South Bank - Arc VillasShaped by the gentle arc of the land

This pair of villas forms the final component of our South Bank Masterplan. The two lots are located on the ironshore bluffs that abut the newly formed South Bank Beach. The design of these homes sought to respond to the natural conditions of the site from east to west, and the scale of buildings that neighbour to the north and south.

We have created a tiered profile to the villas in both directions. They lean back from the ocean in a ‘wind-pruned’ manner, which gives them a quiet repose, and enhanced privacy from the beach. We also tapered the floor slabs to express the wide proportions of the villas whilst accentuating their stealthlike ‘superyacht’ profiles.

In the north/south axis the villas step away from each other and the neighbouring buildings, so as to ensure the four-storey volumes read as sculpted forms in the landscape, not rigid blocks. This dual-aspect arcing mediates with the undulating silhouettes of our Lagoon, Shoal, and Banks Villas to the north, and the 6 storey Arc Condominiums by Piero Lissoni to the south.

On approach, the entrance is formed from a carved-out coral stone wall, with reflecting pool and deep overhangs. Together, this creates a cool, shaded and calm entry sequence to the home. On entering, a large winding staircase and glazed atrium brings light and views of nature into the heart of the home. The coral stone wall threads through the home and draws the eye to the sea.

The Level 1 Grand Room is paired with a broad wrap-around covered terrace and outdoor kitchen/dining space that gives multiple opportunities for indoor-outdoor entertaining. Corner windows enhance the wide-angle perspective of the sea from the Grand Room, and this feature is replicated in the Master Bedrooms at Level 2. Level 3 is accessed via a lift and features a covered dining space with sundeck, bar and plunge pool. The covered rooftop is recessive to all facades and reads like the ‘bimini’ of a boat.