For most homeowners, picturing a life in a new home means moving to a finished structure with all necessary furnishings already laid-out. But InnovArc helped a millennial couple by designing the Aeries: a single level starter home that spotlights their minimalist style while retaining the flexibility to curate their living spaces thoughtfully over time.
Seeking a straightforward lifestyle, the clients found a less cluttered, modern home to be the ideal match. It was a design that perfectly balanced their early years as a married couple with a forward-thinking approach, allowing for future expansions as their needs evolve.
Meanwhile, the Pampanga-based architecture firm, InnovArc, saw this as an opportunity to create “a prototype project” suited for millennial homeowners.
“We’re breaking away from the usual design,” Innovarc’s Chief Operating Architect Paul Soliman asserts. Despite the clients’ sizable lot, they opted for a bungalow, recognizing its affordability and convenience as a starter home. But to truly separate the space from the conventional notion of bungalows being small-scale and unassuming, the architecture firm transformed it into a striking “floating cube house.”
The building of the 120 square-meter structure named “The Aeris” began in 2024 and now occupies the front portion of the lot. The rear part, on the other hand, is a space reserved for the construction of a much larger, main residence in the future.
With the vision to make the starter home appear floating, InnovArc took advantage of The Aeris’s elevated landscape. Along with enhancing its exterior appeal, this topographical feature also provides crucial protection against the house’s flood-prone location.
Soliman also shared that they consulted several structural engineers to ensure that the structural integrity could support the floating house design concept. But what contributed most to the illusion of floating was the unadorned frontage.
This gives an unobstructed view of the plinth beam, where the light installed underneath casts an upward glow. Such illumination further highlights the lift and separation of the main structure from the ground.
Aligned with the millennial couple’s minimalist style and foresight, The Aeris presents a balance of form and function. From the exterior, the clean, geometric facade exhibits the pure lines of a floating cube.
One of the facade’s distinguishing elements is the use of board-formed concrete to form the horizontal line region near the foyer. Soliman explained that this construction technique is a cost-effective option that brings personality to the exterior’s straightforward style.
He states, “Board-formed concrete is a good alternative for using natural stones kasi [we use the same] wood na ginamit natin from the start na na-build ‘yong house. Ito ‘yong mga formworks, bracing. At the same time sustainable siya, less cost, and it makes a character na parang nagspi-speak siya to itself.”
Both sides of the facade also include full-length windows, with varied widths that subtly give a glimpse of the interior. And to further emphasize the cube house design, the architecture firm opted for a flat roof to make it appear invisible when viewed from the outside.
The chief operating architect revealed that this was achieved by concealing the gutter system within the perimeter of the house. With strategically sloped downspouts further solidified by skilled welding, The Aeris is secured from any potential overflow or leaks.
To give depth to the simple cube house design, Innovarc recessed the main entrance instead of aligning it flush with the rest of the facade. Given the house’s west-facing orientation, this serves as a practical measure against monsoon rains and intense, afternoon sun exposure. The recess also created space for a porch, allowing for decorative elements like plants to compensate for the facade’s unadorned form.
The cube house’s thoughtful exterior planning extends to its minimalist interior design, where a clear division of spaces was a primary objective. “The Aeris’s layout speaks for itself,” Soliman states. “This is a U-shaped [floor plan] mainly because we want to separate the private spaces from public spaces.”
From the tanguile front door, the foyer serves as a central divider for the two distinct zones. But the immediate focal point is straight ahead, which is a clear view of the courtyard serving as the heart of the U-shaped design.
To the left are the public spaces comprising open-plan living, dining, and kitchen areas. Here, the living area breaks the monotony of the minimalist interior design through a dynamic play of textures. This is evident in the coffee table’s marble veining, the area rug’s abstract design, the varied pillow covers, and the textured steel mesh chandelier.
For the dining and kitchen areas, the combined quartz island counter and wooden dining table becomes its defining feature. Anchored on the counter, the dining table is completely suspended, adding another floating element in the starter home. Soliman described this ingenious integration as a space-saving solution to allow for more seating than putting a separate dining table.
This entire open public area connects to the outdoor space, which encompasses the carport, dirty kitchen, and laundry area. Notably, the dirty kitchen and laundry area are fitted with sliding wood-like metal louvers, offering the option to neatly conceal them when not in use. These louvers also cleverly tie into the prominent wooden elements found within the dining and kitchen areas.
Adding further variation to The Aeris’s generally neutral palette are the feather stone walls and the cool gray ceramic tiles. Their textures are even enhanced by the abundant natural light streaming in from expansive windows.
Turning to the right wing of The Aeris, you’ll find the powder room, a secondary bedroom, and the master’s bedroom. The latter, which is the most private part of the floating cube house, showcases warmth and richness with an abundance of wooden elements.
The ceiling is crafted from tongue and groove tanguile while the headboard is made of laminated wood board. On the other hand, the bedside tables utilize durable heat-pressed boards.
Flanking the headboard, two discreet doors offer further privacy and functionality. The left leads to a dedicated home office, while the right opens into a spacious walk-in closet and private toilet and bath.
For a young architecture firm established in 2017, Innovarc regards The Aeris as a profound reflection of their dedication to translate their clients’ visions. This thereby shapes their distinct identity as a firm.
“The [Aeris] project does not totally focus on the design, but also how it impacts society,” Soliman notes. “[This could be the house] they can always relate to, for every millennial who wants to build their dream house.”
By building what they consider a prototype for millennial living, they aim to inspire their peers in the design industry to prioritize more than just aesthetics.
“This project is close to our hearts since this is a prototype that we have built from scratch,” Soliman furthers. “Definitely, us architects are prime movers of the society and we just want our co-architects and colleagues and those who are planning or aspiring to be architects that design is really limitless.”
Photos provided by InnovArc Design & Constuction
Read more: PK House: A Home That Floats Over the Hill
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