Situated along the coast of the Aegean Sea in Turkey’s southwestern province of Muğla, the private Dolunay villa has been carefully sited amid the natural rugged setting, prioritising the spectacular sea views.
David Summerfield, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “We were fascinated by the local landscape and wanted it to flow through the interior spaces and effectively disguise the building. Even though it gets incredibly hot in the summer, we wanted the building to be able to breathe naturally. The landscaped open courtyards within the house allow the prevailing sea breeze to gently move through the villa. These are simple ideas that have come together in an elegant way.”
The site is accessed from the north, with a curving road that leads to the drop-off for the villa. The design uses the natural contours of the site to create a low-rise building that appears as a single storey structure on approach. The house is embedded within a beautiful Mediterranean garden that offers a multisensory experience with fragrant plants such as thyme and lavender alongside rich seasonal planting and mature olive trees. The main entrance takes you directly to the heart of the villa with the private family quarters to the eastern side, orientated to respond to the contours of the site, and the public living and dining areas to the west, with exceptional views of the setting sun over the Aegean.
