At the ridge, Layug carefully placed the concave infinity pool that outlines the open rim of the fan shaped-structure. The slope of the property from the road up to this point was perfect for Layug’s vertical privacy design concept. Instead of filling in and levelling the ground, he designed a plan which kept the sea in sight from the road but hid the pool from view of passers-by, thus maintaining visual privacy. 

To be enveloped by the spectacular view from all directions, Layug eschewed corridors in the private rooms. Instead of facing each other, he laid out the rooms in a row allowing nature to wrap around them like a shawl through the continuous balcony of this left wing. There’s no escaping this spectacular view.

The house has three levels. On the left wing, the ground level houses the primary bedroom with a walk-in closet plus another bedroom. Below are three more bedrooms; and in the lowest level, a home theatre. For the right wing, at ground level are the dining room and the living room; below is the bar lounge. The lowest level is already part of the pool.

Before any construction could be done, the rocky surface needed to be smoothened a bit. In the process, rocks and stones were dug up or chipped away. Layug utilised these for outdoor walls. It turns out that the owners also have a collection of slabs of different rocks; Layug integrated some of them into the design as well. The floor of the bar lounge, for instance, is made from slabs of granite. Wood that can withstand the exposure to sun and sea was chosen mainly for walls and ceilings. And glass, that ensures this beautiful gift of nature is enjoyed a hundred percent 24/7, encases the structure.

The view from the top reveals a clean but far from boring structure. Uneven lines, varied surfaces and different materials create a movement as palpable as the undulating waves of the water.  

The flatness of the roof, for one, is broken by two gabled roofs, one on each wing, made of dark grey tiles. Now, these gabled roofs are not just for cosmetic purposes. They actually give height to the areas below: the primary bedroom in one wing, the dining room in the other. 

Visible as well in this aerial view are the stone steps going down the ridge and onto the rocky private small strip of a beach. This is most useful when buying fresh catch of the day from fishermen on boats or when accessing the house via the water.

See also: Home tour: A rustic sanctuary at the heart of Cagayan De Oro

Master Stroke

Protégés of Layug are in awe of their master’s design process. Architect Marc Henrich Go, who took the photographs, says that Layug always starts by staring at his surroundings for a long time, getting a feel of the space. “Then he designs accordingly,” Go says.

It must also help that Layug, who is always at the forefront of design movements and trends, is not cramped by an architectural degree with its rules and principles. Rather, his designs show a clear freedom of spirit and out-of-the-box thinking.  

This house on the ridge is a perfect example of the way Layug creatively thinks. “I really wanted it to have that feel of a resort villa and not just a weekend home,” he says, explaining the openness of his plan. 

It was also important that the owners have been his friends for years because knowing the essence of his clients is equally crucial in his design process. With this family, he knew they love sailing so he injected the nautical theme and made it ever-present in this house, giving that feeling of sailing on a yacht. 

In the end, knowing he has pleased his clients, content that he has followed nature’s wishes, Layug sits back, pleased that he has been true to his design philosophy.

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