In 2025, architects around the world continue to expand the possibilities of domestic design, presenting a diverse collection of private houses that reconsider how we inhabit landscape, community, and climate. This year’s selection ranges from net-positive, off-grid experimentation in rural Japan to rammed-earth dwellings carved into the terrain of Crete, revealing a field increasingly attuned to resourcefulness, site specificity, and the choreography of indoor–outdoor living.

Shared themes emerge across these works — some occupying their natural context gently, others defined by a bold sculptural form. Florian Busch Architects pioneers an energy-generating modular residence amid agricultural fields in Hokkaido, while Wallmakers suspends a thatched, occupiable bridge over a gorge in India. Social frameworks also come to the fore, with TEN’s collaborative housing for women in Bosnia-Herzegovina proposing new models of care-based living. Explore designboom’s top 10 private houses of 2025 below!

arthur casas builds his own house in the forest of brazil

Hidden within the dense greenery of Brazil’s Atlantic forest, the Iporanga House stands as architect Arthur Casas’s own retreat. Conceived as a place to ‘recharge his energies,’ the home sits lightly in a protected natural reserve along the São Paulo coast. Its design is guided by a desire for harmony with the surrounding vegetation, a goal demonstrated by wood cladding that blends with the forest’s shifting tones and textures.

The plan takes the form of two symmetrical cubes framing a lofty central volume. Inside, lofty ceilings rise 11 meters (36 feet), and continuous glass panels draw in light and views, creating a breezy and fluid connection to the trees beyond. ‘The shape is simple, symmetrical, easy,’ Casas notes. He contrasts the home’s subdued form with with the ‘entropic, messy profile’ of the forest that surrounds it.

image © Fernando Guerra

florian busch architects’ modular ‘house W’ generates more energy than it consumes

mykonos architects embeds wedge-shaped n’arrow house into terrain of crete

Set to be carved into the olive-dotted hills of Crete, Mykonos Architects designs a home titled N’Arrow to respond directly to the steep topography and slender dimensions of its site. The underground, rammed-earth project is designed to avoid imposition, and instead works with the natural contours of the land, inviting the surrounding environment to shape its form. Olive groves and rolling terrain are not backdrops but rooftops, and but co-authors in the architectural narrative, pushing the residential space toward harmony rather than dominance.

A fifteen-meter setback regulation, typically a limiting factor, sparked the defining concept behind N’Arrow. Mykonos Architects saw not a constraint but a creative opportunity, transforming the elongated form of the plot into a narrow, wedge-like structure that nestles into the hillside. This bold, linear geometry sets the tone for the home’s identity, drawing attention to the power of architectural adaptation when guided by site-specific conditions.

wallmakers wraps its suspended ‘bridge house’ in skin of thatched scales

ring-shaped home by alexis dornier encircles central garden in bali

fran silvestre-designed villa zig-zags across the southern spanish landscape

Fran Silvestre Arquitectos designs Villa 95 as part of the real estate developer Cork Oak Mansion project in Sotogrande, crafting a residence that appears to glide across the southern Spanish landscape. Defined by a continuous architectural gesture, the three-story villa unfurls along a sharp diagonal, its elongated form maximizing the buildable area of the 2,317 square meter plot while framing views of Altos de Valderrama area. Developed by DUS Desarrollos Inmobiliarios, the house is part of an exclusive collection of six high-end villas.

image courtesy Fran Silvestre Arquitectos

curved green roof shields wiki world’s wooden ‘cabin of palette’ in wuhan

nendo weaves six cottages together with ‘hand-holding’ roofs in japanese forest house

arquitectura-G embeds blue concrete core with spiraling staircase in portuguese residence

In Sintra, Portugal, Arquitectura-G completes House II, the latest intervention within a long-abandoned quinta de recreio, a rural estate historically devoted to agriculture and leisure. The project forms part of an ongoing sequence of works by the studio’s team, which seeks to conserve and rehabilitate the site’s buildings and reactivate the broader territory.

Strict regulations limited any change to the building’s external profile, facades, or roof, so Arquitectura-G responded by hollowing out the existing interior, retaining only the perimeter walls, and inserting a new structural body of blue-pigmented concrete. Rising from the basement cellar, this inserted core incorporates a helical staircase and extends upward to form the slabs of the upper levels. It culminates beneath a skylight on the first floor, where daylight streams into the central void and organizes the surrounding rooms.

image by Maxime Delvaux

vivid rippled panels envelop TEN’s care-based housing for women in bosnia-herzegovina

On the outskirts of Gradačac, a town in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, stands The House for Five Women, a vibrant residence by architecture studio TEN. The project rises from the countryside to defy conventional housing models through an architecture of care, resilience, and collective authorship.

Designed with local activist Hazima Smajlović, NGO Naš Izvor, Engineers Without Borders, and the Gradačac municipality, the project provides a permanent home for five single women who have survived war, displacement, and systemic neglect. It’s positioned between privacy and solidarity to propose a new paradigm for cohabitation with five individual living units clustered around communal spaces for gathering, working, and growing food.

Artist Shirana Shahbazi sculpts the facade of the building, composing a vibrant arrangement of large, colored aluminum panels in shades of pink, red, green, and deep blue. Though seemingly spontaneous, the composition is specially calibrated, with each panel being custom-made in a local car painter’s workshop. Their rippled, high-gloss surfaces catch and distort reflections, and transform the shell into a shifting, almost liquid canvas that responds to light and movement.

image by Maxime Delvaux, Adrien de Hemptinne

see designboom’s TOP 10 stories archive:

2024 — 2023 — 2022 — 2021 — 2020 — 2019 

2018 — 2017 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014 — 2013

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Villa Omah Prana by Alexis Dornier unfolds as a circular retreat that feels absorbed into the landscape of Payangan’s forested slopes, just north of Ubud, Bali. The 475-square-meter residence adopts a compound-like arrangement organized around a lush internal courtyard. Its low, continuous timber roofline and radial plan echo local vernacular geometries.

The project sits like a ring placed over the terrain, with the broad, funnel-like roof forming a shaded perimeter walkway and an introverted core. The shingle texture and earthy tonality of the roof make the building blend with its tropical context, while the inner void admits daylight and natural ventilation.

all images by KIE

curving interiors and crescent pool shape Villa Omah Prana

For the interior of Villa Omah Prana, Alexis Dornier picks herringbone brickwork and deep-toned timber ceilings sitting atop curving circulation routes that mirror the form of the building. Sliding openings allow entrance to the garden, while the central planted disk becomes a meditative anchor, echoing Bali’s traditional compounds, reinterpreted through the German architect’s design. Moments of transparency toward the valley merge the sheltered interior with the expansive forest canopy.

Along the outer arc, a crescent-shaped infinity pool slips between the edge of the villa and the descending landscape, framing the view while preserving the circular geometry. The roof, courtyard, and pool generate a sense of retreat, a house that bends with the land and gathers its volumes under one unifying roof.

the circular residence sits low against the forested hillside

the shingled roof forms a continuous ring

timber ceilings curve with the building’s form

the planted courtyard forms a green void at the center of the plan

soft curves, timber ceilings, and natural materials reinforce the villa’s meditative atmosphere

the infinity pool traces the villa’s outer arc

herringbone walls and timber ceilings define the covered circulation route

choing the geometry of traditional balinese compounds

the inner courtyard acts as the home’s calm core

bringing natural light and ventilation into the ring

large openings dissolve the threshold between indoor spaces and the central garden

the continuous roofline shelters a series of rooms

the courtyard garden becomes a climatic buffer

project info:

name: Villa Omah Prana

architect: Alexis Dornier | @alexisdornier

location: Payangan, Bali

area: 475 square meters

contractor: Bali Construction 

interior: BARES, AD

photographer: KIE | @kiearch

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Villa Boë, designed by Alexis Dornier, occupies a steep hillside plot in the Tampah Hills development on Lombok, Indonesia. Its position at one of the highest points of the site required a vertical approach to program and form, resulting in a house that merges into the terrain while retaining a strong architectural presence.

The project unfolds as a sequence of stacked volumes that follow the contours of the slope. Entry and garage spaces are located low on the site, with shared living areas stepping upward from there. Higher still, two separate sleeping wings branch off, each intended for a family. At the very top, a circular platform offers a dedicated place for yoga and contemplation, framing views of the ocean and the surrounding hills.

Villa Boë is located along a steep hillside in Lombok, Indonesia | images © KIE

villa boë follows the coastal slope

The floor plan is organized around concentric circles and radial divisions. This geometry establishes the orientation of each roof and defines the placement of volumes relative to one another. Instead of appearing as a simple stack, the house reads as a terraced extension of the hillside, its levels flowing upward as a continuous topography.

For the German architect, whose studios are based in Berlin and Bali, the goal was to let the building stand as a measured response to the vastness of the coastal site. The structure’s gestures are composed, designed to settle humbly into the hillside. The pool exemplifies this approach, as it is integrated into the living sequence rather than placed apart, it moves with the landscape through terraced levels and gradual transitions.

the house unfolds vertically with its entrance at the base

a house as a frame

Villa Boë employs a restrained set of materials suited to the climate. Teak wood lines ceilings and soffits, off-white walls keep the interiors bright, and white Palimanan stone anchors the floors. These elements establish a balance between durability, simplicity, and connection to place.

Some rooflines hint at the influence of iconic mid-century figures such as John Lautner, whose work emphasized shaping outlooks and embedding the architecture in its site. At Lombok, the roofs serve as frames for the surrounding landscape. This way, the house becomes a vantage point as much as a dwelling, built to celebrate the horizon beyond.

communal spaces are arranged on stepped levels above the entry

a swimming pool follows the slope with terraced sections

the material palette combines teak wood, off-white walls, and local Palimanan stone

the plan is shaped by concentric circles and radial divisions

two separate sleeping wings occupy the upper levels

roof gestures frame the landscape, recalling mid century influence

project info:

name: Villa Boë

architect: Alexis Dornier | @alexisdornier

location: Tampah Hills, Lombok, Indonesia

area: 1,151 square meters

completion: 2024

photography: © KIE | @kiearch

construction: Adi Jaya Utama | @ajucontractor

landscape design: Bali Landscape Company | @balilandscapecompany

interior design: Somewhere Concept | @somewhereconcepts

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Alexis Dornier designs the Vedanta speedboat, a water vehicle that draws parts of its naval design from the 1960s American muscle cars. These influences show up as the elongated, navy-green hull with inflatables, the modernized bucket seats for the passengers, as well as the sharp lines of the cabin’s design and overhead lights. The Indonesia-based architect collaborates with naval architect Tresno Seery of Outborn Watercraft for the Vedanta speedboat.

The design team crafts the water vehicle using regional materials around Indonesia, the place it is produced. It spans 12 meters, can accommodate 12 passengers, and has a marine toilet on board. The shock-absorbing seats allow the passengers to feel less of the vehicle’s shake when it crosses over waves. Since the Vedanta speedboat cruises around Indonesia, known for its warm temperature, there’s also air conditioning inside the cabin.

all images courtesy of Vedanta

warm overhead lights and two mini-sunroofs in cabin

For specs buffs, the Vedanta Speedboat designed by architects Alexis Dornier and Tresno Seery of Outborn Watercraft has a top cruising speed of 42 knots. The water vehicle’s fuel tank can carry up to 1,300 liters. In the evening, the pilot uses the integrated night vision to navigate the waters safely. For the other features of the Vedanta Speedboat by Alexis Dornier, there are self-inflated safety jackets for everyone, as well as an onboard sound system.

Just in front of the motor, passengers can use the foldable table to put their objects and food on. It sits between two benches adjacent to each other, which adds extra seating to the 12 cabin chairs. The tops of these benches have bottle-sized steel containers embedded into them, serving as bottle or object holders during the trip. Inside the Vedanta Speedboat by Alexis Dornier, there are warm overhead lights illuminating the space. Then, in the middle of the ceiling, there are two mini-sunroofs to let the air in and for sky views.

Alexis Dornier and Tresno Seery design the Vedanta speedboat

the design team crafts the water vehicle using regional materials around Indonesia

the water vehicle draws parts of its naval design from the 1960s American muscle cars

the exterior has an elongated, navy-green hull with inflatables

there are two mini sunroofs installed

the cockpit design draws inspiration from the 1960s American muscle cars

wooden panels encase the equipment in the cockpit

buttons reminiscent of the dashboard setup in a muscle or collector’s car

the water vehicle has a top cruising speed of 42 knots

project info:

name: Vedanta Speedboat | @vedanta_boat

design: Alexis Dornier, Tresno Seery | @alexisdornier, @tresno_seery, @outborn_watercraft

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Architect Alexis Dornier completes Freebird as a private residence pairing Japanese design with tropical modernism in Berawa, Bali. The centerpiece of the project is a living room positioned above the swimming pool, connecting two wings of the house and forming an ‘H-shaped layout from above. This area features retractable glass walls that transform it into an outdoor space, with a glass floor offering views of the pool below, reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Freebird residence by Alexis Dornier | all images © KIE

low-carbon tropical design in Berawa, bali

The ground floor of the Freebird project houses a gym and two guest rooms, all designed to maximize views and access to a tropical garden designed by local group Bali Landscape Company as a lush backdrop that expands the indoor-outdoor living experience. The yoga area, inspired by architect Kengo Kuma’s Glass House, features extensive use of glass to maintain a connection with the natural surroundings. Meanwhile, a distinctive feature near the entrance is an expansive wine fridge, serving as both a practical insulation solution and a striking sculptural element. Alexis Dornier (see more here) worked alongside interior designer Kosame, whose selection of furniture combines functionality with sculptural aesthetics that oscillate between Japanese and tropical accents. 

maximizing views and access to a tropical garden

Sustainability is a core component of the Freebird residence, with sustainability management partners Eco Mantra, playing a pivotal role by significantly reducing the home’s energy consumption and carbon footprint. Complementing the ‘green’ design is a selection of materials throughout the Alexis Dornier residence that showcase local craftsmanship, featuring paras Kerobokan stone walls and wooden ceilings with fluted patterns paired with a variety of textiles and fabrics that add depth and warmth to the clean architectural lines.

living room positioned above the swimming pool

combining tropical modernism with Japanese design

Alexis Dornier creates wooden ceilings with fluted patterns at the Freebird residence

a variety of textiles and fabrics that add depth and warmth to the clean architectural lines

yoga area

the residence includes two guest rooms

bathroom area with outdoor shower

night time view

the living room forms an H-shaped layout

project info:

name: Freebird
location: Berawa, Bali, Indonesia
architect: Alexis Dornier | @alexisdornier

interior designer: Kosame

environmental engineering consultant: Eco Mantra

landscape architect: Bali Landscape Company

builder: Adi Jaya Utama

photographer: KIE | @kiearch
total area: 770 sqm
completion year: 2023

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Architect Alexis Dornier introduces his latest creative concept, The Loop, to Bali‘s lush jungle. Commissioned with a simple yet profound brief — ‘we have lived in boxes our entire life – we now seek the opposite’ — Dornier embarked on a journey to create a residence that breaks free from conventional living and defies gravity. The resulting design unfolds as a mesmerizing figure 8 spiral that stands on a steep slope, seemingly floating above the ground, offering a continuous fluid movement and ever-changing vantage points. Its radial layout offers an immersive living experience. At the same time, carefully selected materials, including concrete, wood, and natural stone, steadily integrate the structure with the Indonesian flora, adding an element of sophistication and modernity to the free-spirited dwelling. 

all images © KIE

alexis dornier’s journey into uncharted territories

For Alexis Dornier (see more here), The Loop’s unconventional layout naturally posed unique challenges that demanded innovative solutions. Bending materials in two dimensions and resolving complex geometrical situations required meticulous planning and close collaboration with skilled artisans as well as the client, whose active involvement in material selection enriched the final design. According to the architect, it was a journey into uncharted territory, pushing the boundaries of architectural possibilities. Moreover, the strategic layout of the house ensures that each room frames scenic views of the Bali jungle and a sense of discovery. From the intimate bedrooms to the communal areas, each space becomes an oasis of tranquility.

‘The completion of this remarkable project exemplifies the power of collaboration, innovation, and the human spirit’s boundless creativity. It stands as a testament to our commitment as architects to challenge the ordinary and create spaces that inspire and captivate all who encounter them,’ concludes Alexis Dornier. 

a figure 8 spiral creating a fluid movement

immersing the residents in Bali’s lush jungle

combining wood, concrete, and natural stone

each space becomes an oasis of tranquility

bedroom area

Alexis Dornier worked closely with skilled artisan and the client for material selection

project info:

name: The Loop 

location: Pajangan, Bali

architect: Alexis Dornier | @alexisdornier

interior designer: Silvia Fairman | @silviafairman

environmental engineering consultancy: Eco Mantra

landscape design: Adhiputra Landscape

construction: Adi Jaya Utama

photography: KIE | @kiearch

total area: 762 sqm 

completion year: 2023 

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Seeking to challenge the idea of conventional paper lamps, architectural designer Alexis Dornier developed a collection of luminous sculptures made out of banana paper.

After visiting a small factory run by a Japanese paper maker, Dornier was captivated by the intimate production process and the qualities of the handcrafted raw material, and thus motivated to create something out of paper. In this project, which is called ‘Tamashī Jiwa – the souls of space’, he translates the concept of comfort and tenderness into a series of intricate lighting pieces. The objects are all made and assembled in Bali from worked-up fibers of banana trees.

all images by Pete Kamynin

transforming everyday elements into luminous sculptures

The inspiring backbone of the ‘Tamash Jiwa – the souls of space’ initiative is clothing and bedding made from banana plant fibers. More specifically, Alexis Dornier (see more here) employed everyday, useful things like down coats, blankets, and filled pillows as the cells of his illuminated sculptures. The different elements are sewn and knitted together and mixed to produce their dominant character. The seams bring rhythm and melody to each piece, and the threads that connect them pay homage to the actual fiber of the paper itself – holding itself together.

The driving premise for conceiving multiple items differing in size and dimension is the principle of merging cells, packed with translucent poleurethane wool from recycled plastic. The racks that carry the translucent forms are built in the same way as the counterpart – slim, dematerialized, black, reductive, and graphical, they emphasize the lightness. Through the art of handcrafted Japanese paper crafting, the down jacket is transformed into an illuminated item.

combining intuition and rationality

Alexis Dornier is equally passionate about intuition and ‘lucky accidents’, which he likes to integrate into the rational story of a project or task. ‘Just like the mind and the heart are an inseparable amalgam that constitutes us humans, Alexis brings the Rational and the Intuitive into one selected snapshot’, shares theTamashī Jiwa team. Through tireless discussion, experimentation, and countless iterations he, at last, arrives at the most suitable result.

The architectural designer depicts craftsmanship, especially the skill of thoughtful joinery, as an integral part of anything being made – beyond sign, gesture, and symbol. The atmosphere of spaces becomes eminent by the objects that those spaces carry and become their souls. They are fixed stars on the firmament of built environments. Lighting fixtures and sculptures are among those objects.

project info: 

name: Tamashī Jiwa – the souls of space
designer: Alexis Dornier | @alexisdornier
banana paper: Naruse | @greenman_bananapaper_studio
photography: Pete Kamynin | @heypetu

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Surrounded by pure black lava sand, roaring waves, and lush tropical gardens, the Lost Lindenberg guest collective is a community-centered retreat set in a tranquil village of Bali, Indonesia. The newly unveiled project, which is far apart from the flashy mass tourism of the area, focuses on shared experience by encouraging visitors to spend their time together in its open-plan public facilities and its exclusive surf spot.

The architecture which takes shape as a series of staggered treehouse towers made of locally sourced wood is conceived by German architect Alexis Dornier. The inviting interiors which incorporate elements of lava stone, tropical hardwood, and river stones, are designed by Indonesian Studio Jencquel. Having opened its doors on 15th of July 2022, Lost Lindenberg is the fifth project, and the first in Indonesia, from the young Frankfurt-based company, Lindenberg. 

all images by Robert Rieger

bright neon lights lead to a landscape of treehouses

Upon approaching the tranquil village of Pekutatan, the tree-lined roads are suddenly interrupted by a massive, brightly illuminated wall of neon signs, advertising holiday pleasures in giant letters. A modest secret door built into the wall leads guests to a winding trail that passes past tropical plants before arriving at a landscape of treehouses. The premises feature eight private rooms, which are perched high above the treetops of the West Balinese palm rainforest, set on a long gleaming black lava sand beach. 

‘The inspiration for this concept was the magic, this sweet, warm melancholy of the location, the black lava sand, and the fantastic waves. Not just another rattan-clad honeymoon hotel, but instead, the courage to settle by a wild sea, to embrace surfing while at the same time satisfy the need for urbanity. LOST was born out of a chance visit and has become a place of longing, a new home for us and anyone else who fancies coming along.’ shares Denise Omurca, Managing Director of Lindenberg (see more here). 

a small floating society

The architecture of Lost Lindenberg is designed by Alexis Dornier and Studio Jencquel whose main aim was to create an unusual, dreamy experience in the midst of a mystical jungle. The result sees an ensemble of staggered treehouse towers connected by elevated walkways pointing towards the sea. ‘We wanted to give the feeling of walking in a different world, of resting on a floating ship, elevated and safe, with the wild jungle at your doorstep. Grouped close together, the towers form a quasi village in the trees, a small floating society.’ mentions the German architect. 

‘The landscape design is an extension of the architectural footprint (or vice versa). The highline connecting the towers is actually the continuation of a path that begins in the garden, penetrates the buildings and ends at the black lava sand beach. The path begins at the entrance past the neon installation and leads us first through a tropical forest.’ the Indonesian design studio explains. 

‘Inside the forest, we encounter moments such as a mossy rock turned fountain, a bench for meditating by a shrine, an enclosed garden where guests can listen to and read poetry by Artur Becker, and an enormous Pule tree in the middle. Beyond the forest, the path continues on to grasslands, a vast area close to the reception that extends to approximately the middle of the property and in which one can find every grass species available here on Bali.’

inviting interiors with locally sourced materials

The detailed-oriented design incorporates traditional elements contrasted with exaggerations. The primary material is sustainably-sourced wood employed in a variety of patterns and directions. Bali green stone covers the floors, and brass is used throughout the composition as an accent.

The interiors are also composed of locally sourced materials like lava stone, tropical hardwood, burnt teak, and river stones. The wooden blinds in the bathrooms blend the inside and exterior spaces while letting in the sea breeze and shielding guests from the hot sun. Visitors can observe boats sailing by on the horizon through panoramic windows. ‘The underlying theme of melancholy and darkness is strongly felt throughout: a neon scar on my sweet melancholy.’ says Max Jencquel of Studio Jencquel.

project info:

name: Lost Lindenberg
brand: Lindenberg
management: Denise Omurca, Nils Jansen (Lindenberg Hospitality GmbH)
operational partner: MAY Hotels, Jan Seelen, Sensorial Management Group, Stijn van Leeuwen
architectural team: Alexis Dornier & Studio Jencquel
interiors and landscaping: Studio Jencquel
construction management: Bali Construction
location: Jl. Ngurah Rai, Pekutatan, Kec. Pekutatan Kabupaten Jembrana, Bali, Indonesien
area: 8,440 sqm

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Alexis Dornier has designed ‘Bird Houses’ resort, an ensemble of three stilted structures nestled into a tropical forest in the heart of Bali, Indonesia. For this project, the design team sought to offer guests a flair of relaxation and harmony between rice fields and palm forest, forgetting for a while the bustling city that surrounds them. ‘A group of friends came together and wanted to build a community in the jungle, off the ground and nestled in between large trees. We now love the intricate and intimate spaces that we could design – bird houses for people,’ share the architects.

The project comprises a house, a studio, and a guest house, and can host up to ten visitors. A series of fluid spatial elements and highlights add to the oasis of tropical tranquility. These include a central infinity pool that welcomes the guests and a sequence of walkways and flower beds that contribute to the project’s integration into the surrounding landscape. all images by KIE

nature becomes an integrated part of Birdhouses’ design

For Birdhouses resort, Alexis Dornier (see more here) designed three structures that seem to hover slightly above the ground. With their inverted cone-shaped body, the Birdhouses touch the terrain gently and blur the seeming boundaries of the buildings to form a sense of exploration. The largest building which hosts the main house is perched on a sloped site and offers unobstructed views of a small creek running past the property. The other two structures frame the entrance of the site and give visitors a comprehensive view of the resort. 

Numerous trees of the site peek through the architecture, softening the buildings’ appearance which employs rigid linear geometries. The artificial is integrated into the natural, providing external shading for the outdoor resting places. Thus, the foliage of large trees serves as a canopy and becomes an incorporated part of the overall design, which ‘resembles a miniature park’. Free in form, pathways, water features, and flower beds meander across the plot, evoking continuity with the natural environment.

an ideal oasis of well-being

inhabitable sculptures immerse into the green oasis 

The goal of these inhabitable sculptures is to provoke a sense of exploration that comes in harmony with their settings. The visitors are welcomed to wander within this maze-like arrangement of different spaces and enjoy the views that dive into the lush scenery. 

The interior spaces occupy various levels throughout the structure, following a central vertical circulation element that opens up to the surroundings. Multi-size openings with different directions melt the interior with the exterior. The design employs varying heights that enliven the space and create a fluid layout with an energetic and welcoming ambiance. 

Regarding the materiality, the architects opted for solid volumes clad in wood for both the inside and the outside. When the sun goes down, soft and indirect lighting creates a cozy, inhabitable space that glows like a lantern amid the lush green.

nature and luxury are combined

the largest building is perched on a sloped site

together nature and artificial provide external shading and privacy

the lush surrounding spill over the interior through a generous amount of glazing

project info:

name: Bird Houses

architects: Alexis Dornier

location: Ubud, Bali

construction: Surya Kembar

status: completed 2022
photography: KIE | @kiearch

size:
guest house: 37.5 sqm
studio house: 128.6 sqm
main house: 162 sqm

for more info: Bird House |  @birdhousesbali

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the stilt studios‘ treehouse is part of a little housing community called bukit sari, surrounded by restaurants and bars yet nestled into lush rice fields. the structural principle of the wooden treehouse C includes a core element made of four vertical columns and supported by a staircase suspending both the ceiling and the floor plane with firm steel cables spanning from that core. apart from the impressive hovering appearance, the structure allows a plane field to create slender facades with thin window frames and panels that carry their own load.

the layout of the project varies from the previous treehouse C in buduk announced in october 2020. instead of one open spatial layout and a corner terrace, this plan is divided into a kitchen with a living area and a capacious bedroom with a sitting space, while both zones are connected through a small corridor. the unit can accommodate two to four inhabitants and provides them with a sweeping view over the rice fields.

the surrounding garden scene was designed and executed by true nature nusantara; a bali-based regenerative landscape design consultancy that specializes in using permaculture design principles to create edible landscapes. moreover, the gardens are covered with flowers, tropical ornamental plants, edible fruits, and herbs, while featuring a small pond at one of the corners. 

‘the goal with this garden was to create a dreamy and wild labyrinth of low-maintenance and colorful perennial plants and trees, with hidden away places to sit and enjoy the view of the adjacent rice fields,’ said bodhi denton, the director of true nature nusantara.

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project info:

architect: alexis dornier/stilt studios 

landscaping: true nature nusantara

location: ubud, bali

size: 64 sqm (688.9 sq. ft.)

status: completed may 2021

photography: arley mardo

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