We would like to put this villa in the spotlight as part of our 25th anniversary. Villa Catalina on Bonaire was completed in 2019.
The client grew up on this street and was able to buy back the sea side property that at one point also belonged to his family. After a thorough evaluation it turned out that the house that stood there needed so many alternations and much restoration to be up to date again, together with the client we decided that a new construction was the better solution.
The sea and the sun
The house is located next to the water, so you must take the elements into account in your design. That is why we made the sun blinds from hot dipped galvanized steel in combination with wood composite instead of wood. The terrace is also made of wood composite, so that they do not weather due to the salt of the sea and the sun.
After a dip in the sea, you also want to be able to rinse off outside. That’s why we’ve made simple additions such as an outdoor shower and a small tap when you walk onto the terrace from the water.
The wind and the water
The shutters keep the house cool. Because you can also open the two doors in the living room – the front door and the door to the terrace – opposite each other, a pleasant wind blows through the house which lowers the temperature. The elevated roof also makes ventilation of the house possible when all doors are closed ensuring direct comfort while entering the house.
The only thing left from the previous design is the cistern under the house. The collected water is used for the garden. We’ve also reused the existing retaining walls on the seaside.