Villa Lyla by SAOTA
Villa Lyla is a private house in Nassau, The Bahamas, by SAOTA. Set on a canal edge, the 2024 project folds architecture, landscape, and daily life into one composed tropical retreat. Large openings, deep overhangs, and planted courts keep the home tied to water, garden, and light.
About Villa Lyla
Villa Lyla is a private estate in Nassau, The Bahamas, set at the water’s edge in a tropical landscape. The house reads as a calm retreat, where light, air, and planted edges shape daily life as much as the rooms themselves. Its plan turns toward the canal, the gardens, and the horizon beyond.
Designed by SAOTA, the residence is organized around proportion, layered forms, and a close relationship to the site. Expansive glazed openings and generous overhangs create a steady exchange between interior and exterior, while courtyards and terraces extend the living areas into the landscape. The result is a home that responds to climate without losing formal clarity.
Coral Stone Thresholds
Oversized fins made to replicate coral stone give the exterior a strong visual rhythm. They filter light, frame views, and define transitions between inside and out. Locally quarried coral stone, used in contrasting tones and finishes, adds texture and grounds the villa in its coastal setting.
Rooms Around The Site
A separate pavilion contains a guest suite and office, preserving privacy while echoing the main house. The composition uses axial relationships to carry sightlines through the building and out toward water and greenery. Generous ceiling heights and a consistent material palette keep the volumes connected as the plan shifts between enclosure and openness.
Warmth In The Interior
ARRCC’s interiors introduce timber and stone finishes that soften the architecture. Large-format glazing brings the landscape inward, while bespoke furnishings and a sculptural dining table by Nada Debs add a measured layer of detail. Artwork by Bahamian artists, including work by the late John Beadle, gives the house a clear local presence.
Gardens As Rooms
Raymond Jungles extends the project through gardens and courtyards planted with native species. Water features and artworks, including a sculpture by Lionel Smit, are woven into the landscape rather than placed apart from it. In a humid coastal climate, the planting strategy supports year-round growth and keeps the transition between house and site active.
Across its rooms, terraces, and outdoor courts, Villa Lyla holds a balance between shelter and openness. The house feels firmly rooted in Nassau, yet open to light, breeze, and changing views across the canal.
Photography courtesy of SAOTA
Visit SAOTA
