Villa Karun

A coastal retreat that needed to breathe with the landscape rather than impose on it. The client's single instruction: "I want to feel the humidity and hear the waves from every room." Previous approaches had over-glazed the facade, creating a greenhouse.

Thickened walls, deep overhangs, and terrazzo floors that cool underfoot. No air-conditioning in the primary rooms by design — cross-ventilation through strategic apertures. Materials sourced within 300km. Colour palette taken from the rocks at low tide: grey, rust, cream, and the dark green of coastal lichen.

A home that has been featured in three international publications and, more importantly, one its owner has not rented out once. He said: "Why would I give this to anyone else?"