Casa Brutale gives us wall-to-wall water and concrete set into cliffs
An architectural marvel where the elemental forces of water and concrete converge seamlessly, crafting an awe-inspiring spectacle that harmoniously melds with the rugged cliffs
Casa Brutale is a lyrical brutalism, a geometrical translation of the landscape. It is an unclad statement on the simplicity and harmony of contemporary architecture; a complete study of aesthetics, structure, function and engineering.
Casa Brutale is OPA’s (Open Platform for Architecture) challenging vision of innovative architecture, where innovation refers to long forgotten terms such as ambience and materiality.
The residence is constructed with simple materials: wood, glass and concrete, the convergence of the surrounding earth and water. The landscape is integral to the underlying concept, since elements penetrate and prevail over the construction.
The roof of Casa Brutale, a glazed bottom swimming pool, is a continuation of the poetic Aegean Sea and in perfect communication with the vast blue of the Greek sky. In essential simplicity, Casa Brutale is defined by three thick concrete slabs with all the installations preformed:
- The crystalline pool, made by reinforced glass, is set between the walls to smoothen the hard materials and let the abundant natural light through, illuminating the residence
- The enormous glass façade frames and extracts the beauty of the Aegean
- And small details of black-coated steel and brown/red aged wood complete the composition
The optical impact of the building on the landscape is minimal, with only one façade on the cliff side and no volume extruding from the ground level.
Light penetrates the transparent or semi-transparent surfaces of Casa Brutale, bringing it to life. The dynamic light patterns caress the bare concrete with refractions and shadows.
Bare concrete, or beton brut, is the finishing technique that gave the name to both brutalism and Casa Brutale. Raw, unpretentious, monolithic, marked by the wooden planks used to mold the casting. Casa Brutale redefines the harmonious coexistence of human and nature in a poetic homage to pure Brutalism.
Casa Brutale will be built on Faqra mountain outside Beirut, at an altitude of 1600m, and the future owner will be Alex Demirdjian, CEO of Demco Properties. More specifically, the site is located 150m below the peak of the mountain, 200 meters above RedRock Village and Spa, also owned and developed by Demco Properties.
The cliff residence has grown since the first concept and it is now 270 sqm (it used to be 180sqm) with an estimated project budget of 2.5 million USD. It can now accommodate up to six people, has an underground parking of up to three cars and a northwest orientation. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018.
The mind behind Casa Brutale: OPA Partners
Laertis-Antonios Ando Vassiliou (Director OPA North) was born in 1983 to Greek & Japanese parents. He grew up in Rhodes until 2001 when he started studying architecture at the Athens Technical University (NTUA). In 2014 he worked for UNStudio Amsterdam and by the end of the year, together with Pantelis Kampouropoulos officially established Open Platform for Architecture (OPA).
Pantelis Kampouropoulos (Director OPA South) was born in 1983 and raised in Rhodes. From 2001 to 2007 he studied renovation and restoration of buildings at the Higher Technological Institute of Patras. In 2012 he established his own architectural office Studio A (2012). Since then he has participated in architectural and design competitions and earned a distinction for “Re-think Athens” (2012).
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