House in S’Agaró by Cristina Soler
House in S’Agaró is a beautiful Mediterranean house on the Costa Brava in Spain, designed by Cristina Soler in 2022.
Description
Vibia interior lamps brings warmth and wellbeing to House in S’Agaró, a private villa deeply rooted in the Mediterranean architectural tradition. Designed by Cristina Soler from Barcelona-based studio, Arquemo, gentle forms of different dimensions playfully adapt to the local climate and surrounding environment.
Our perception of House in S’Agaró evolves as the quality of light shifts throughout the day. It can feel vibrant, calm, or even intimate, as sunlight dances across its many surfaces and deepens the contrasting shadows.
Rich wooden details bring warmth to a predominant white and the abundance of natural light enhances the expressive capacity of the interior spaces, complimented by an extensive variety of Vibia lamps. Switched on or off, the presence of these lamps -their composition, colour and texture- creates an atmospheric experience, evoking a myriad of different moods and sensations.
As we step inside, we are greeted by the undisputed protagonist of House in S’Agaró: a Wireflow Chandelier presides over the double height of the central core of the house, visually dominating the entrance hall and stimulating an immediate sense of wonder.
The work of designer Arik Levy, the Wireflow is a hanging lamp with an astonishing three dimensional form. A fearless and futuristic presence, it reinterprets the traditional chandelier, exploring its essence and enhancing its silhouette through an exercise in graphic simplification.
Contrasting with the imposing nature of the Wireflow, a dimmable Mayfair table lamp with a metallic finish neatly illuminates the entrance hall sideboard with a subtle glow. Diego Fortunato’s Mayfair updates the classic 19th Century lamp with innovative technology and an understated elegance.
For the open plan living room and kitchen area, Soler opts for a mounted North wall lamp and two matching smaller-scale North pendants. Designed by Arik Levy, the pendants are composed of traditional shades of lacquered matt suspended from slim rods, adding warmth and sophistication to the bar area. The base of the wall lamp is fixed while its light source is suspended in space by a rod that reaches out into the living room. Flexible and versatile in height and rotation, it functions as both an ambient lamp and a reading light, offering a unique lighting effect with plenty of character.
Designed by Lievore, Altherr and Molina, Skan lamp is minimalism in its purest state. Combining purity of form and clean lines, it is a return to the essential, a redefinition of a classic design with superior lighting performance.
For the House in S’Agaró, Soler chooses a set of three terrared luminaires which extend delicately from the ceiling, illuminating the length of the dining table with a broad downlight that brings a sense of wellbeing and community to this familial space.
A timeless proposal from Japanese designer Ichiro Iwasaki, the Pin is both classic and contemporary, characterised by a graceful stem and subtle, functional expression. Small in scale but with exceptional lighting efficiency, Soler selects the Pin floor and table lamps as the perfect companion for quiet moments of reading or work.
For the courtesy bathroom, Soler wanted to incorporate a pendant that could be framed by the stylised window and visible from the outside. The Palma hanging lamp was conceived by designer Antoni Arola as if it were a landscape project that could transform an interior setting over time. It is composed of a globe that appears to float independently, suspended by three almost imperceptible cables that support a plant beneath. Like a luminous hanging garden, its capacity to create ambience evolves with the growth of the plant, making it ideal for establishing the desired exterior-interior dialogue.
Available in two wooden finishes, Soler opts for the Dots wall lights as individual bedside reading lights. The work of Martín Azúa, these circular sconces can be turned to trace a cone-shaped beam in any desired direction.
To complement this more functional application, Soler also creates an enchanting wall embellishment by grouping three Dots together in abstract formation, creating a melody of ambient light that radiates from each halo like a constellation.
Adding the finishing touches to the communal areas, Soler singles out the Musa table lamp for a set of contemporary wooden stools. Created by Note Design Studio, Musa is tender and poetic in design. Reminiscent of a shell cradling a pearl, the symbiotic relationship between the small hand blown opal glass sphere and the organic dish that holds and reflects it contrasts dramatically with the geometric density of the blocks.
And finally, bringing a touch of elegance to an otherwise understated hallway, Soler opts for two Duo ceiling lamps designed by Ramos & Bassols. A lamp of contrasts, the Duo combines a warm woo- den interior with a refined metal wrap, naturally integrating into the overall aesthetic of House in S’Agaró.
Photography by Enric Badrinas
Visit Cristina Soler
- by Matt Watts
