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Beauty in Subtlety by Nazareno Architecture + Design
When you think of Makati City, the image of a bustling financial district and an active metropolitan lifestyle often comes to mind. But situated in one of its gated communities is a house that flourishes not just in the calmness of its surroundings but also in its quiet architecture. This abode, designed by Nazareno Architecture + Design, was built for a senior couple and their visiting children and grandchildren.
Large glass windows allow the residents to enjoy the outdoor view while inside the house.
“I wanted to, at that point in our practice, create a house with a strong, solid form that was still very much within the language that I like doing, which is very orthogonal in nature,” Anthony Nazareno, Principal Architect and Designer of Nazareno Architecture + Design, shares. “I wanted to create something strong enough in form that was just almost devoid of any cladding material. We wanted a house that had a very quiet exterior to it.”
Nazareno has worked with this family for quite some time now. Their relationship began when the family reached out to him after seeing one of his projects featured in an issue of BluPrint magazine. From that encounter, Nazareno has designed the son’s house, the patriarch’s house, and this multigenerational home where even the family’s 100-year-old Ah Ma will stay.
Simple But Impactful Design
The house’s gate and facade are done in a palette of light gray and white. “I would imagine your first chance looking at the house, what you saw was just a painted house. You couldn’t really see the cladding because most of it was on the sides. I wanted you to be drawn by that. I wanted you to be drawn by that quietness,” Nazareno describes.
Nazareno shares that the living area is designed for entertaining, with the pieces intended to be used, not merely showcased.
Straight lines also dominate the exterior of the house, which are in keeping with its clean aesthetic and modern style. Ceppo Di Gre claddings adorn certain portions of the exterior, injecting just the right touch of variety and texture without disturbing the structure’s understated design.
Refined Spaces
Nazareno’s firm was also tasked with shaping the interiors. He noted that the couple wanted the interior spaces to have a clean look, just like the exterior. By using light ash wood veneer, Nazareno succeeded in maintaining a fresh aesthetic throughout, even with the extensive cladding.
A round, 12-seater dining table sits in the main dining area—perfect for entertaining a large group.
The furniture pieces are mostly white and light gray, with a few black pieces here and there. This tone-on-tone color scheme gives the house a curated feel—a tasteful choice of pieces and materials that spell quiet luxury.
Nazareno also added that the homeowners, who are advanced in age, do not like clutter, hence the big storage rooms in the house for the things they have accumulated over the years.
Enduring Appeal
“I’m hoping it will age well,” answers Nazareno when asked about how he thinks the house will fare in the years to come. “Number one, the materials that we used here outside and [inside] should stand the test of time in terms of the quality and sturdiness of it. In terms of design, I have always been part of the school of thought that modern architecture and modern design stand the test of time as much as any design style.”
With the house’s quiet architecture, quality of the materials used, and a refined touch in the interior spaces, there is no doubt that this family residence will remain the visual marvel that it is now, even as decades go by.
Read the full story by ordering your copy of BluPrint Volume 2, available via the sarisari.shopping website, Shopee, and Lazada. E-magazines are available for download via Readly, Press Reader, and Magzter.
Photographed by Ed Simon.
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