Sculpting with Light and Form: Inside the 'Villa Alba' Project

We sit down with the lead architect to discuss blending coastal minimalism with Mediterranean warmth, and how custom sculptural vanities became the architectural heart of the home.


The newly finished 'Villa Alba' is a masterclass in calculated contrasts and spatial flow. The home effortlessly transitions from an airy, light-drenched living space—characterized by low-slung, organic furniture and soft neutrals—into a bathroom that feels like a textural, moody retreat. The common thread binding these distinct zones together is a rigorous, highly disciplined approach to interior design and materiality.

By prioritizing sweeping sightlines and custom, monolithic forms over cluttered ornamentation, the design team managed to transform traditional interior spaces into continuous, architectural landscapes. We spoke with the project's lead designer to uncover how they achieved this striking balance between contemporary Italian sophistication and relaxed coastal minimalism, and how carefully selected surfaces brought their vision to life.

Q: The main living area is incredibly expansive and airy, yet it feels intentionally grounded. What was the interior strategy here?

Architect: In a space with so much natural light, the interior architecture needs to encourage a sense of calm. We drew heavy inspiration from Japandi and coastal Argentinian design, where the focus is on negative space, tactile materials, and low-profile, sculptural furniture—like the curved bouclé sofa and the raw stone coffee table.

To make those pieces feel like they are floating, the floor had to disappear. We didn't want the visual interruption of a traditional grid; we wanted the room to feel as though it was carved from a single, continuous slab. That’s why we specified the Tuscan Crème and Taj Mahal large-format porcelain. The honed finish absorbs the light with a soft, matte glow, providing a quiet, earthy foundation that lets the furniture breathe.

Q: The visual flow is striking. The surfaces just seem tobleed into one another without interruption.

Architect: That uninterrupted sightline is crucial for modern minimalism. When you eliminate visual clutter—right down to utilizing a seamless joint of only 0.5mm between the 900mm by 1800mm floor slabs—the eye glides across the room. It makes the space feel infinitely larger. The floor acts as a quiet, continuous canvas, which was entirely necessary for what we had planned in the private quarters.

Q: Moving into the bathroom, the energy shiftsdramatically. It feels like a Mediterranean sanctuary. How did you design thisspace?

Architect: The bathroom was designed to be a highly tactile, immersive experience. We shifted from the airy whites of the living room to warmer, earthier tones. We used terracotta breezeblocks to enclose the space while still filtering the natural light. It casts these incredible geometric, shifting shadows across the room throughout the day.

But to keep the room from feeling too chaotic with the light play, we wrapped the walls and floors in the exact same quiet Taj Mahal used in the living areas. That serene envelope set the stage for the true focal point of the room: the custom vanity.

Q: The vanity is an absolute showstopper. It feels morelike a piece of art than a functional bathroom fixture. Tell us about itsdesign.

Architect: In luxury residential design right now, the vanity is no longer just a cabinet with a sink; it is an architectural anchor. We wanted a chunky, monolithic, floating form that commanded the room.

We designed the entire vanity block using the Pink Patagonia porcelain. It is a highly dynamic finish with incredible depth—rich, chaotic veining and stunning chromatic variations of rust, cream, and deep greys.

Q: Why pair such an intense finish like the PinkPatagonia with the minimalist backdrop?

Architect: It’s all about tension and release in interior design. If the surrounding walls and floors were busy, a vanity with this much character would feel overwhelming. By framing the chaotic, raw energy of the Pink Patagonia against the ultra-minimalist, continuous surface of the Tuscan Creme walls, the vanity elevates into a piece of functional sculpture. It becomes the definitive anchor of the room, perfectly marrying Argentinian drama with minimalist restraint.