fendi has teamed up with the French Academy in Rome to refresh six salons inside the Villa Medici – a 16th-century Renaissance palace set amongst sprawling gardens in the heart of Rome.

The villa has been home to the French Academy in Rome since 1803, and today is used by the French art institute to host creative residencies and public art programmes.

Petit Salon, home of the French Academy in Rome
Fendi has introduced new furnishings to Rome’s Villa Medici

The building’s salons had not been significantly modified in some 20 years, leading the academy to initiate a revamp in the hopes of establishing a better connection between the centuries-old rooms and contemporary design.

Fendi was brought on board to consult on Villa Medici’s interior scheme alongside Mobilier National – France’s national furniture collection and conservation agency.

The project also saw the academy call in French architect Pierre-Antoine Gatier to restore some decorative features of the Grand Salon, while conservation specialist Bobin Tradition carried out preservation work on the building’s existing wall hangings.

Salon des Pensionnaires in Villa Medici, home of the French Academy in Rome
Umbrella pine trees informed the shape of the table in the Salon des Pensionnaires

Fendi’s artistic director of couture and womenswear Kim Jones worked with Silvia Venturini Fendi, the brand’s artistic director of accessories and menswear, as well as Mobilier National to curate a selection of modern French and Italian furnishings for the salons.

Many of the pieces were pulled from Fendi Casa, the brand’s homeware collection, and chosen for their ability to slot in amongst the building’s existing heritage pieces and classical artworks.

Salon Bleu, home of the French Academy in Rome
Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance’s tables for the Salon Bleu mimic ancient Roman paving slabs

The focal point of the Petit Salon is now a huge modular sofa by Milan-based designer Toan Nguyen, upholstered in a rust-orange fabric that matches the colour of the walls.

Over in the Salon des Pensionnaires is a table by French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance. This is supported by spindly black legs, which resemble the branches of Rome’s ubiquitous umbrella pine trees.

The slightly moodier feel of this room is complemented by grey-blue sofas and armchairs by Italian designer Chiara Andreatti.

Duchaufour-Lawrance was also responsible for crafting the tables found in the villa’s Salon de Lecture and Salon Bleu, shaped to look like the time-worn paving slabs of the Appian Way – one of the oldest roads that lead to Rome.

The Grand Salon houses rows of the sinuous Belleville chair, created by French design pair Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra.

Salon de Musique in Villa Medici, home of the French Academy in Rome
Contemporary chairs were added to the building’s Salon de Musique

Both here and in the other salons, Fendi and Mobilier National introduced tapestries from well-known artists including Louise Bourgeois, Sheila Hicks and Sonia Delaunay.

Acoustic panels by Devialet were tucked behind selected artworks to discreetly enhance the sound quality inside the villa.

Grand Salon, home of the French Academy in Rome
Seats by the Bouroullec brothers line the Grand Salon

Over the past few years, high-end fashion designers have become increasingly involved with interior design projects.

In London, Roksanda Ilincic and Bella Freud applied their respective styles to two separate penthouse apartments, while Jasquemus founder Simon Porte Jacquemus has devised a summery interior scheme for a restaurant in Paris.

The photography is by Silvia Rivoltella.



Reference

Villa FZ: The Extraordinary Materials Behind Italy’s Most Beautiful New Residence
CategoriesArchitecture

Villa FZ: The Extraordinary Materials Behind Italy’s Most Beautiful New Residence

By Zarkon Group,

Tucked away in the province of Ferrara lies a private residence designed, built and decorated by a collaborative team of architects and stoneware experts. The visionary Sergio Bizzarro, Principal of Studio Bizzarro & Partners, worked with architect Simone Savio to realize the design. Meanwhile, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti and Iris Ceramica were brought in to decorate the home’s interior and exterior with high-performing and aesthetically-pronounced Italian stoneware. This project is a true celebration of Italian architecture, craft and culture.  

Villa FZ sits on a small plot of land in a relatively built-up neighborhood. Due to its location,  ensuring privacy was at the forefront of the design. At the same time, the design team was cognizant of creating an open, breathable space connected to the outdoors. In order to accommodate the need for both privacy and breathability, the design team settled on the concept of an inverted structure.

Rather than opening to the outside, the home is oriented inwards. Large French windows overlook an enclosed patio and swimming area and work to connect the interior to a private, outdoor living space. The site’s perimeter was heavily landscaped to further enclose the space, maximize privacy and create a green oasis. The result is a clean, contemporary design that promotes relaxation and comfortable living.

Completing the space with durable and quality materials was of importance to the design team, along with maintaining a cohesive visual language. In order to do so, FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti’s MaxFine collection was chosen to finish the villa. MaxFine is revered for its ability to blur the lines between surface and furniture and was the perfect fit for this house. Several slabs from the collection were used throughout the home, adding textural and visual depth to the interior space.

The dwelling’s entrance consists of a small externally-covered atrium leading to the front door. The property’s atrium was covered in FMG’s Marmi MaxFine slabs in the color Statuario Light. These slabs have a crisp off-white, marble-esque quality which contrasts the dark-colored door and simultaneously blends with the external façade.

The home’s muted palette consists of shades of gray, black and white. To enhance the visual language, stoneware with decorative qualities was chosen. FMG’s MaxFine slabs in the color Black Marquinia, were used to create an accent wall that runs from the first floor to the second.

Finished in a Silky texture, this wall stands pronounced within the home, with its rich dark hue and contrasting white veiny lines. This striking backdrop serves as a focal point of the home and can be appreciated in many spots due to the interior’s relatively open plan. The stoneware’s veiny appearance provides a sense of tactility and movement against the muted interior design while still maintaining visual continuity.

To complete the floors, a stone effect was chosen to ensure it could withstand foot traffic and maintain visual continuity with the rest of the space. FMG’s Pietre MaxFine slabs in the color Lavica Grey cover the interior floors and fit seamlessly with the home’s aesthetic. This stoneware is built to last and is resistant to chemicals, which makes for an easy-to-clean surface.

To complement the charming interior space, Iris Ceramica’s Pietra di Basalto panels in the color Grigio were chosen to pave the exterior patio. The Pietra di Basalto stoneware has a slipperiness coefficient of R11, which ensures a high grip and safe walkway and is ideal for spaces with a pool. Moreover, both the interior and exterior floors are UV-resistant which helps maintain the stoneware’s rich color over time. The color gray was chosen for both the interior and exterior flooring and works to create a cohesive visual language throughout the entire property.

All the stoneware chosen to complete this seaside oasis boast high technical performance and pronounced aesthetics. It was important to the design team to choose durable and practicable stoneware, and both FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti and Iris Ceramica’s products deliver just that. Both the MaxFine and Pietra di Basalto collections demonstrate that quality stoneware can serve two purposes, both functional and decorative. Villa FZ truly exemplifies that when thoughtful architecture and superior quality stoneware merge, the result is an unparalleled living experience.

To learn more about the remarkable materials used throughout the project, visit the websites of FMG Fabbrica Marmi e Graniti and Iris Ceramica.

Reference