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      YSG brings boutique-hotel feel to family home in Sydney

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      Interiors studio YSG has upgraded a home in Sydney’s Mosman suburb to feature “lavish yet tranquil” interiors that are more akin to those of a luxury hotel.

      The three-storey house previously had drab grey walls and awkwardly placed partitions but now features more coherently connected rooms finished in a sumptuous mix of materials.
      Black Diamond is a house in Sydney’s Mosman suburb”Our clients wanted a home that felt like a boutique hotel with a lavish yet tranquil tonal intensity that was rich in substance, not excess trimmings,” YSG explained.
      “We took a deep dive, converting it into a tactile haven with nooks for respite amongst spaces that freely ebb and flow.”
      YSG expanded the home’s covered balcony to accommodate a large tableThe studio started by reconfiguring the home’s first floor to make way for more outdoor entertainment space.

      A glass alcove that used to jut into the balcony was removed, allowing room for a large table where the clients can sit and take in views of the nearby harbour.
      A custom timber table is the centrepiece of the dining areaThe expanded balcony means there is now less room on the interior. But YSG worked around this by removing the kitchen’s cumbersome bulkhead and two partition walls that once framed its breakfast island.
      The revamped kitchen now features a black counter clad with leathered marble and shimmering mosaic tiles.
      A plaster-washed stairwell leads up to the second floorBlack mosaic tiles also cover a section of the floor and the chimney breast in the living room, leading the studio to nickname the project Black Diamond.
      “Combined with the dark timber floors and ceiling, they provide sheltered respite from the brilliant glare and frenzied harbour activity, enabling the room to take an inward-looking approach,” YSG said.
      The principal bedroom is decked out in natural huesThe living room was dressed with a plump cream swivel chair and an alpaca-wool sofa finished in the same lilac colour as the flowers of the Jacaranda trees that surround the home.
      A custom timber table is the centrepiece of the dining area. It sits beside a partition made of smoked-glass blocks, which YSG constructed around three steel struts that now provide structural support in place of a solid wall.

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      A plaster-washed stairwell leads up to the home’s second floor and is doused in natural light via a newly installed glass-brick facade. Some of these bricks are made from yellow glass, chosen by YSG to reflect the home’s “sunny disposition”.
      The staircase’s lower steps were ebonised to complement the black tiling that appears throughout the first floor while the upper steps are crafted from a pale timber to signal a change of space.
      Striking raffia-weave wallpaper lines cupboards in the walk-in wardrobeThe home’s top floor accommodates the principal bedroom, entered via a doorway lined in Rosso travertine. The bed is positioned at the centre of the room, set against a new low-lying partition.
      Behind it, the studio installed extra storage and established a new entryway to the walk-in wardrobe, which could previously only be accessed from the en-suite.
      The bedroom’s nook now accommodates a comfy curved banquetteGeometric raffia-weave wallpaper lines the front of all the cupboards, complementing the warm, natural hues that feature throughout the rest of the room.
      The bedroom leads off to a curved nook that used to contain a jumble of furnishings but now has a wooden desk and dramatic boucle-covered banquet that winds around its outer perimeter.
      Sea-green furnishings and decor feature in the studyThe project also saw YSG decrease the size of the kids’ playroom on the home’s ground floor in order to enlarge the utility room.
      A spare bedroom at this level was converted into a study and finished with sea-green furniture.
      Pink-hued Tiberio marble covers surfaces in the first-floor powder roomOutside, the studio replaced weathered decking with “crazy paving” composed of jagged slabs of pale stone and constructed a cushioned day bed that cantilevers over the pool.
      Other fun elements of the home include the ground-level powder room, which is clad top-to-bottom in pinkish Tiberio marble, and the wine cellar door with its tangerine-orange porthole windows that provide a glimpse of the bottles inside.
      The pool area features fresh paving and a cantilevering daybedYSG is behind the design of several residences in Sydney. There’s Budge Over Dover, a tactile home decked out in brick, brass and coloured plasters, and the playful penthouse Dream Weaver, curated to suit the owner’s bolder post-lockdown aesthetic.
      The photography is by Anson Smart.
      Project credits:
      Interior design and styling: YSGBuilder: Promena Projects

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      Ome Dezin restores 1960s California residence by A Quincy Jones

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      US studio Ome Dezin has renovated a large mid-century home in Brentwood, California, using a tonal colour palette and maximising the lush hillside views.

      The six-bedroom 12221 Benmore residence was designed and constructed in 1960 by notable local architects A Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmon.
      Natural materials and neutral colours were chosen throughout the home to highlight the lush viewsWhen Jesse Rudolph and Joelle Kutner of Ome Dezin came to the project, it had undergone a 1990s remodel that had stripped away its character and style.
      The team made it their mission to revive the home’s original charm and connection to the outdoors, bringing in natural tones and materials.
      White oak and travertine are recurring materials, as seen in the bar area”We have always been fans of A Quincy Jones and familiar with his work, which is what prompted us to see the home initially,” the duo told Dezeen.

      “This one did not disappoint — it had the typical Quincy atrium-like living space centered across from the exterior which includes a 40-foot (12-metre) waterfall.”
      The main living spaces all flow together and have expansive views onto the gardenMany of the existing fixtures were retained, including the fixed windows and doors, wherever possible.
      To keep the focus on the views from the large windows, the interior was designed with “a more muted, streamlined aesthetic”.
      Custom pieces designed for the home include a dining table and chairs created in collaboration with Ben Willett”We wanted to ensure the intention of Quincy was intact, so we aimed for a bit of brutalism and connection with nature,” said Rudolph and Kutner. “We opted for a limited material and color palette in favour of natural tones.”
      The new white oak staircase designed for the three-storey atrium features rectangular forms and has an architectural presence, echoing the shape and style of the building.
      Large windows are found in almost every room, so the decor is kept minimal and sparse so as not to draw focusIt sits at the nexus of the living room, dining area, kitchen and bar, which all flow together and enjoy expansive views out the back of the house.
      A den adjacent to these open spaces is furnished with a variety of midcentury pieces, in keeping with the building’s history.
      Dramatically patterned Cipollino stone in the bathroom echoes the grey tones of the rocks outsideTwo types of stone were used throughout the home: travertine, which appears in the kitchen, bar area and powder room, and richly patterned Cipollino in the primary bathroom chosen to pick out the colours of the mountains visible through the windows.
      In the lower-floor bedrooms and around the fireplace, flagstones and cobblestones were laid to create a grounding quality and to connect the spaces to the rocky landscape outside and pavers around the swimming pool.

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      Custom pieces designed for the project include the dining table created with furniture designer Ben Willett, which allows all of the chairs to be tucked away neatly underneath.
      Two 10-foot-high (three-metre) doors were custom-built for the living space and feature Jean Prouvé-influenced circular window cutouts that allow light to shine through.
      The garden features a swimming pool and a 40-foot (12-metre) waterfall”We paid special attention to the lighting in the home, mostly sourcing vintage lights to add charm and character,” the design team said.
      “With such a large home, and lots of windows and tall ceilings, warm mood lighting really made the spaces feel intimate and magical, particularly in the evenings.”
      The home was designed and constructed in 1960 by A Quincy Jones and Frederick EmmonRudolph and Kutner founded Ome Dezin as a design and development studio focused on residential restoration in and around Los Angeles.
      California has no shortage of mid-century properties in need of revamping. Other recently completed examples include Studio Schicketanz’s renovation of modernist architect Henry Hill’s former seaside home, and Woods + Dangaran’s overhaul of a residence that once belonged to singer Bing Crosby’s manager.
      The photography is by Nils Timm.

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      PL Studio applies Moroccan-inspired palette to London townhouse

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      Interior design office PL Studio has transformed an east London townhouse using colours and graphics that take cues from the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakesh.

      The three-storey, new-build house features similar shades of blue, green and yellow to the Morrocan villa that was once home to artist Jacques Majorelle.
      The home’s colour palette draws from the Jardin Majorelle in MarrakeshFurther green tones allude to the villa’s verdant garden, while soft pink hues bring a sense of overall “warmth and joy” to the palette.
      PL Studio designed the scheme for creative couple Tom Lalande and Julian-Pascal Saadi, who live in the house with their chihuahua puppy, Sasha-Lee.
      A green shade was applied to the main bedroomThe studio founders, couple Sabrina Panizza and Aude Lerin, felt the design should reflect their clients’ love of colour.

      “Although we admired the architecture and loved how the townhouse was beautifully filled with natural light, we felt that overall, the property was lacking character and positivity,” said the pair.
      “We wanted to create a home that reflected our clients’ personalities and joyful spirit, a home filled with positive energy.”
      The reception room features cobalt blue walls and arch graphicsLalande and Saadi had recently returned from a trip to Marrakesh, which led this to becoming the starting point for the design.
      The reference is most evident in a reception room at the house’s entrance, which features cobalt blue walls, a colour-block rug, plants and a Tom Dixon Etch pendant light in gold-toned brass.
      The arch graphics feature on both walls and doorwaysThe effect is heightened by paint graphics that include arched openings – both real and illusionary – and stepped blocks that create the suggestion of extra staircases.
      As Saadi works as a psychologist, this room primarily serves as a waiting room for his clients.
      Picture-frame-style graphics provide a backdrop to the dining tableThe couple’s main living space occupies the uppermost floor, where an L-shaped room gives the pair a combined kitchen, dining area and lounge.
      Geometric wall graphics tie these three spaces together but also highlight the divides between them. The most striking of these is a triptych of picture-frame-style blocks that frame the dining table.

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      “Our clients didn’t have a clear idea of what they wanted, but they had a strong desire to be surrounded by pieces of art, colours and objects that would give them good energy, which is so powerful,” said Panizza and Lerin.
      “They were not afraid of mixing different shades and colour combinations, so we went for bright, bold, and fearless!”
      A guest bedroom features a striped ceiling akin to a market stall awningThe main bedroom, located on the middle floor, uses subtly different shades of green to create colour depth. This is offset with monochrome stripes and pops of pink and blue.
      Also on this floor is a guest bedroom that doubles as a dressing room, featuring a striped ceiling that looks like a market stall awning and a pink bathroom framed by black linear details.
      Arches feature throughout these spaces, in the form of mirrors and wardrobes as well as wall graphics.
      A pink bathroom is framed by black linear detailsSaadi’s ground-floor office takes the place of a third bedroom. This room has a different character from the rest of the house, with details inspired by surrealist art.
      Key features include a sculptural table in the shape of a hand and ceiling wallpaper depicting a cloudy sky.
      A ground-floor office takes cues from surrealist art. Photo is by Aude LerinPanizza hopes the “kaleidoscopic” project can serve to inspire people who see London’s new-build homes as characterless compared with the city’s older properties.
      “We want to show it is absolutely possible to create a home with lots of personality and character. It just takes a bit of courage,” she told Dezeen.
      The photography is by Taran Wilkhu unless otherwise indicated. Top image is by Aude Lerin

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      La Balsanera house aims to revive “tradition of living on the river” in Ecuador

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      Architecture studio Natura Futura Arquitectura and architect Juan Carlos Bamba have created a floating house along the Babahoyo River in Ecuador.

      Situated within a centuries-old floating village at risk of disappearing, La Balsanera is designed as a model for the preservation and sustainable redevelopment of the river’s depleting community.
      La Balsanera is a floating house along the Babahoyo RiverFollowing the river’s current closure as a commercial fluvial route, the community saw the number of floating structures decrease from 200 to 25.
      La Balsanera is hoped to help revive “the tradition of living on the river”, according to Natura Futura Arquitectura and Bamba.
      It has a terrace with a colourful hammockBuilt for a family of three, whose livelihoods include selling food to the local community and repairing wooden boats, the 70-square-metre design highlights the river as a vital socio-economic resource.

      A two-metre-wide extension to an existing platform provides terraces for them to use as “productive environments”, such as a cafe seating area or anchor point for tourist boats.
      Slatted openings provide ventilation”La Balsanera explores possible floating solutions that recover local artisan techniques while promoting the active and productive participation of the occupants in vulnerable communities,” Bamba told Dezeen.
      The home is built from wooden porticos constructed every two metres to form a gabled truss structure. This is topped by a corrugated roof that shelters the outdoor terraces and a colourful hammock.

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      A central space hosts a shared living room, dining area and kitchen along with two bedrooms, while two external strips at either end provide a toilet, shower, laundry space and boat workshop.
      Slatted openings, known locally as “chazas”, have been made from recycled wood and help naturally ventilate and cool the interior.
      A bridge made from bamboo and wood connect the home to the mainlandA bridge made from bamboo and planks of wood provides a walkway between the floating home and the mainland.
      Meanwhile, shutter doors used throughout the design link the living spaces to the surrounding terraces.
      A seating area is provided on the river-facing terraceNatura Futura Arquitectura and Bamba are based in Ecuador and Spain respectively.
      Other projects completed by Natura Futura Arquitectura include a fitness centre featuring giant shutters and a mirrored viewing platform in the Ecuadorean countryside.
      The photography is by Francesco Russo.

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      Olson Kundig and Erica Colpitts renovate mid-century house in North Vancouver

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      US architecture firm Olson Kundig and Canadian designer Erica Colpitts have renovated a mid-century house near Vancouver, warming the modernist structure with natural materials and neutral colours.

      The residence is surrounded by tall cedar trees on a quiet plot in Edgemont, a village-like neighbourhood of North Vancouver, across the water from the Canadian metropolis.
      Wood lines the ceiling and floors of the renovated home, contrasting the blackened steel structural elementsIts new owners are a family of four who relocated to the West Coast from New York City, looking for a community to put down roots.
      Olson Kundig, which has an office in nearby Seattle, was asked to update and slightly expand the building to meet the owners’ needs while respecting the original design.
      The living spaces are all connected along the back of the house, in its single-storey portionLocally based Erica Colpitts was brought on to complete the interiors with a softer, warmer feeling than typical mid-century designs.

      “The pure challenge of this home completely appealed to me,” said Colpitts. “My task was to meld Olson Kundig’s overall design for the home with an ever so slightly soft and romantic interior.”
      Dark tones in the kitchen, including the steel hood and shelving, match the building’s beams and columnsLike many homes from the period, the building has a low-slung form, a shallow roof pitch and large expanses of glass across its facades.
      Blackened steel structural elements were highlighted throughout the interior, and their dark colour is repeated across several other elements.
      The kitchen connects to the patio via a bar counter and sliding windowThese range from the guardrails and supports for the staircase unit, which connects the home’s multiple split levels, to a custom hood and shelving in the kitchen.
      The staircase is separated from the lounge by a huge bookcase that is original to the house, along with a red-brick fireplace on the other side.
      An original bookcase separates the lounge from the entry hallway and staircaseAll of the primary living spaces run along the back of the home, in the single-storey portion, facing the landscaped garden and a plunge pool through huge windows.
      Wide-plank flooring and a wood-covered ceiling connect the open-plan areas, which culminate at the dark-stained kitchen.
      Bedrooms in the two-storey side of the house follow the same design aestheticThe hues and materials chosen for the these spaces are warm and inviting, such as cream surfaces and heathered oatmeal textiles paired with cognac-coloured leather, dark flax, and deep grey.
      “This home has a decidedly neutral colour palette to go with the natural materials selected; however, it is warmly neutral and texturally layered,” said Colpitts.

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      “Where colour was used, we wanted those colours and their textures to be reminiscent of a gentleman’s library,” she added.
      The bedrooms, bathrooms, and additional living areas are organised within the two-storey side of the house, where the same design aesthetic continues.
      The home’s large expanses of glass connect it to the surrounding landscape, designed by Amelia SullivanOn the exterior, weathered ebony siding and a Corten steel front door were added in keeping with the building’s modern-industrial appearance.
      “This home is a juxtaposition of all good things,” Colpitts said. “Dramatic and serene. Rustic and refined. Industrial and romantic. Exquisite and comfortable.”
      Olson Kundig aimed to respected the building’s original design while slightly expanding its footprintThe mid-century architecture style remains incredibly popular with homebuyers across the US and Canada, which has led to many renovations that align these residences with contemporary living.
      Recent examples include a Hamptons home that owner Timothy Godbold transformed to resemble a lair from a James Bond movie, and the former seaside home of modernist architect Henry Hill respectfully overhauled by Studio Schicketanz.
      The photography is by Ema Peter.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Olson KundigInterior design: Erica Colpitts Interior DesignContractor: Brent Braybrook / Braybrook ProjectsMillwork: Robin Woronko / Intempo InteriorsLandscape architect: Amelia SullivanMetalwork: Drabek Technologies

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      Familien Kvistad brings colour to 1950s house in Oslo

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      Vibrantly coloured tiles and textiles feature in this house renovation in Oslo, Norway, designed by locally based duo Familien Kvistad.

      The Yellow House in the Apple Garden is a 1950s house in Oslo’s Voldsløkka area, home to a family of four and their cat, “the rambunctious Caspian”.
      Familien Kvistad has renovated a Oslo homeFamilien Kvistad founders, married couple Astrid and Ziemowit Kvistad, have completely remodelled the interior using a palette that also includes solid ash joinery and lightly speckled terrazzo surfaces.
      “When they bought the house, the family envisioned painting some walls, moving the kitchen and building two new bathrooms,” the pair told Dezeen. “Over time, things naturally escalated, resulting in a complete change of layout, roof windows, new insulation, siding… absolutely everything was replaced.”
      The kitchen features solid ash cabinetsThe three-storey house has an enviable setting in a large garden filled with fruit trees. It was this that primarily attracted the owners, rather than the building itself.

      “The house was relatively old, not architecturally distinctive and outdated inside on all levels,” said the designers.
      The house was originally built in the 1950sHowever, shortly after they bought the property, the council enforced new conservation zone restrictions that made it impossible to alter the building’s exterior in any way.
      The task for Astrid and Ziemowit was to modernise the house without changing or extending its structure.

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      “This is obviously a costly project; it would have been cheaper to build a new house,” they explained.
      “However, the outer structure had to remain.”
      A terrazzo floor and ochre sofa are installed in the conservatoryThe renovation removed many of the old internal partitions, creating a more open layout. This gives the ground floor a broken-plan feel, made up of various separate but connected living and dining spaces.
      The old loft was also removed and replaced with small mezzanines, revealing the sloping roof beams and increasing the ceiling height in the first-floor bedrooms and bathroom to up to four metres.
      Wooden ceiling joists are exposed throughoutThe colour scheme was based on “earthy shades” of the owners’ favourite colours.
      On the ground floor, this resulted in a feature fireplace clad in mustard-yellow Kaufmann tiles, a lounge sofa upholstered in a plum-coloured Kvadrat textile and a storage bench topped by forest-green cushions.
      A storage bench topped with green cushions lines the main living spaceAn abundance of wood brings balance to this bold palette, with Douglas fir flooring from Dinesen and solid ash kitchen cabinets matching the exposed ceiling joists.
      This level also includes a sunken conservatory featuring large plants, a terrazzo floor, an ochre-toned sofa and electric-blue cushions. On the wall, an expressive painting displays similar colours.
      Custom-designed wall carpets adorn the primary bedroom”During the renovation, the family sold most of what they already owned,” said Astrid and Ziemowit. “This meant that all the furniture was purchased new.”
      “However, they did have some art from before,” they added. “Much to our delight, they fit perfectly into both the colour palette and the style.”
      In one of the children’s rooms, a staircase doubles as a shelving unitUpstairs, the primary bedroom features a pair of tufted wall carpets designed and made by Familien Kvistad, depicting abstract landscapes.
      One of the two children’s bedrooms features a playful storage unit that doubles as a staircase, while the other has a ladder to provide access to the mezzanine loft above.
      The family bathroom combines green tones with terrazzoThe bathroom has a more mellow character, combining terrazzo sanitaryware with calming green tones. The basement floor mainly serves as a utility area, although it does include an extra bathroom and a living room that doubles as a guest bedroom.
      Other recently completed homes in Norway include a “house of offcuts” by Kolman Boye Architects and a villa on piloti by Saunders Architecture.
      The photography is by Magnus Berger Nordstrand.

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      Barde vanVoltt orients renovated Mexico City house around mezcal bar

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      A private mezcal bar forms the heart of this house that Amsterdam interior architecture firm Barde vanVoltt has overhauled in Mexico City’s La Condesa neighbourhood.

      Working for longstanding Dutch clients who live in Mexico, Barde vanVoltt transformed a historic, dilapidated building into a contemporary residence that respects the heritage of the existing structure.
      The building’s former life as a mezcal tasting venue influenced Barte vanVoltt to create a bar in its central courtyard”We walked together into this old, beautiful building, and instantly fell in love,” said studio founders Bart van Seggelen and Valérie Boerma. “Even though the house was falling apart, we felt its soul was fully alive.”
      The three-storey house had previously been used as a mezcal tasting venue, and the duo used this as a starting point for the design.
      Arched openings create routes through the home, passing through the open kitchen, living and dining spaceA primary aim of the renovation was to create a “vibrant oasis in the city” with a better connection to the outdoors.

      This was achieved by connecting a series of courtyards, terraces and semi-enclosed corridors to form a route and airflow through the building.
      An earthy colour palette was chosen for the minimalist interiors to create a relaxing aura”We worked together with Thalia from Aldaba Jardines, a talented landscape designer, to create a seamless flow from the indoors to the outdoors and back again,” said the studio..
      In the central courtyard, Barde vanVoltt removed the roof from the double-height space and replaced it with operable glass panels to let in more light.
      Multiple openings onto courtyard spaces encourage indoor-outdoor livingThe designers turned this space into a mezcal bar as a nod to the building’s former life that the owners could use for entertaining friends and family.
      Backed by a semicircular brass panel, upon which shelves for liquor bottles are mounted, the rounded bar counter is wrapped in narrow terracotta tiles.
      The back courtyard is used as an outdoor lounge and features planting up the grey plaster wallsA five-metre-tall guayabo tree was also planted in the courtyard, casting shadows across the surrounding walls.
      Open archways lead from this central space into various rooms including the kitchen and living area, which features dark cabinetry, open shelving, and a large bespoke wooden dining table.
      Floors for the stairs, bathroom and outdoor areas are tiled with handmade bricks by Tata MosaicosBeyond a row of French doors is the back courtyard that forms an outdoor lounge, and an annex that accommodates a home office on the upper level.
      To retain some of the original character, the architects recreated the cast iron, Art Deco windows and Spanish-style railings. and extended them to the back of the house.
      The neutral-toned decor continues in the three bedrooms on the first floorThe overall layout of spaces was kept largely the same, aside from a few walls that were removed to combine or create bigger rooms.
      For example, the primary bedroom and bathroom now flow together as one space, divided only by a partition of angled bricks that forms a backdrop to the freestanding bathtub.
      The primary bedroom and bathroom were combined into one space, with only a partition of angled bricks dividing them”We included the bathroom into the space to create a home sanctuary to rest and refresh,” said Barde vanVoltt.
      Two further bedrooms are located on the first floor, the other side of the central courtyard void at the front of the house.
      A series of semi-enclosed loggias connect the first-floor roomsThe roof terrace features a plunge pool, an outdoor shower, a row of loungers and built-in seats, all accessed via a spiral staircase from the loggia outside the main bedroom.
      The building’s exterior is covered in greige-coloured plaster, as a nod to Mexico’s prevalent concrete architecture, while warmer earth tones decorate the minimalist interiors.

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      Moss green sofa covers and bed linens visually tie to the plants outside, and wood, terracotta and off-white hues complement one another.
      “We love the natural feel these colours have together,” said the designers. “According to colour psychology, nature-inspired hues are the best for interiors as they soothe and invigorate.”
      The building’s original cast iron handrails were recreated and extended to the back of the propertyFloors for the stairs, bathroom and outdoor areas are tiled with handmade bricks by Tata Mosaicos, made from compacted earth sourced from different regions throughout Mexico.
      “This unique structure means they need 50 per cent less cement, using the sun and shade to dry naturally and secure the structure,” Barde vanVoltt said. “An environmentally friendly solution, sourced locally.”
      Custom lighting and Mexican objects, textiles, sculptures and other wall art are also found throughout the residence.
      The terrace also has multiple seating areas so that the family and their friends can gather outsideBarde vanVoltt has renovated many older buildings, having converted a former garage into a light-filled home and a century-old farmhouse into a retail store – both in the Netherlands.
      The photography is by Alejandro Ramírez Orozco.
      Project credits:
      Lead interior architect: Barde vanVolttContractor: CF Taller de ArquitecturaArchitect: ZVA Interiores & ArquitecturaBathroom: Agape BathroomsKitchen appliances: GaggenauLighting: Studio Davidpompa, ILWT, Nuumbra, Federico Stefanovich, DCW editionsMaterial: Tata MosaicosRugs: Txt.ureFurniture: Casa Quieta, Chuch Estudio, Acoocooro, Carl Hanssen & Sons, ArflexArt: Kreyé, Chic by Accident, Carlos Vielma, Prince Láuder, Axelle Russo, Rrres, Saudara, Luuna WabiLandscaping: Aldaba Jardines

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      Tembo Tembo lodge hides among landscape of South African game reserve

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      Rammed earth walls and an organic colour scheme help this South African family lodge designed by architecture practice Studio Asaï to blend into its natural surroundings.

      Tembo Tembo sits close to the Sabie River on the western edge of Kruger National Park – a sprawling game reserve that’s home to a wide array of flora and fauna, including what’s known as the “big five”: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo.
      Tembo Tembo’s rammed earth walls blend into the landscape of the game reserveThis setting was a large point of inspiration for Paris-based Studio Asaï, which decided to construct the home from rammed earth, emulating the materiality of towering termite nests that can be seen across the reserve.
      “More locally, [rammed earth] is only used for singular walls in the house, thought of as a decorative object,” explained the studio. “For Tembo Tembo, we decided to use it as the main material for the entire house.”
      Dark wood lines the home’s moody entrancewayTo ensure the stability of the home, Studio Asaï worked alongside local architect Nicholas Plewman to develop a structural skeleton that could support the roof and walls.

      Locally sourced rammed earth was then applied to the structure, mixed with a sealant to make the material less porous and crumbly.
      A green sofa in the living area is meant to emulate the colour of the foliage outdoorsThe house was also built atop an 80-centimetre-high concrete platform to keep away lizards and other critters while minimising flooding from the heavy downpours that frequently occur in the region from September onwards.
      The property’s flat steel roof is meant to give the home a lower, more discrete profile.
      The dining area opens onto a shaded terraceInhabitants access the home through a moody entryway lined with dark wood panels. A papery, three-tier pendant light hangs from the centre of the space directly above a white marble table.
      The home’s rammed earth walls were left exposed in the adjacent living area, which is anchored by a modular green sofa that nods to the foliage of the South African bush.
      Cream plaster walls and a coffered ceiling can be seen in the home’s libraryTo the side of this space is a contemporary kitchen complete with dark wood cabinetry and a blocky breakfast island crafted from black Zimbabwean granite.
      In the corner of the room is a travertine marble dining table surrounded by chairs with woven seats. This is positioned directly next to an expansive glazed panel that, when slid back, lets inhabitants step onto a shaded terrace.
      Curtains help give the principal bedroom a tented safari-camp feelCreamy plaster walls appear in the home’s library, complementing the rustic beige fabric that was set into the room’s coffered ceiling.
      Studio Asaï revived the “bush” green of the sofa but this time in the form of a glossy work desk.
      The house’s rammed earth walls are revealed again in the guest bedroomDesigned to feel akin to a “modern safari camp”, the principal bedroom features a large bed that can be enclosed with gauzy curtains on all sides.
      There’s a cosier feel in the guest bedroom where Studio Asaï has once again left the rammed earth walls bare and installed a black metal fireplace for use in the cooler months.
      There’s also a striking bathroom that’s almost entirely lined in a flecked Namibian stone.
      Namibian stone covers surfaces in the bathroomTembo Tembo has made the shortlist of the home interior category at this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      It will compete against other projects such as Prior Barraclough’s Union Street House, which is entirely lined in Australian hardwood, and Keiji Ashizawa Design’s Hiroo Residence, which is decked out in muted tones to amplify the space’s sense of light.
      The photography is by Adrien Dirand.
      Project credits:
      Interior design and architecture: Studio AsaïArchitecture: Nick Plewman ArchitectsLandscape design: Green Inc

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