The Kalkan Altes Villas are made of up six unique units that are located on a distinctive hillside with an impressive Mediterranean sea view in the Ortaalan district of Kalkan, Turkey. The natural beauty and the distinct texture of the site were the main sources of inspiration during the design process. With a pure and simple architectural language, the villas are aimed to effortlessly integrate three dimensionally with the topography of the site and are positioned so as not to obstruct the sea view of the other.
Each villa is composed of two retaining walls that form a living space on the ground floor and a white box above containing the bedrooms that face towards the sea. The double-height bottom portion of the villa, with all of its materiality, acts a continuation of the existing land and surrounding textures. The kitchen and the double height living space on the lower level completely open up to an infinity pool overlooking the breathtaking vista.
Materiality and the use of natural light are of great importance in the design of these villas. Reflections off of the colored stained glass of the skylights shine upon the exposed concrete walls of the living space giving color to the space and signaling the motion of the sun through the day.
The colorful effects of light and shadow arise entirely without support of additional electric light. The light form is the plasticity of architecture. Through the light, an extension of the visual spatial dimension is achieved. The contrasting color lighting emphasizes low-contrast enveloping surfaces. Starting from an unchanged envelope, the exposure causes an interplay that we experience constantly in the great outdoors. This was intentionally designed to move the space creatively. It reflects the time of day and the quality of natural light.