The Project
Villa Marbella is a house on the crest of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar and Africa



Overlooking the Costa del Sol and Mediterranean Sea, Villa Marbella is a small village on the crest of a hill.
The building is a series of interlinked pavilions that adjust to a steep hillside and sweeping panoramic views – providing an intricate sequence of spaces that unfold according to view, orientation, time of day, weather and seasonal conditions.
Each pavilion is oriented towards a natural focal point – the tip of northern Africa; the rock of Gibraltar; the Mountain peak of La Concha; and Puerto Banus harbour. Gardens in between the radial fingers of the building are used interchangeably as outdoor rooms, providing a choice of landscape paths to complement internal routes, integrating nature and the subtropical climate.
The villa forms part of a prominent hilltop and is experienced in dramatically different contexts. From the coast and valley below, it is seen in relation to the sky and mountain backdrop. On closer approach, the building appears set within an adjacent National Park. Upon arrival and within the gardens and wider landscape, it connects with a breathtaking backdrop overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
The design encapsulates the feeling of Mountain-becoming-Sea. It transitions from an earthy, mountain cabin, to crafted oceanic vessel – emerging from the hill to culminate as a series of cantilevered roofs and terraces.










Project Team
Architects : Didier Ryan, Tao Gatto, Yoko Chang
Executive Architect : Archidom – Chema Sobrado, José Ignacio Porres Ureña
Engineers : Eckersley O’Callaghan – Duncan Walters, Toby Ronalds
Landscape Architect : Erik Dhont
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