A tropical home becomes a living sculpture

Artist Carlos Páez Vilaró was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1923. He purchased a property along the eastern sea of Uruguay’s scenic Punta Ballena, in 1958, building a small, wooden lodge that over time became “Casapueblo” (“House-Village”). The sprawling compound, a whitewashed cement structure reminiscent of Mykonos, Greece, was built in stages by the artist to resemble the mud nests created by the region’s native hornero birds, and became his home, work studio and museum. Though he resided in Casapueblo, his “living sculpture,” by 1968, Vilaró continued to add on to the structure at his desire, at times adding a room for a particular guest. He later opened a section of Casapueblo to tourism as a hotel. The above photograph is his creation called “Casapueblo” in Uruguay. The photographs below are of his homes on a property in Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina called “Bengala,” named after the Bengal Tiger. The original house on the property is used by the artist as a work, at the opposite end of the immense garden hidden in the tropical forest stands Bengal, the astonishing house with galleries and cupolas designed in a similar style to that of Casapueblo. Via

The original building construction is between 140 to 150 years old with a natural Tigre aesthetic.  Vilaró uses this building as his work studio.

In the circular living room is the heart of Bengala. The natural light coming from the roof reflects on the bronze maritime theme artwork above the fireplace.

This is the domed ceiling in the living room.

The circular lines and textured walls envelop every room in the house giving you a clear sense of shelter and warmth.

Every corner is a new discovery. Behind the bar there is a recycled antique train part.

A view from the front door with a staircase featuring a fascinating oval opening and a library consisting of statues and totems from his years in Africa.

This large hallway leads to the guest area.

This corridor connects the main sector with the guesthouses, which operates as a separate house with living room, kitchen and even its own bar.

The dining room table, designed by Vilaró, was made from a huge cable reel. The holes were added to place candles. The beam above the table was salvaged from an old railroad track.

This guest bedroom continues with the lines and curves of the remainder of the house, but is unique in that it breaks from the traditional white.

Although this bedroom is found in an seperate building, it is only steps away from the main house and connected through a path of sugarcane plantations.

A table with individual bluish ceramic tiles is encapulated around a fig and palm tree that acts as a natural parasol. Chairs made out of wicker invites one to a tranquil environment.

The upstairs bedrooms all lead to the same large terrace that transports itself into a world of perforated domes.

The cement domes have been perforated with crystals of colors, inspired by coral reefs and marine animals.

With a scheme that mimics its Uruguayan pair, Bengala was constructed with classic lines and similar standards of design.

Sculpted house on a small island off the coast

“I respected the existing environment, the house is married to the land and to the sea,” architect Savin Couelle has stated in reference to this incredible home he has designed on the small island of Cavallo, off the coast of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. Couelle designs his structures to blend in with the landscape, using natural materials and neutral colors as much as possible. This remarkable residence was built into the cove to mesh with its natural environment and to overlook the sea before it. From a particular angle it appears that the home is entirely camouflaged by the surrounding boulders. Via

Archways comprised of granite and cement frame the stunning view from the living area, spilling out onto the beach.

This unique winding staircase leads from the second floor down into the living room. The painted white metal railing leaves a visually abstract statement to the core of the home. There is a wrought iron star in the upstairs window that gives a whimsical touch. Decorating the stair landing is a piece of driftwood and a Moroccan lantern.

A living area on the upstairs level uses simplicity of design with built in furnishings and a few locally made rugs.

A trellis was designed to shade the guest room from the heat of the sun.

The guest room’s terrace was constructed with reclaimed stones.

Photos: Giancarlo Gardin

The mysterious vanishing house on the coast

In South Africa’s ‘Garden Route’ coastline, five hours east of Capetown, the McGowan’s designed this exquisite house themselves on the site of a former cottage, using plenty of glass to create a semi-transparent building arranged around a double height living room. The couple both used to live in Clerkenwell, London, Trevyn was an actor turned interior designer and Julian was a theater set designer. The two embarked on a interior design company together called Site Specific, but through trips to Trevyn’s roots in South Africa, the two decided to move and never looked back. They had originally thought they might just renovate the cottage, but it soon evolved into a much more ambitious project. Julian, who is not an architect, had visions of his own, so he drew up the plans of how he envisioned the home to look. The house opens up to views of the sea to the front, and banks of folding glass doors to the rear creating a seamless flow between the interiors and the rear garden and its more sheltered terrace. There is a choice of outdoor zones, from a beach-side canopied deck to a rear terrace partly shaded by trees, and a roof deck complete with outdoor fireplace and a bathtub large enough for the whole family. The residence was kept in neutral colors to help transpose the bold and colorful artwork and designer pieces with their unique textures and mixed hues. The home has been furnished with a mix of junk-shop finds and 20th-century classics, with art by Marc Quinn who is a friend of the family, as well as others. Much of the furniture is by South African designers such as Heath Nash and Gregor Jenkin. Via

 

Photography by DOOK