The changeover from the old to the new is stark and yet seamless with the stone walls slowly giving way to large glass walls and a timber structure. The preserved and enhanced original stone walls seem to transport you back in time even as the refurbished interior in white ushers in modern comfort and aesthetics.
Gone or the days when rigid walls were used to delineate space. In the modern world it is an open floor plan that holds sway with utility of each space defining it. There are no firm borders between the kitchen dining and living area with each flowing into the next ever so effortlessly.
If you are an adventurer at heart or simply wish to escape the mundane by travelling into what seems like an audaciously ‘alien’ world then it is hard to imagine a more surreal spot for the Infinity house than the rugged shores it sits on. Color is a stranger inside this dashing house with large black shelves white backdrops and touches of gray dominating the design palette.
The courtyard sits at the heart of the house and a ventilation duct on the second floor brings in light and natural breeze. While hitting the house is gently drawn into the courtyard it is the slightly curved outward roof of the south side that directs the air outside. This also helps in cooling the house naturally on less boisterous days!
The structure of the house itself is unassuming in form with wood steel and glass being used to create a pavilion-style home that is largely open to the elements. A large wooden deck with reflecting pool sits just outside and acts as a wind indicator of sorts! Sunlight bounces off the pool and on to the ceiling of the living area giving an indication of how turbulent of calm the weather is outside.
The cantilevered frame of the house allows it to float gently above the landscape with the bedrooms carefully hidden in the rear. Large glass windows and sweeping glass doors complete a relaxing retreat that pays fitting tribute to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s original creation.
Evolution of design and architecture is often accelerated by needs of specific landscapes and unique obstacles presented by local weather in different parts of the globe. Designed to withstand frequent typhoons that are all too common in the region has an innovative silhouette and a specially crafted courtyard that act like a ‘chimney’ for the passage of high speed winds.