UME Architecture
James Garden Pavilion
Meanjin / Brisbane, Australia
Designed by Brisbane-based architecture firm UME Architecture, the James Garden Pavilion challenges the idea of the typical subtropical suburban pool. The project was born from a desire to capitalise on an outdoor space and its impressive city views, leading UME Architecture to a series of ‘landscaped interventions’: a pool and pavilion surrounded by a garden, equipped with a barbeque, firepit and sundeck. “The project allows one to engage with all the elements – fire, earth, water and air,” UME Architecture principal Craig Channon says.
UME Architecture deliberately chose to combine structure and finish, expressed through unadorned concrete geometric forms that mediate a balance between strength and simplicity. Reminiscent of mid-20th-century Brutalist Mexico, the James Garden Pavilion creates spaces for retreat, recreation and social interaction. “So often, a pool is added to a house to create a play space for children,” Craig says. “Recent conversations with the homeowners demonstrate that the project has also happily become a play space for adults.”
James Garden Pavilion by UME Architecture | Photography by Shantanu Starick
James Garden Pavilion by UME Architecture | Photography by Shantanu Starick
James Garden Pavilion by UME Architecture | Photography by Shantanu Starick
“In subtropical Brisbane, the backyard pool is often an ill-considered afterthought. The opportunity to reimagine and elevate this ubiquitous piece of suburbia was an enticing opportunity.”
– Craig Channon
James Garden Pavilion by UME Architecture | Photography by Shantanu Starick
VR Residence
Bentveld, the Netherlands
The VR Residence by Nicolas Schuybroek Architects emulates the quietness of its surroundings for a family seeking a tree change from Amsterdam to Bentveld, the Netherlands. The architecture studio’s approach radically differed from the home’s previous incarnation – a formerly large-scale concrete bunker closed off from the landscape. “All possible connections with nature were missing, as well as vantage points and perspectives,” Nicolas Schuybroek says. “Starting with such a radical base makes it almost easy, if not evident on how to conceptualise spaces and rooms connected to the surroundings.”
The indoor pool is encased by a black timber exterior designed to blend with the pine trees, visible from the floor-to-ceiling windows along each side. The palette of limewashed brick, clay plaster, and limestone pavers contrasts the exterior, building on the sense of tactility and sensory thrill evident in all of Nicolas Schuybroek’s projects. “The lines and geometry are straightforward without being simplistic, and the contrast between the light, almost monochromatic interiors with the dark facades paradoxically enhances this sense of calm.”
VR Residence by Nicolas Schuybroek Architects | Photography by Matthieu Salvaing
“The lines and geometry are straightforward without being simplistic, and the contrast between the light, almost monochromatic interiors with the dark facades paradoxically enhances this sense of calm.”
– Nicolas Schuybroek
VR Residence by Nicolas Schuybroek Architects | Photography by Matthieu Salvaing
Casa VO / WO
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Ludwig Godefroy designed Casa VO / WO – a series of four ‘twin’ houses in Puerto Escondido, Mexico – to embrace the tropical city’s year-round warm climate. “The idea behind Casa VO / WO reverses the classic house scheme so that you can enjoy the tropical life and climate of Puerto Escondido and live outdoors as much as possible,” Ludwig says.
Ludwig eliminated the need for windows or glass, making water a central architectural element that defines the overall spatial and sensory experience. “Casa VO / WO is a simple expression of a house as a cave that does not create an enclosure,” Ludwig explains. “The project blurs the boundary between interior and exterior to become a unique habitable garden, where everything remains open all day and night.” Echoing ancient Mesoamerican traditions, the channels, pools and water bodies surrounding the living spaces not only harness the opportunity to cool off but also create reflective surfaces that highlight the interplay of light and shadow and the sculptural concrete forms of the architecture.
Casa VO / WO by Ludwig Godefroy | Photography by Rory Gardiner
Casa VO / WO by Ludwig Godefroy | Photography by Rory Gardiner
“The idea behind Casa VO / WO reverses the classic house scheme so that you can fully enjoy the tropical life and climate of Puerto Escondido and live outdoors as much as possible.”
– Ludwig Godefroy
Casa VO / WO by Ludwig Godefroy | Photography by Rory Gardiner
Casa VO / WO by Ludwig Godefroy | Photography by Rory Gardiner
VH Residence by Simon de Burbure Architects | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
Simon de Burbure Architects
VH Residence
Bruges, Belgium
Simon de Burbure Architects were tasked with preserving and renovating a 16th-century estate in Bruges, Belgium, that hadn’t been touched since 1880. The design intervention took place over four years, where all original elements, such as the ceilings, mosaics, panelling and antique doors with glasswork, were painstakingly retained and seamlessly integrated with the rebuilt interiors.
The project included inserting an 18-metre-long swimming pool in a dedicated spa and fitness area on the ground floor. The indoor pool features contemporary archways and columns that resemble a traditional Italian bathhouse, contrasting the dark-brown beamed ceiling. When asked to describe the relationship between architecture and water in the VH Residence, Simon says it’s multifaceted. “Inside, the 18-metre-long swimming pool represents a unique urban feature, while outside, a large pond reminiscent of Bruges’ parks reinforces the city’s connection to water,” the architect says. “Bruges is also surrounded by water, with the Dijver flowing through the city, enhancing the architectural integration with water elements.”
“Inside, the 18-metre-long swimming pool represents a unique urban feature, while outside, a large pond reminiscent of Bruges' parks reinforces the city's connection to water.”
– Simon de Burbure
VH Residence by Simon de Burbure Architects | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne
VH Residence by Simon de Burbure Architects | Photography by Thomas De Bruyne