The Project

Cicada Villas is a residential feasibility study on the hill-side which is designed to consider the buildable massing, the logistical accessibility and the view orientation on a high-gradient coastal study site at Koh Samui.

The plan employs a stepped-volume design, which adheres to the natural site contours, assimilating cantilevered terraces of vast scale and infinity-edge pools. The topographical design aims to have a strict reconciliation of the following: the privacy of occupants, passive climatic control and clear sea views.

The Arrival & Topographical Logic

Arrival aspect is such that vehicles access and covered parking are well incorporated in the main body of architecture in a manner that does not increase the visual scale of the project but rather the functionality remains understandable. Vertical glazed openings are also used in articulation of the entry sequence that is contrasted by solid wall planes of high strength that act as critical thermal buffers.

The split-level design has been optimally tuned to match the vehicular circulation with the topography of the hillside, by a large margin eliminating cut-and-fill excavation, and leaving the original geological integrity of the site intact.