Ellsa.
A synthesis of raw concrete forms and precisely engineered timber screens that filters light and views, creating a curated threshold between public and private life. Ellsa Residence is a sequence of textural experiences, from a Mediterranean-inspired entry topography to a serene, Japanese-influenced Zen sanctuary at its core.
The street-facing public facade, serving as an anchored threshold, is defined by a rugged, board-formed concrete base that houses an integrated timber-slatted garage and supports a dramatic, cantilevered upper volume clad in continuous vertical timber screens. These screens act as a functional veil for privacy and solar control, filtering sunlight into dappled patterns across the architecture. Softening this raw geometry is an extensive, multi-layered tapestry of cascading Mediterranean grasses, agaves, and hanging ivy, anchored by a mature olive tree positioned as a sentinel near the main stairs to establish a profound sense of age and place.
Ascending to the front entry is a deliberate, tactile journey up broad, exposed concrete stairs rising from a textured stone-paver driveway, flanked by a rich variety of ground covers and flowering plants. Before reaching the main door, an intimately designed landing creates an unexpected moment of pause, functioning as an outdoor lounge space complete with low-slung modern chairs. This transitional sanctuary is beautifully framed by the surrounding textured concrete forms, the delicate canopy of the olive tree, and a timber slat screen that provides both security and a dappled, veiled connection to the street below.
Transitioning to the rear of the property reveals the Zen nucleus, an intensely private, internal-external sanctuary sheltered by a dramatic concrete canopy and enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass that dissolves the boundary between indoors and out. This open-plan living volume spills seamlessly into a meticulously curated Japanese-style Zen garden, complete with raked white gravel, weathered moss-covered rocks, a traditional stone tsukubai water feature, and sculpted Japanese maples. Bathed in the soft light of dusk, the space harmonizes warm, low-level interior illumination with subtle garden path lights, perfectly synthesizing the project’s core elements of raw concrete, precise timber screens, and deeply textural, filtered landscapes into a profoundly peaceful retreat.