Luxury by the Shore: Ishahayi Beach Villa by Studio Contra in Graphis Journal #375

Imagine a beach home embodying the perfect combination of luxury and simplicity for a nearly always hot and humid climate. What might that be like? Large windows placed to catch ocean breezes? Several terraces for time in the open air while still at home? Sightlines with plentiful views of the ocean? Sustainable materials, to protect ocean life?

Studio Contra is a multidisciplinary architecture and design studio located in Lagos, Nigeria, and led by creative director Olayinka Dosekun-Adjei, managing director Jeffrey Adjei (yes, they’re married), and advisory board members Matthew Onoba and Victoria Imade. Their most recent project is a villa on Lagos’ Ishahayi Beach that offers all the above features and more, in a strikingly curvilinear and elegantly modern package of architecture, landscape, and interior design. 

The project is a private residence for a young, Lagos-based client who wanted a quiet retreat from the city to enjoy the coast with friends and family. Ishahayi is a village located in the southern part of the Ojo district of bustling Lagos, and the house, which is currently under construction and scheduled for completion early next year, is on a white sand coastline dotted with luxury resorts. The site is an expansive 6,000 square meters and is populated by over 75 mature coconut palm trees. The three-bedroom home is positioned among the palms in such a way as to not disturb them. 

The design of the house centers on a symmetrical plan, with building massing fanning out at an angle on each side of a central volume. The result is a curve that wraps around an infinity pool and opens toward the south-facing Atlantic coast, giving every indoor space a clear view of the water

To learn more about the Ishahayi Beach Villa, and to discover other great product designs, purchase Graphis Journal #375 at graphis.com.