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Photo: Patrick Bingham-Hall
The home’s location in the middle of a residential neighbourhood is the only indication that it is a dwelling and not a park. The landscaping is so luxuriant that the building is barely visible. Guz Architects, whose principal, Guz Wilkinson, is the undisputed leader in camouflaging homes among greenery, designed the project.
It helps that Sky Pool House is a good-class bungalow with a land area of more than 1,500sqm. The owners didn’t need Wilkinson to maximise coverage, despite the house housing multiple generations. “They liked our designs and the idea of gardens on every floor,” says Wilkinson.
Lap pool beside the gym
Credit: Located in the attic, the gym has the best view of the surroundings. (Photo: Patrick Bingham-Hall)
The owners specifically requested for a gym in the attic and a lap pool beyond it. Indeed, it set the project apart from other “Guz houses”, as the design industry likes to call them. More than 22m long on the house’s highest level, it has an 8m transparent panel in the middle of the floor that serves as a skylight. When the sun is at its peak, the space below the pool is naturally lit to stunning effect.
According to Wilkinson, “The house is backed up against a big retaining wall, so it was originally quite dark. We used the skylight to better illuminate the interiors and make them more interesting.”
Pond hugs the house
Credit: The organic shape of the pond mimics natural formations. (Photo: Patrick Bingham-Hall)
The pool’s water theme extends to the ground floor, where an organically shaped pond hugs half of the building’s edge. Two embedded planters provide more space for greenery to grow and act as visual embellishment in the form of weeping tea trees and spider lilies.
Against the angular lines of the house, the curves of the water feature are a soothing contrast. Wilkinson shares that he designed them by feel, knowing the pool would be complemented by landscaping.
Roof gardens
Credit: To accommodate the roof gardens, the house is built in layers. (Photo: Patrick Bingham-Hall)
The second and attic floors feature roof gardens. On the second, a third of the surface area is covered with flora, with mousetail plants tumbling lushly over the edge. This sky terrace is flanked by the balconies of the master and junior master suites, placing their occupants a step away from the greenery.
At the attic level, a roof garden surrounds the building on three sides, adding a strong nature-inspired wellness element to the gym’s workout theme. “We made this the biggest roof garden because the views are very good at the top,” he adds.
Abundant landscaping
Credit: Planters in the pool allow more space for greenery to grow. (Photo: Patrick Bingham-Hall)
Naturally, all the indoor spaces connect seamlessly with the outdoors, thanks to floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and windows. Wilkinson also ensured that the views of the greenery are maximised.
There were many reasons for incorporating abundant landscaping. Says Wilkinson, “We are ardent advocates of passive design principles that enable clients to live comfortably in the tropics.
“We wanted Sky Pool House to be open to the water and greenery, which have a cooling effect, as well as naturally ventilated when needed.”
Higher floors with expansive views
Credit: Abundant foliage keeps the house cool, reducing the family’s reliance on air-conditioning. (Photo: Patrick Bingham-Hall)
Adding roof gardens influenced the shape of the development as their flatness naturally created a terraced structure. This also serves to provide the higher floors with expansive views overlooking the neighbourhood.
The top of the house is covered with solar panels. “That the house can be cooled naturally in the daytime, without resorting to air-conditioning, means less energy is used. The photovoltaic cells, therefore, generate more than enough electricity for the family’s needs. The excess can be sold back to the power grid,” explains Wilkinson.
Lasvit sculpture above the living room
Credit: The abstract light feature resembles a flock of birds in flight. (Photo: Guz Architects)
On the inside, the communal areas are kept to the ground floor, with the basement and second level dedicated to bedrooms and family areas. The only exception is a bedroom on the first level for the owner’s parents that is tucked into a corner with views of the pond.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of the interior is the Lasvit sculpture suspended over the living area. The almost-invisible wires are tipped with abstract shapes that could be water droplets or birds. It is an apt piece that extends the nature theme indoors, so you never forget that the gorgeously landscaped garden is mere steps away.
