geode
dubai, united arab emirates
2023
The Geode villa embodies a rough, earthy aesthetic. Inspired by its namesake crystal stone formation, the six-bedroom villa’s massing consists of a series of detached, broken crystals enveloping a green central courtyard. This angular green space at the heart of the house prompts a circular flow through the breaks in the massing, creating view corridors to the landscape and the sea beyond.
The introverted central part of the plan allows for cross-views into different recesses of the house, introducing light wells that illuminate each space, while its periphery opens to the sea and the gardens. These spaces are unified by rough surfaces used for walls, terraces, parapets, and hanging consoles.
Jagged slabs of cyclopean concrete casts cover the dispersed living pods, unifying the structure with a stratified horizontal façade. The rough textures and strong angles that permeate the design embody the essence of a Geode. Its monolithic pieces act as hybrids of individual crystals and their collective mineral grouping, a combination reflected in the villa’s protective architectural scale.