DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE
The Villa Sow
29 NOVEMBER 2011
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Situated on a cliff-top overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Villa Sow in Dakar was completed in 2011. The house was designed for a Senegalese businessman and his family by SAOTA with Antoni Associates handling the interior décor. Most of the furniture was sourced from OKHA.
Built on the site of a WWII bunker, Villa Sow maximises its commanding position to create a structure that is not only dramatic but – with the incorporation of certain historical elements – becomes quite magical and mysterious.
Part of the old bunker was retained and a portion of it now houses an underground cinema that opens up onto a water courtyard / moat that runs along the boundary to create a water feature at the gateway. This installation is connected to the house via a timber-panelled walkway, leading to a spiral staircase that runs from the lower ground through to the first floor and second floor levels of the villa.
‘Whilst the cliff-side site presented an extraordinary opportunity for a house on the edge of Dakar’s CBD, the slowly eroding nature of the cliff face required a very carefully considered structural solution,’ says Greg Truen, project partner. ‘The result is a building that seems to float off the cliff’s edge’.
The ground floor of the house, designed to facilitate seamless indoor and outdoor living and entertainment, is arranged in an L-shape around the pool, the pool terrace and the garden. The formal living and dining spaces are cantilevered over the cliff edge, projecting out over the Atlantic Ocean to enjoy panoramic sea views as well as views back to the house.
The kitchen area comprises an open ‘American’ layout plus a separate traditional kitchen; adjacent are the garage and staff facilities that extend along the east / west axis and the northern side of the boundary. The entrance hall gives access to the entertainment area and double volume family lounge, which connects via a floating stairwell to the upper level pyjama lounge. The main suite and two children’s bedrooms are located on this upper level.
‘The vast overhanging roof, which projects over the upper level and the outdoor living level creates a dramatic double volume outdoor space and gives the entire home its sense of unity,’ says partner Stefan Antoni.
November/December 2011 Issue
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The sculptural modernist exterior and shell is counter-balanced with the use of warm, textured materials and finishes. Hardwood timber decks contrast with granite interior floors and natural timber wall panelling with beaten and polished stainless steel panels. Rough-cut quarried stone is an effective foil for smooth marble surfaces.
Credit(s): location: Dakar, Senegal, architects: SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects & interior design: Antoni Associates
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The material selection for the house provided the ideal backdrop for Antoni Associates to make key choices in furniture, décor and fixtures. The timber installation in the hallway was designed by Antoni Associates.
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The material selection for the house provided the ideal backdrop for Antoni Associates to make key choices in furniture, décor and fixtures. These include a Carolina Sardi wall installation in the kitchen which features black Nero Marquina marble and high-gloss / glass kitchen joinery.
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The main bedroom is a vast space, which has direct access to a private terrace overlooking the ocean. As is the case throughout, the interior is in pleasing synergy with the architecture, both being distinctly contemporary.
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