Surabaya-based Dasquadrat designers might have taken inspiration from the late Irishwoman Cecil Frances Alexander, who penned the poem “All things bright and beautiful”, with this house that channels sunshine in a very natural way.
Photo by Dasquadrat doc.
Dasquadrat is a champion of making modern residences in Surabaya. For one recent project, Dasquadrat devised a “pilotic” (or pier-like) appearance for its facade, in accordance with the first of Le Corbusier’s five points of architecture. This visual effect of support through pillars or stilts was achieved by the placement of massive exterior wooden panels on the level of the structure’s second floor, while the façade at the ground level featured a simple, light design.
The house is built in the centre of its plot and is surrounded by a lavish landscape. Trees in the front and back yards give the house natural shadows for just the right amount of daylight–as well as a lower temperature. The organic shape of a leaf is seen in laser-cut panels for the exterior facade. Their arrangement catches the attention and playfully gives shade to the interior.
Six steel columns on the outer edge form a terrace, marking a transitional area between the inside and the landscaping. Although directly connected to the front yard, the space feels airy, thanks to wide openings and a reflecting pool that sits next to the columns. A laser-cut panel at the second layer from the exterior serves as a building skin to substitute for massive brick walls.
The square-plan building has floor-to-ceiling openings on three sides that allow daylight to fill the rooms. Rooms in the corners, including the living room, get more light and features views of the yard. The living room features a modern design, with sleek interior finishes, a black-and-white colour palette and the use of an iconic Eames lounge chair and ottoman.
The living room sits beside the dining room, separated by a wooden panel that makes both rooms looks more monumental. A spacious pantry is by the dining room for easy food circulation, featuring an island that can be function as a breakfast bar, as well as accommodate a casual lunch or dinner. The window of the area opens to the back yard, making it feel more spacious and calm.
An elevator and stairs in the centre of the house connect one floor with another. The area features natural design elements–the elevator column is wrapped in ivory-toned stone cladding, the ground is half white stone and half red-cherry wood parquet that matches the stairs. Distinct flooring appears made on the lift access in the form of rectangular grey tone tiles.
The upper stories hide more private zones like bedrooms, as well as more luxury. The master bathroom, for example, is covered by marble tiles and features two wash basins mounted side by side for the convenience of the owners. There is a separate toilet, a shower room and a jacuzzi bathtub. A built-in cabinet is placed opposite a mirror, floating away from the bathroom floor. Like the rooms on the ground level, second-floor rooms have openings to see the well-groomed landscape.
The house offers an equal balance between mass and the nature with a design derived from nature, starting from its shapes to the material selection. Many openings mean that the interior has the landscape as its main spectacle. A calm colour scheme lets the family watch over the bright and beautiful things offered by the landscape while spending time together at home.