The Milliennial Villa

Can the typology of an affluent suburban villa be developed for contemporary urban living?

This design concept reimagines the traditional suburban villa, modernising it for a younger generation. On a street lined with nineteenth-century mock-Tudor villas - built in what was once the suburbs, but has since become part of the city sprawl - the Millennial Villa manifests as an idea for a home, but also one for society.

The ground floor has multiple entrances and a shared living space, with eight self-contained units and private terraces located on the upper floors. The design is idealistic, giving equal importance to internal floor area and outdoor space, and equating the beauty of shadows with that of light.

Proposed as a series of mirrored elements, a matrix between interiors and verandas is created on each floor, allowing spaces for dining, living, studying and sleeping to flow from one to the other. Each room mirrors the proportions of another; every gesture is reflected elsewhere with semi-circular arches, corner windows and views across brick walls to achieve a coalescence of interior and exterior. It is not possible to change a singular element without affecting the whole.

Special Mention | RIBA Journal, Spanning Suburbia Competition