2 Houses in Mauritius / Rethink Studio

Architects: Rethink Studio
Location: Pereybere, Mauritius
Client: Private
Project Team: Nitish Chummun, Michael Leclezio, Verity Nesbitt, Yannick Goldsmith
Engineers: Dawn Engineering Ltd.
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: House 01 aprox. 250 sqm, House 02 aprox. 200 sqm
Photographs: Gordon Mackenzie – Kennedy

Located at the end of the quiet beach of Merville Bay in the north of the island just outside the village of Grand Baie, the site is endowed with filtered views of the tropical lagoon beyond the lush vegetation.

The Client wanted to make alterations and additions to an existing old stone stables and demolish the existing concrete house adjacent to form two separate occupancies, one to live and the other as a rental property.

The concept for the project took on the volumes from the existing typography of the detached villas in the vicinity and extrapolated these forms as shells. A strong dialogue between the residences is generated through the use of similar façade panel materials; the “recycled” house in the form of recuperated demolition timbers of various sizes from previous buildings and the “new” from reconstituted timbers in a more uniform sustainable way.

The open plan layouts and the external “skin” of this cladding to the structures meant the buildings perform well in the hot climate while the large openings allow for good cross-ventilation in the main spaces.