Casa Solis

BAD – BAŞAK AKKOYUNLU DESIGN

Casa Solis is a meticulously designed summer house by BAD—Başak Akkoyunlu Design, located in Çeşme, a popular holiday resort in İzmir, Turkey. Situated on a 1,033 m² plot surrounded by roads on all four sides, this villa stands out with its west and south façades opening up to breathtaking Aegean Sea views. It turns its back to the north façade, which, although currently undeveloped, is expected to become a residential area in the future, and the east façade, which faces a main road and includes only service area openings to minimize exposure to summer noise.

With its modern amenities and refined design, Casa Solis serves as a symbol of sophisticated coastal living.

The house comprises two functionally distinct main volumes: single-story living areas and a three-story bedroom block. The living spaces face west and south and feature highlights such as a kitchen with a spacious pantry and a high-ceilinged living room with a fireplace. A recessed section on the south façade creates a sheltered seating area protected from prevailing north and west winds. The protruding living room volume also provides shade from the harsh west sun and blocks strong west winds, enhancing comfort.

A spacious 75 m² terrace with deep eaves includes an outdoor kitchen counter. Behind it, there is a garden-accessible storage area and a shower. The deep eave, which rests on the eastern service volume, is supported on the west by a circular column that frames the sunset—the inspiration behind the project’s name. Steps leading from the terrace descend directly into an infinity pool, visually and functionally uniting the pool, sunbathing area, and terrace.

Access to the garden is provided via either a garage or a pedestrian gate set within exposed concrete perimeter walls. Next to the two-car parking area, the utility space houses air conditioning units and a generator. On the view-facing side, the garden walls rise 50 cm above grade and are topped with transparent glass railings. On the east side, where the road lies at a lower elevation, walls are kept at 110 cm to maintain privacy without obstructing views.

A wide planter runs along the east façade toward the entrance, visually integrating the landscaping with the architecture. The porch features an iroko wood ceiling, with an eave that extends indoors, guiding visitors to a hallway separated from the bedrooms by a wooden door clad in the same finish. The entrance pivot door opens to a perfectly framed view of Chios Island. A natural stone pathway connects the garden gate to both the main entrance and the terrace, enabling outdoor access without passing through the interior. A fixed seating area in the garden’s northwest corner, adjacent to the parking area, functions as a secondary outdoor living space.

To the left of the hall lie the kitchen and pantry, and a four-meter-high living room connected via a service window. This living room is distinguished by its generous seating and dining areas that look out through floor-to-ceiling windows onto the garden and sea. To the right of the hall is the bedroom block, where all four en-suite bedrooms are oriented toward the view and provide access to either terraces or balconies—ideal for enjoying Çeşme’s tranquility. Service areas of the bedrooms are located on the east side, gaining natural light and ventilation while maintaining privacy via louvered openings.

The basement, accessed via stairs in the bedroom block, includes a technical room, storage area, laundry room with a chute, and a helper’s room with its bathroom, naturally lit and ventilated through a light well.

For material choices, the façades use coarse-textured plaster and natural stone primarily sourced from the Aegean region. Interior finishes include light-colored laminate parquet and beige ceramic tiles. The façades of the living room, kitchen, and stair block are clad in light-honed travertine from Denizli, complemented by basalt. This travertine also appears indoors, framing doorways in the hall and covering a feature wall intended for artwork in the living room. It is additionally used on the floor, bordering the parquet in the living area and forming part of the entrance hall flooring. Natural stone varieties, such as Claros and Menderes, are used for the fireplace, while Alsa Basalt is employed in the garden stairs and planters.