Casa Baroro: A Community-Built Idyllic Beach House

December 1, 2022

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By 

Caresa Lou Magno

In architecture, slow design is based on an examination of our actual needs and is characterized by making individual’s well- being and environmental sensitivity top priority.

According to a manifesto put forth by international design facilitator Alastair Fuad-Luke, slow design prioritizes the well-being of each person, society, and the environment. The design must support a long-term outlook that values diversity, slowness, and pluralism. The speed of the current industrial and consumer patterns should be counterbalanced by design.

The Project

The ideals of slow architecture and slow living are reflected in Casa Baroro’s overall design. The barnhouse-inspired 1,300 square meter property that sits by the beach is endowed with spaces that promote free- spirited living. The main house consists of a living room, open kitchen, dining room, and a partly concealed wet kitchen. It also has balconies by the beach and by the pool. The three-story guesthouse has four master bedrooms with equal spaces, measuring 60 square meters each. A full floor is dedicated to four staff rooms, a laundry room, an electrical room, storage areas, and a staff lounge area. Sliding glass doors are installed for proper ventilation and to avoid artificial air conditioning, taking advantage of the site’s location. There is also a den that can be converted into a bedroom.

Inspiration

Creative Director, Ricco Ocampo identifies Casa Baroro as a manifestation of Tadao Ando’s architecture-clean and classic simple lines. According to Ocampo, the guiding architectural principle behind Casa Baroro is to concentrate on designing a structure that does not give the impression of being flamboyant or flashy. He envisioned a structure with an understated elegance that could be achieved through the combination of a straightforward A-frame design and a dark exterior finish.

Ocampo mentioned that one project objective is to ensure that the exterior maintains purity in form and color. It is in the interior details of the house that the idea of living slowly is highlighted: through beauty, aesthetics, and design.

Learn more about Casa Baroro on BluPrint Vol. 3 2022: Breathing Space. Download your copy now.

Photography by Ed Simon

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