Copperbox House

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The Copperbox House is a high-end residential building that boasts a total built-up area (BUA) of 855.15 sq.m. and sits on a slightly rolling 870 sq.m. property in one of the exclusive communities in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna in the Philippines. The project came from a UAE-based Filipino entrepreneur who reached out to us in 2018. Fascinated by the green-colored roofs of historic buildings that she saw in her travels in Europe, the use of copper as part of the building envelope was specifically requested on top of the typical wish list that comes with a house of this size. The brief requested for 6 bedrooms - all with ensuite, 5-star hotel type baths, sufficient space to accommodate at least 5 cars, a swimming pool having at least 40 sq.m. of water surface, a full-sized kitchen, ample accommodation for the housekeeping staff, a small cinema, a majlis with a bar, a wine cellar, spice room, and a small fitness gym. The design should be in a contemporary architectural style with tropical Asian nuances.

One of the initial considerations in the design was to place the cinema below ground to take advantage of its vibration and sound-insulating properties. Since the physical displacement of the cinema and the swimming pool happens almost at the same level, the two were placed side-by-side to create an interesting meeting point. A double volume majlis is placed close to the main entrance on the ground floor to serve as the formal receiving area of guests. Depending on the level of privacy and the level of engagement that the owner extends to her guests, she has the option to invite them to spill over to the dining hall which is connected to the majlis via the area where the bar, cellar, and spice rooms are located. During these shifts between spaces, the guests are exposed to these small rooms that are conversational pieces in their own right. This interconnectivity happens while privacy for the rest of the house is maintained. Both the majlis and the dining hall have direct views of the pool. A double volume living room designed for the exclusive use of the family members along with the two bedrooms are placed in the rear part of the house for privacy reasons. This arrangement also places these rooms in close proximity to the bird sanctuary which is bordering the north side of the plot. The ground floor also hosts a small fitness gym that is facing the majlis across the pool. The master bedroom and three other bedrooms are located on the second floor as well as a pantry that serves them. A small home office is also attached to one of the bedrooms. A lift connects all three levels and complements the main stairway located on the west side of the house.

The house is divided into two blocks and connected by a bridgeway that acts as the transition piece between the two. The bridgeway also facilitates the vertical and horizontal movements of its occupants. This clustering of spaces has been adopted to maximize the utilization of natural light, allow cross ventilation and to avoid having a heavy looking mass of a house. A combination of wood paneling, reclaimed wood sidings, aluminum fins, glass, and grey stones was used to achieve contrast and highlight certain elements in the façade. The main distinguishing trait of the house is the two copper-cladded boxes located on the south and north sides of the house with its standing seam texture. The building’s copper cladding will exhibit an almost golden appearance upon completion. Through a process called patination, it is then expected to change to a dark brownish color within its first five years and gradually change to a faded but bright green color thereafter. The standing seam panels will also help in expediting the intentional weathering, it adds dimension and will further highlight the textures through time. This makes the house not only dynamic through its operable shading elements and water features but also in terms of colors. 3D animation of the Copperbox House can be viewed here.

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Project name: Copperbox House
Location: Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines
Architect: Michael Gracilla, UAP, LEED AP | ARKMIKEL Design Architects
Features: 6BR, B+G+1 high-end residential building
Architectural style: Contemporary
Scope of work: Concept Design
Lot size: 870.00 sq.m. (9364.60 sqft.)
Total Built-up Area: 855.15 sq.m. (9204.75 sq.ft.)
Project Status: Design completed, 2018, Build TBC

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