A truly dynamic home should unfold over time. This is the power of a layered architectural space—a design philosophy that rejects static, compartmentalized rooms in favor of an orchestrated journey. Through stacked, overlapped, and strategically revealed volumes, a home becomes a narrative, fostering a continuous sense of discovery.
This thoughtful approach has become a recurring theme in architect Ed Calma’s work. His project, the Haw Residence, is a multi-level expression of this idea. This home, designed around exotic cars, art, and a specific mode of living, functions like a sophisticated panopticon where sightlines crisscross through floors, creating a profound and ever-changing connection between the residents and the spaces they occupy.
The experience of the residence starts at the frontage, where the home’s core philosophy of layering is immediately put on display. The structure presents itself as a dynamic composition of intersecting volumes and voids. Cantilevered upper floors framed in dark, bold lines float above a more transparent ground level, while warm wood accents on the soffits and vertical slats offer a material counterpoint to the cool, pristine finish of the main walls.
Strategic use of glass and thoughtful openings offer glimpses into the interiors, revealing slivers of the life and light within. There is no traditional foyer, but an instant immersion into the home’s dual identity as a gallery and a living space. The eye is first drawn to a custom red sculpture by Jinggoy Buensuceso, which continues as a functional, floating console for keys and display items. Set against the dramatic diagonal veining of Saint Laurent marble, this piece is simultaneously art and function, signaling the thoughtful integration that defines the entire home.
The home’s full narrative unfolds through its vertical ascension across the distinct levels. This vertical stacking is unified by the central atrium space, where all floors visually intersect. The staircase, inspired by the inverted perspectives and impossible structures of an M.C. Escher painting is the main artery.
“In every view that you look at the stair, you don’t know whether it’s upside down or [right side up],” he notes. This sculptural element, along with another freestanding Buensuceso sculpture, reinforces the recurring diagonals seen throughout the home.
To ensure the home remained a warm and livable sanctuary, Calma employed a neutral palette. “My houses normally are very neutral in color tones,” he notes. “The artwork, whether it’s colorful or neutral, kind of blends with the neutral tones of the house.”
From the loft, for instance, you get a simultaneous view of the driveway, the cars below, the main living and dining rooms, and sightlines extending to the lounge, pool, and even glimpses of the rooftop bar. Crucially, these varied perspectives allow residents to appreciate the artwork from different parts of the house, seeing pieces not just head-on but in relation to the wider architectural narrative. From the master’s bedroom study desk, you can look down and survey the living room, the main staircase, and the art within, fostering a sense of connection and what Calma refers to as “surveillance.”
The residence stands as a meticulously crafted landscape for discovery. Ed Calma orchestrated a complex, layered experience designed for movement—a continuous journey where every sightline reveals another part of the story. This insistence on an unfolding narrative creates spaces that never cease to surprise. It proves that the richest and most enduring architectural spaces are the ones that continue to reveal themselves, offering new perspectives and deeper connections long after one has crossed the threshold.
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Photographed by Ed Simon
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