Kargalı House

Kargalı House is a villa standing alone on a hilltop in the forests north of Istanbul. It has no neighbours or shared access, and views of up to 50 km in every direction. It was architect Kerem Yücel's first independent commission, taken from concept to the end of construction by the studio.

A house that touches the land lightly

The starting point was to keep the land as it was. The house is a long, low, single-storey volume across the hilltop. A glass volume seems to float above the ground, keeping the footprint on the forest small and opening the view from every room.

The dark facade keeps the house in the background of the landscape. Deep eaves shade the summer sun, while floor-to-ceiling glass lets in winter light.

Open-plan living and a winter garden

Inside are two master bedrooms, a full kitchen with an island and a large living area organised around a four-sided open fireplace. A winter garden by the pool is usable all year, and flexible rooms can change use as the family's needs change. A separate children's pavilion sits lower down the slope.

Pool and dry garden

A long pool runs parallel to the glass facade. At the entrance, a dry garden of olive trees, cacti and succulents needs little water and suits the hilltop climate. The land around the house is set aside for growing food.

A villa that pays its way

The house is also a set for advertising and film productions, so it is a small creative business for the family as well as a home.