Marbella, Spain

Inspired by the cherry trees growing near the house, the Marbella Villa by Kerimov Architects will expand on the existing structure, becoming an entirely redesigned villa with varying volumes serving crucial functions.

The client purchased a house under construction with an area of 800 square meters in Marbella, Spain, but he didn’t like either its color or shape and asked Kerimov Architects to reconstruct the building.

Thus, the architects were faced with the task of transforming a white box, typical of local architecture, into a unique object that would meet the client’s taste as well as its context in natural surroundings.

To begin, the architects studied the drawings of the house already under construction, analyzed its typology, and ultimately proposed a project for the reconstruction. 

In the original drawings, there were dominant directions in the layout, dictating a strong horizontal architecture.

The architects reconfigured the volumes, creating awnings and facade screens, emphasising the logic of shaping and forming new architectonics for the building. Stone shutters on the windows protect against burglaries and theft, while awnings and blinds keep out direct sunlight.

With their massive and foundational qualities, the load-bearing columns of stone resemble the architecture of Spanish fortresses and contrast the lighter, more rhythmic rows of facade elements.

This contrast of mass and lightweight is inspired by the landscape of the surrounding nature: the cherries growing near the house are simultaneously monumental, like stone columns, and also delicate, changeable during the flowering period, like the glass elements of the facade that reflect the different states of nature.

Project: Villa in Marbella
Architects: Kerimov Architects
Design Team: Kerimov Architects
Client: Private
Images courtesy of Kerimov Architects