design et al are delighted that Pin and Pin have been shortlisted with their project Villa Ivy into the International Design & Architecture Awards 2015. Villa Ivy is situated in a protected crystal blue bay on the south side of the Island Brac, Croatia. The position is unrivalled, right on the water’s edge with stunning views over the turquoise sea to the harbour of Sumartin and the Biokov mountains beyond. The aim of this project was to design an open plan, contemporary villa which would enhance the area and last the test of time.
For the designs to be passed it was essential that Pin & Pin kept two of the existing walls in their new scheme and had a ground floor that covered no more than 30% of the 600 m2 plot. Local planning laws have been set to ensure buildings in the area must have pitched roofs and are at least 70% covered in stone. Although this restricts design, it ensures the quality of buildings in the area and keeps consistency.
The brief was to design a villa with floor to ceiling glass boasting a view of the sea from every room. The architects at Pin & Pin aspired to create a symmetric house which displayed a range of various natural stones and glass to provide beautiful lines from every angle. Permission was obtained to build a 3 story 500 m2 property consisting of 4 ensuite bedrooms.
The villa provides luxury features such as a gymnasium, wine cellar, office, spa and an infinity edged pool to surpass the expectation of even the most discerning clientele. Villa Ivy comes with private mooring, allowing guests to keep their own boats right in front of the house. To have a villa in such close proximity to the sea with these facilities, is a rarity within Europe.