Villarci

as Architects

Mario Wibowo Photography View Gallery

Site & Places
Villarci is a classic and spacious villa located on the peak of Bogor in the west region of Java. It is an illustration of the thoughtful use of distinctive natural values while embracing the breathtaking and awe-inspiring 360-degree perspective: from Salak Mountain, a scenic view of Bogor city, and the vast terrain of the site itself. The client was motivated by the distinct qualities of the surroundings to select this location for this family retreat and was even willing to postpone the planning of his Jakarta home, which was also being designed by GeTs Architects.

photo_credit Mario Wibowo Photography — Mario Wibowo Photography

This project aimed to create a retreat family villa that falls into place and forms part of the landscape; whilst being able to capture the view outward and inward over the surrounding panoramas of the site. Villarci is built by understanding and honoring the slope of the land: to efficiently articulate the architecture as a part of the landscape and effectively execute it as a functional and liveable place. A light-weight white rectangular mass with thick arches of long exterior arcades seems to harmoniously sit within the surroundings as it was made for complimenting the location. It rises gently above the contour and becomes a significant point of reference.

Since the terrain is still lush and uncultivated, it is not unusual to come across natural animals in the construction site vicinity such as snakes, eagles, and scorpions. The client uses their vast and fertile acreage to further pursue his interest in farming. Moreover, an engrossing experience is created by the harmonious infiltration of tropical mountain scents such as wind breeze, wet earth, and grass. The current circumstances which include erratic weather that can be hot or foggy at times provide a different view as a background of the house: in hot and dry weather the mountains are clearly visible yet in cloudy and rainy weather it’s enigmatic as the mountain covered in mist. Villarci creates a unique by balancing human scale, architectural shapes, and connection to place. This means that the built form and architectural articulation respond directly to both the client’s need for a timeless, practical, liveable, and setting-in family villa.

Arc at Ciapus
Taking a brief look at the visually adored by the client: the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish Mission Revival architecture movement, Villarci takes notable hallmarks of it. The design furthermore presents a contemporary version of the client’s enchantments towards the conventional characteristic of that architectural movement.

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The architectural composition displays a deceptive adherence to simple forms. A light-weight white rectangular mass with thick arches of long exterior arcades—despite aesthetically representing a contemporary update—also favors air circulation, solar shielding of interior openings, outdoor shades for heavy rain, and on top of that providing space for relaxation and social interaction. It becomes a strong visual anchor for the surrounding natural landscape. It also sweeps through and responds directly to site conditions to blur the distinction between “front facade” and “back facade”. On the other hand, the contrast solid black stonework is chosen with a nuance of Bogor’s Dutch Colonial architecture that favors stonework material and serves as a transition to the villa’s natural background.

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With its solid rectangular characteristic and dominant silhouette, the soft shapes within the arches do not shy away from their existence. Additionally, it echoes on a more comfortable scale throughout the internal spaces, particularly in the arched carved wooden doors. The oversized faux wooden beams complement the rest of the Spanish Mission Revival-inspired architecture with its worn, aged, yet warm feel. With restrained materials used across the exterior architecture, the material in interior spaces complemented it: the terracotta and Talavera-patterned tiles provide a splash of color and personality to a rather broad and unadorned white plaster surface. With the usage of veneered timber products and the colored tiles here and there, the whole atmosphere is introduced towards softness, warmth, and comfort. The large paned windows are ideal for counteracting the overall atmosphere and help to imbue a humanizing element to the solid black-and-white architectural structure. Villarci's overall architecture had to find a careful balance between sanctuary and embracing the stunning vista that the entire sides of the villa are vastly exposed to; all while reflecting the imagined lifestyle of the villa with the refined furnishing.

Spaces

Originally intended to be a modest villa for a single family, the brief evolved over the design and construction phases in response to changes in the client’s family needs. The functional planning and problem-solving of Villarci meant that the performance of this design is tested to be adaptable as the owner’s family develops, necessitating occasional adjustment.

GeTs Architects processes the 600 square meters total area of the built villa in 6 hectares of land: 177 sqm on the ground floor and 439 sqm on the upper floor respectively. In Villarci, subtle changes in internal and external levels create a sequence of expansive voids and light-filled spaces. Solid black stonework serves as both a base and a retaining wall, and the concrete roof allows it to double as a get-together seating area. While the ground floor is designed for a garage and service area, the dedicated void forms a poetic semi-open courtyard that orients towards the vast outdoor area while still providing a sense of protection. From arrival to the upper floor, there are interstitial landscape elements, such as a series of stepped-up steps along the slope.

The distinct thick arches of long exterior arcades instantly snare the attention, flowing to the entrance as the solid black stonework anchors with the flowing vegetation. Villarci was conceived as a habitable sculptural piece with simple architectural programs that prioritize communal space for family gatherings. It’s broken into a linear form: kitchen, dry food storage, and powder room are concealed behind a wall with a centerpiece. The sleeping wings composed of three ensuite bedrooms extend out and away from the entertaining space to support a growing family staying within. The thick arches create the necessary void for an enclosed courtyard, providing an oasis with a pleasant microclimate. It concentrates the core of the work, a vibrant space that allows for interesting views from inside and outside the architecture.

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In essence, the building exists as a stacked arches shell, balanced carefully upon stonework that binds into the sloping topography below. Everything is positioned as telescopes perpendicular to the contour and connecting it to other masses so that the whole space has unique vantage points in between. By employing local workers, different construction knowledge was intertwined, strengthening the connection of the work with the Ciapus landscape. The participatory process led to a new constructive language, instilling a sense of achievement, pride, and identity in the local community.