This stunning private residence – Casa Querol – is located in the Oloolua Nature Trail, a forest in Karen, an affluent neighborhood south west of Nairobi, Kenya. It was designed in 2016 by Alberto Morell Sixto, an architectural firm based in Madrid, Spain.
The defining feature of the project was to construct a backyard measuring 30 meters by 30 meters, with the intention of making it resemble a clearing at the back of the house. By building this, the architects effectively created a quiet place from which to admire the dynamic life of the creatures that inhabit the forest that surrounds the home. A fireplace by the poolside provides the perfect spot from which to enjoy this setting.
The home has an open design that allows – and invites – interior and exterior defining lines to become blurred, making a home out of the exterior and bringing its lush textures indoors. Floors of rich wood spread from the poolside into the interior, expanding to cover walls, stair steps, and even hand rails on the second level. Concrete walls and stark white walls with barely any decorative elements complete the ensemble. The ending result is a simple, spacious, rustic yet elegant home that feels like an extension of the natural world that surrounds it.