Natural Beauty

Architect Richard Hywel Evans reveals how he created the stunning contemporary villa, La Vinya.

- Joanne Molina

It’s not easy to think outside the proverbial contemporary white box – unless you’re Richard Hywel Evans, principal of his eponymous studio that was commissioned to create La Vinya, a luxurious contemporary villa in the PGA Golf Resort in Caldes de Malavella, Spain. Ingeniously hidden from view, it’s seamlessly integrated into the lush landscape with a design that offers privacy, respite and all the amenities suited to a cosmopolitan lifestyle.

“We take our inspiration from the site, the views, the materials, the possibilities. We asked, ‘How could our building make the most of all this and create something truly worthwhile?’,” says Hywel Evans. “It uses the traditional stone walls, timber roof structures and natural copper roofs. It is very grounded in its local Catalan flavour and, of course, informed by the rich modern architecture and culture of nearby Barcelona and the entire region.”

When designing the 2413-square metre property, he created a stone wall using local sources that merges the landscape with the building to create the illusion of living in the forest, complete with views punctuated by a rich tree canopy.

“The new villa is built into the hillside, making the most of its elevation, views and journey inside the building, seamlessly joining the site with the new building,” he explains.

As the wall descends, the natural slope provides total privacy from the neighbouring houses, and provides an elevated reception area that overlooks the terrace and infinity edge pool, as well as the mountains beyond.