St. Tropez, France

Overlooking the beach of Plage de Pampelonne, this residence is a modern interpretation of St Tropez living, and SAOTA collaborated with Libre Architecture Concept for the design and construction. The design consists of a series of horizontal planes – the green hedge on street level, the street facing, front of the house, the indoor layers running from east to west, the linear terrace and a sloping green embankment and swimming pool below.

The entrance has travertine slabbed panels and matching textured plaster planes, while palm trees serve as sculptural features. Travertine stepping stones also pave way to the double height, solid wood front door, and thin horizontal and vertical openings admit light without compromising privacy.  

A capiz shell chandelier occupies the double volume entrance hall area that leads to the lounge, dining room and kitchen, offering dramatic views over the pool and garden. A bespoke chandelier above the dining table adds a touch of luxury to the space, while light vein cut travertine floors contrast with the black, slim, sliding doors,  a pattern that is repeated on the feature walls, providing subtle accents. Also on this level is the guest bedroom, separated from the living area by a courtyard garden with a linear water feature and a large olive tree.

Throughout the design, solid walls are juxtaposed against large frameless windows and sliding doors. A slanting, green embankment leads to the pool and a terrace, while the pavilion with an outdoor lounge and cocktail bar, situated on the outsized lawn, further enhances the outdoor experience.

The client preferred a neutral colour palette with natural, organic materials, timber and glass for the furniture, and accents of charcoal. Strategically placed gallery spaces in the design allow for their extensive art collection to be visible, not only from the interior but from the exterior of the house as well.