Exposed Concrete House With A See-Through Swimming Pool

By Simona Ganea | Last updated on Jan 23, 2020

There are two main defining elements for this house. One is the extensive use of concrete all throughout the building which is something that stands out right from the start. The other element is less obvious but equally important: water. The house has a see-through swimming pool on the second floor which is visible from the living room. It’s like a big living painting or a large aquarium which is not something you see every day.

Villa 22º is a modern house built out of concrete, wood and glass

The house is built into the hillside, becoming one with the slope

The project is called Villa 22º and was completed in 2018 by Dreessen Willemse Architecten. It sits on a slope of 22 degrees and its house number is also 22, hence the name. The house looks like it’s naturally embedded into the hill and takes advantage of its placement and surroundings by alternating between opaque and transparent volumes. Inside the rugged nature of the exposed concrete is softened by strategically added wooden surfaces and textures. The wine cellar is almost completely encased in wood and glass, bringing together the three main materials used all throughout this entire project.

The front facade has large windows mixed in with wooden panels for a bit of diversity

The house number is 22 and the house sits on a 22 degree slope which ultimately inspired the name of this project

There's an indoor swimming pool on the second level of the house and has clerestory windows and a large skylight — There’s an indoor swimming pool on the second level of the house and has clerestory windows and a large skylight

The interior design is simple and modern, including polished concrete floors, lots of exposed concrete and large windows

The wine cellar is very rich in wood and features a curved wall design which looks amazing

The swimming pool can be seen from the living room which makes it look like a large aquarium

The extensive use of concrete all throughout this project gives the house a somewhat rugged appearance

The view from the site is beautiful, serene and relaxing and all the large windows and openings take advantage of this

To balance out the design, the architects played with various different types of finishes and textures

The swimming pool has access to a large terrace and also gets lots of sunlight through the skylight system

The staircase which connects the levels is made of concrete which allows it to blend into the wall

Strategically placed wooden surfaces break the monotony of the spaces and add warmth and a bit of color to the rooms

The geometry of the house is not overly complicated but definitely interesting

It's really nice how the house seems to just blend with the terrain and the sloping site — It’s really nice how the house seems to just blend with the terrain and the sloping site