海滨豪宅 | Ayşe Kubilay | 2026 | 土耳其
For centuries, luxury living in Istanbul has been defined by the yalı, a waterfront mansion lining the Bosphorus Strait, offering panoramic views from the hillsides. This Bosphorus home, dating back to the 1990s, is somewhat different from its historic counterparts, yet it shares an affinity with them, taking inspiration from the surrounding landscape and water.The villa was stripped back to its bones and completely renovated by Ayşe Kubilay, architect and founder of Ayse Kubilay Architecture, for a client with whom she had previously worked on a hotel project. “The home blends the timeless charm of a classic yalı with modern elegance,” she says. “Crisp white façades, serene symmetry and sculpted gardens create a refined yet effortless waterfront lifestyle. We wanted to emphasise the stunning views, open spaces and natural light.”
The building extends over three floors, which proved to be a key influence on Kubilay’s design concept. “The elevation changes became the defining feature of the new layout,” she says, explaining how the entrance floor now houses a formal living room, dining room and kitchen (the latter concealed behind a hidden passageway that allows for service during dinner parties), while the lower ground floor is dedicated to a relaxed family lounge that opens onto a garden and infinity pool. “Reimagining the plan was like choreographing movement: every step and transition had to feel effortless,” adds the designer. “We redefined the flow to create a sense of continuity, allowing each space to open naturally onto the next while framing the landscape through carefully placed vistas.”
Linking the two main floors is a cleverly designed cocktail bar in Astana Grey marble, which is built into an adjacent set of steps. “It reveals itself like a luminous sculpture, stone and light layered in rhythm with the steps,” says Kubilay. “Conceived as the social heart of the house, it’s complemented by an adjacent games room and cinema, creating a multi-layered environment adaptable throughout the day.”
The illuminated bar is just one of Kubilay’s many creative uses of lighting. By day, floor-to-ceiling windows flood the home with natural light, but at night, the mood shifts. “Concealed lighting and step lights introduce a richer, layered spatial effect,” says the designer. “Lighting elements hidden within ceiling recesses soften architectural boundaries and enhance the perception of volume, while integrated shelf lighting establishes a curated display language that highlights the homeowners’ personal collections. In this way, lighting transcends its purely functional role, becoming an experiential design tool.”
Kubilay wanted to preserve the building’s classical character while introducing a more dynamic, contemporary edge, something she achieved by focusing on bold natural materials that “subtly reference Istanbul’s rugged topography”. The walnut-clad staircase was envisioned as “a strong architectural element that reflects the idea of continuity in nature”; fireplaces in orange-veined Astara Grey marble and honey-hued onyx reinterpret historical references through a modern lens. “Throughout the house, marble is complemented by timber wall cladding that introduces warmth to the cooler tones,” adds the designer, referencing the Alpi burl-walnut custom shelving that flanks the Bubble onyx fireplace in the family lounge.
The blue tones of the Bosphorus and the fluidity of water also influenced the design. Two wave-like navy velvet sofas by Gallotti & Radice bring glamour and comfort to the main living room, beneath a branchlike glass chandelier that evokes “the lightness of a tree in spring bloom”. Calm blues also characterise the hotel-style guest suite – one of the home’s three bedrooms, alongside a children’s room and a top-floor principal suite designed as a “holistic living space with dressing room, bathroom and terrace”.
- 转载自：AD(admiddleeast)
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- 国家：美国
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