4 close to nature 9789460581984

inspiring houses off the road

mirjam bleeker & frank visser

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The huge adobe bricks were covered in layers and layers of paint and there were cracks everywhere they looked. Some of the rooms were very dark and needed more natural light. Others just needed a fresh coat of paint and a coat of wax on the floor.

“We like to see and feel the house’s history. We found most of the furniture and items around the house at auctions in Montevideo or in junkyards around Garzón. The kitchen table is a perfect example of the kind of things we like and comes from a barn in nearby Rocha. The four legs were different lengths, and it had old pizza dough on it”, Mariano laughs.

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The butcher’s has a largish display case and all the right equipment for processing meat into mince and sausages. The adjacent bar is organised around an old counter, which they painted a striking orange and green.

The shelves behind it are lined with liqueurs and other drinks. The blue and white flag of Argentina is used as a tablecloth. Here and there, sheepskins have been placed on chairs so guests can sit more comfortably.

The lounge is in the next space and is a cosy place to sit. The magnificent doors with old, coloured glass panes give out onto the garden. One day Alberto and Fabian hope to convert a few rooms in the annex in the garden into a B&B for guests who would like to spend the night.

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While the pool is an important part of the design, Emmanuel and Ludwig wanted a more natural pool that would blend in nicely with the garden and the surrounding scenery.

The interior is a mish-mash of casual furniture and large, dramatic ornaments. The retro chairs and ethnic fabrics combine to create a warm ambience. The stainless steel kitchen counter was sourced from a Fifties-style diner and fits in perfectly with the overall nonchalant style of the home.

The artworks that have been arranged like monuments in and around the house are quite eye-catching. These parts of buildings, fences or other architectural elements that have been rescued before the demolishing crews came in, are grand and compelling.

While the house may look unfinished, the ‘Chic by accident’ design philosophy pays attention to details. The personalities of the two designers are reflected in their contradictory approach, which combines minimalism with a dramatic flourish. What counts above all, is that this is a house to live in and enjoy. Where you can receive guests but where you can also feel perfectly at ease with the world when you’re alone.

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interested in profit, choosing instead to make a more altruistic use of his land.

Over the years, he built twenty individual houses and cabins on the two hills high above Siu Siu Lab, which he owns. He rents these out to young Taiwanese and foreign artists, as residences

WHERE?

Siu Siu Lab is located at the foot of a hill that is owned by an elderly gentleman. He is not

or studios. The stunning location, in green surroundings near the city, outweighs any grum-

WHO?

bling about the laborious climb the residents have to

Gracella is one of the hillside residents. She has a tiny studio with all the mod cons that resembles a shoe

make to their homes every day.

There are several larger communal spaces in between the houses. The trails that wind to the cabins all give out onto a number of wooden platforms. The resi-

box. But the large window

dents like to meet on these terraced platforms, or sit

that runs the length of her

in the swings to enjoy the lovely view.

cabin has a stunning view of the hill. She creates funky patchwork caps, for cyclists. Cycling is really hip in Taiwan and hipsters wear cool outfits.

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Everything grew very organically. It’s ‘architecture without the architect’. A gradual, slow process, whereby the building is adapted to the residents and their needs and the available cash.

Simon Velez only extended the house when the family needed additional space. The process is intuitive and spontaneous, and very similar to the process of building a farm, with space added every time new members join the family.

The house currently consists of a three-storey main building, painted a deep blue, where Velez lives. Various other structures dot the dense jungle around it, including a temple-like building, a studio made almost entirely out of glass and ‘real’ houses.

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The island has no real beaches. Going for a swim requires a long climb over a stretch of stones.

But when you finally make it into the water, the experience is everything you could have hoped for and more.

Marco bought a house here about thirty years ago. It is a typical island dwelling, a tiny rectangular building with thick walls and a flat roof. It has two rooms with small windows and doors that open out onto a wide terrace. The sweeping view is simply breath-taking. You can spot the six other Aeolian islands and Sicily in the distance.

The house is one of the highest on the island. If Marco needs something from the village, he has to walk down (and up) 500 steps. Although the elderly painter is still quite energetic for his age, 249

he does his best to plan his purchases in order not to have to walk down every day.

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ABOUT THE MAKERS

THANK YOU

The Dutch stylist and designer Frank

To all the residents whose homes we have

Visser works under the name of IJM on

included in this book, for welcoming us

thought-provoking projects that are regu-

in their magical natural refuges. Every-

larly published in international design

where we went, we received a warm wel-

magazines.

come. We often stayed with our hosts for an extended period of time. To all of you:

Mirjam Bleeker is a freelance photogra-

thank you. Not only have you given us the

pher. She travels the world, often together

opportunity to create this book, but you

with Frank, in search of the most beautiful

have expanded our horizons.

and extraordinary locations and people.

Her work has been published in numerous

Mirjam and Frank

international travel and interior design magazines.

CLOSE TO NATURE Photography Mirjam Bleeker Production Frank Visser Graphic design Madeleine Wermenbol Editing Sandy Logan

D/2016/12.005/24 ISBN 9789460581984 NUR 454 Š 2016, Luster (Antwerp), Mirjam Bleeker & Frank Visser October 2016 www.lusterweb.com info@lusterweb.com

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An exception is made for short excerpts which may be cited for the sole purpose of reviews.

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