Jim Caumeron Design turns a challenging L-shape site into an edgy dwelling in the Philippines that flows with the views.
Good architecture can blend seamlessly in its surroundings in inventive, yet subtle ways, as this white geometric Philippines home demonstrates.
Surrounded by residential houses in an urban gated community in Quezon city, this 4,306 square-foot abode boasts a three-dimensional shape with linear purity and an abundance of windows dedicated to the sole greenery vista the site offers – a verdant park facing the house.
“Since it is a generic gated village, we needed to make the best of what it offers and turn it into something really special, using architecture as a viewpoint,” says architect Jim Caumeron, the creative mind behind the project, and owner of Jim Caumeron Design.
Using the surrounding as the “take-off point of the idea”, Caumeron incorporated considerable amounts of camera lens-like extrusions, large panels and screens into the project, lending the home a prevailing sense of openness throughout.
“We were lucky there was a park (across from the house). We had to utilise it.”
Elevated above ground level, a large picture window at the junction of the L-shaped structure brings nature inside the living area and the upstairs master bedroom through a small indoor glazing.
“The flow revolved around the view, hence the name Viewpoint House,” Caumeron notes.
To further open up the space, the living room comes with a sizeable, frosted glass door that connects to a party area – which is also a garage – meant for large gatherings and ceremonies.
Meanwhile, an extensive exterior wall facing the afternoon sun in the west is punctured with small windows and slanted section details, intended to keep rainwater out while allowing fresh air to seep into the stair atrium. Also on the ground floor is a ribbon window connecting the atrium and the entrance hallway with a view to the street and the park.
“My design is always about the space and the formal language that responds to the conditions around it,” the architect says. “I like to highlight space in its purest sense.”
The use of large screens continues to the hallway upstairs, where two floor-to-ceiling glazings located at both ends provide the interior with natural light and cross-ventilation. Here, you can find ample storage and closet spaces concealed behind recessed doors that echo the profile of the window viewports.
The second floor is home to a library wrapped in wood finishes, which comes from the homeowner’s local hardwood collection that dictates the colour scheme of the house.
Warm and inviting, the library is as open as it gets, thanks to an indoor screen that looks out to the perforated wall. This smart use of indoor windows lends a nice sense of depth to the reading space, much like the small indoor glazing in the master bedroom with a bay window seat that can look down to the below living room, and the lush greenery beyond, through the glazed front.
Apart from the layout, much thought has been put into the ceiling and furniture designs to echo the visual language of the building’s trapezoidal niches and geometric silhouette – from the sculptural floor lamps, coffee and dining tables in the living and dining areas, pendant lights and study desk in the library, to the side table lamps in the master’s bedroom.
Through cutting-edge design and thoughtful details, Jim Caumeron Design has transformed a difficult site into a contemporary nest that is spectacular from the inside out.
