Led by architect Başak Akkoyunlu, BAD – Başak Akkoyunlu Design—renowned for its creative, innovative approach and unwavering focus on client satisfaction—has designed Casa Pendenza, a fully inward-oriented detached villa in Çeşme.
Situated on a generous 800-square-meter plot in Çeşme, İzmir, Casa Pendenza is a detached villa designed by BAD with a total enclosed area of 340 square meters across three levels: basement, ground, and first floor. Laid out in an L-shaped plan and conceived as fully inward-facing, the house ensures privacy along the street frontage through landscape-integrated perimeter walls, a covered garage, and service volumes. From the parcel entry, visitors reach the main door by passing alongside the aluminum-clad wall of the covered garage. Before arriving at the primary volume, a passage leads directly to the garden, terrace, and pool area.
To completely screen the adjacent parcel, a two-story green wall clad in handcrafted ceramics—imparting Casa Pendenza’s signature hue—guides guests toward the main entrance. The inviting pivot door opening accentuates the L-shaped configuration of the plan. The façade facing the main avenue, although separated from the street by an intermediary volume, is fully wrapped in aluminum profiles to form a blind elevation. Here, only a translucent glazing slot is permitted to bring light to the staircase. On the short street-facing elevation of the L—clad in Silver Travertine—a double-height opening illuminates the living room gallery, in front of which sits an ethanol fireplace.
The basement level of Casa Pendenza by BAD discreetly concentrates multiple functions: a laundry room, generous storage areas, a garden that strengthens the project’s biophilic design approach, and an en-suite bedroom. In the entrance hall, a transparent bridge linking the double-height volumes at first-floor level becomes a focal element. The hall is daylighted by a guillotine window that frames the large trees in the basement garden. At ground level, a swimming pool, terrace, outdoor kitchen, and wet sunbathing deck—each fostering a strong dialogue with the garden—are positioned at the heart of the scheme.
The partially double-height living room adds a sense of openness to the interior, while the main kitchen flows into an outdoor kitchen nearly equal to it in size. On the kitchen terrace, a monolithic marble table—its top and base crafted from Silver Travertine—creates a strong material connection between indoors and out. The ground floor also includes a guest bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and a shared WC. On the first floor, one wing of the L-plan accommodates two en-suite bedrooms, while the other is dedicated to the primary suite. Reached via the glass bridge, the primary suite features a generous balcony, a walk-in dressing room, and a meticulously organized wardrobe layout. The balcony also shades the living room terrace below, contributing to the home’s overall aesthetic.