Villa Marittima is a residence with minimalist architecture designed by Robin Williams Architect, located in St Andrews Beach, Victoria, Australia.
Description by Robin Williams: A private enclosure by the ocean, filled with natural light: with simple, expansive and flexible spaces. Spaces in which to be joyful, liberated, relaxed and uninhibited. The real luxury we have is space. Perfection is achieved when there is nothing more to take away.
Walls of translucent polycarbonate wrap the enclosure. These multi-celled walls insulate the villa. They softly change colour. Site awareness is maximised. Access is a tea tree enclosed rear driveway. The first glimpse is a large simple, translucent, luminous polycarbonate wall, with a large matching sliding door. An object to excite curiosity. There is no indication that the dwelling is adjacent to the ocean. The process of discovery begins: as with a child going to the beach, jumping from the car and running up the sand dune full of excitement to discover the ocean at the top of the dune. The large door opens to a long ramped floor – the sand dune. Rising the ramp the first view is the ever changing sky at the top. Then the horizon, and then the ocean becomes visible, firstly as a few waves, and then the breathtaking panorama of the ocean. The process is an exciting part of daily life. This flexible ramped space is a wet area, sleeping space, study, and library. The key visual focus of the villa is the sensuous simplicity and energy of water. The main living space and terrace hover between the ocean and the swimming pool. The space is translucent and white, the colour of foaming surf, with a softly polished cloud-like concrete floor. It incorporates Living, Dining and Kitchen. For the space to function in its essential simple rectangular “Salon” form, the Kitchen, in three compartments, slides into the side wall to be totally disguised.
A three sided fireplace provides a focus for the colder months. In-floor asymmetric lighting strips spill light across the non-punctuated living space and ramp ceilings: simple white origami wings riding the ocean breeze.
From this main living space, a slightly submerged yellow resin walkway provides a calming path through the pool to a sliding panel that hides a “secret garden” beyond. This private translucent garden is ramped as a grassy hillside, rising from a contemplative wind protected space, to an even more expansive panoramic coastline view. Clouds, moonlight or the milky way provide the ceiling. Below the main living space is a second flexible space: an office, sleeping, or entertaining space with grand piano. Accessed from an external yellow resin walkway, it gathers light through its polycarbonate and glazed walls, and a dramatic large window into the swimming pool with ever changing natural and artificial light patterns. A reflecting pond/lake, below a dramatic cantilever, also adds drama to this space. There are no stairs in the house. Villa Marittima is very suitable for persons with disabilities. Movement is through a long, gentle, continuous sequence of spaces – to accentuate calmness and space.
