As a former commercial building with a limited privacy due to neighbouring structures, the key strategy in this transformation is the insertion of a vibrant central garden patio. This draws its inspiration from the Moroccan riad – a traditional dwelling form oriented around a central courtyard. Villa Stardust’s central garden is an outdoor living room open to the stars, but entirely enclosed by the building at its four perimeter faces.

Perforating the building’s deep footprint, typical for commercial structures, the 230m2 garden allows the building to breathe, ensuring that all interior living spaces are awash in natural light and ventilation. Sufficient floor space remains of the 1000m2 total to not only house a family of five and provide a clear interior-exterior connection, but also to accommodate the client’s small medical practice – all on a single level.

Just as the patio’s colourful resplendence functions as a visual focal point in a regular, orthogonal floor plan arrangement, colour and Moroccan embellishments become focal points within the interior’s otherwise quiet palette. For example, fit-out includes a kitchen with a powder-coated stainless steel block, as well as a tribune structure in the living space which simultaneously incorporates a media room and storage. Additionally, Moroccan tiles line the bathroom floors, lending a rich visual texture to the villa’s tranquil interior backdrop. This hierarchy establishes a consistent rhythm that creates a consistent harmony, both within the home, and between the home and the natural environment.