Paul Raff taps into Puerto Rico’s "architectural roots" for house renovation
Terracotta screens and lush courtyards feature at Villa Brisana, a house in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that has been overhauled and expanded by Canada's Paul Raff Studio.
Located on the country's northern coast, the house sits within an exclusive enclave known as Dorado Beach. The owners are a family of four.
The home was originally built in 2001 and totalled 3,380 square feet (314 square metres).
For the building's overhaul, Toronto-based Paul Raff Studio set out to create more space, a stronger connection to nature, and better responsiveness to the tropical climate.
A guiding principle was to blend "local, Caribbean traditions with modern ingenuity".
"Materials and construction methods reflect the region's architectural roots," the team said.
The team added a wing to contain an enlarged primary suite, bringing the home's size up to 4,145 square feet (385 square metres). The home is now U-shaped in plan, with an adjoining garage.
Exterior walls are covered in a combination of whitewashed stucco and terracotta clay tiles. The tiles form "solar screens" that range from 18 to 32 feet (5.5 to 9.8 metres) in length.
"Featuring scalloped cut-outs, the screens mitigate sun glare, provide privacy and add intriguing depth," the studio said.
"At night, with interior lights on, the screens cast intricate shadows, giving the home a lantern-like glow."
The interior features a division between public and private areas.
One side contains the communal zone – a kitchen and dining area, along with a living room flanked by a solarium and a kids' playroom. The other side of the dwelling holds the bedrooms.
The renovation project focused on improving flow and functionality within the home.
Walls between the den and kitchen were removed to form a larger space for entertaining. Peaked parts of the roof were exposed to create rooms with high ceilings.
In the living room, a 17-foot-high (five-metre) ceiling allows for tall walls to be used as surfaces for film projections.
A new clerestory in the kitchen brings in soft, natural light and "echoes the verticality of the pitched living room ceiling".
In the backyard, there is a swimming pool that extends alongside the primary bedroom.
There are also a number of lush gardens, some of which occupy space between the terracotta screens and the home's exterior walls.
The house features 11 doors leading to the outdoors, ensuring the connection to nature was "omnipresent".
"We wanted the house to feel like an extension of the landscape," said studio founder Paul Raff.
The project's sustainable elements include the reuse of the original home's structure and passive cooling techniques, such as orienting the home to maximise natural breezes.
Villa Brisana is meant to exemplify "thoughtful, high-quality design" within a tropical setting.
"The renovation elevates the region's architectural standard, setting a benchmark for luxury, sustainability and seamless indoor-outdoor living," the team said.
Other projects by Paul Raff Studio include two homes in Toronto – one with a mirrored staircase that creates a kaleidoscopic effect, and the other featuring flamed basalt stone cladding and an aluminium brise-soleil.
The photography is by Michael Stavaridis.
Project credits:
Architecture and interior design: Paul Raff Studio
Architecture/design team: Paul Raff, Alex Morassut, Steve Socha, Kate Bennett, Kristine Kim
Structural engineer: Doris J Quinõnes Rivera Structural Engineering Consultants
Mechanical engineer: RAP Consulting Engineer
General contractor: VML & Asociados
Steel fabricator: Steelway Group
Landscape consultant: Sigfredo E Faria-Vega
Landscape contractor: PRGD Landscape Designer + Contractor
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