Any architectural project may be likened to a journey, but the metaphor is especially apt for this residential project, which is still in progress after seven years – hence the HB Design moniker of “our Taj Mahal”. The client loves architecture and is a “serial home builder” with a strong grasp of design and a highly developed spatial sensibility. It is set on a rock promontory surrounded by trees and is part of a compound, so the connections, or pathways linking the buildings, become important. The site had a number of existing buildings some of which HB Design have re-constructed in new materials with slate roofs.

These existing Thai pavilions at the centre of the site anchor the design. The new architecture is designed on concentric, radial lines responding to the existing contours. This consists of a series of low-slung modern pavilions which line the coastline, accessed via multiple pathways. This positioning resulted from site studies and extensive studies in plan and section. As well as responding to the contours of the site, the pavilions are positioned to optimise sweeping views of the sea and along the coastline. It was also imperative that none of them was visible from key vantage points.

The materials are predominantly wood and Portuguese limestone, giving the whole development a restrained homogeneity. Despite the large size, it is nonetheless an exercise in the “art of making” with details carefully considered and the execution carried out with a high level of craftsmanship The project is ongoing and expected to complete in 2016.