Bronze Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2026
Terraced Horizon Villa
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Dk Interior Architecture
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 5,940
- Verification code 31AD3FAB1D · Verify this award
About Terraced Horizon Villa
Terraced Horizon Villa is a contemporary hillside residence conceived as a continuation of its forested slope. Layered horizontal terraces step with the terrain, embedding lower floors while projecting upper volumes through deep cantilevers. Panoramic low e glazing and pronounced horizontal shadow lines draw daylight deep inside and extend views, reinforcing a continuous relationship between interior life and landscape. The steep topography is reconfigured into a calm sequence of inhabitable platforms and outdoor horizons, where shaded edges and terraces support comfort across seasons.
Dilek Karaman's Terraced Horizon Villa exemplifies a sophisticated strand of contemporary residential design that engages the legacy of mid-twentieth-century architectural modernism while employing twenty-first-century materials technology and spatial ambition. The project demonstrates mastery of volumetric composition, orchestrating a dynamic interplay between horizontal and vertical elements that recalls the Prairie School's emphasis on ground-hugging horizontality and the International Style's celebration of structural candor and cantilevered spatial drama. The tectonic strategy reveals thoughtful material choreography, establishing a dialogue between the permanence and mass of board-formed concrete—a material vocabulary associated with Brutalist honesty and tactile authenticity—and the warmth and rhythm of horizontal timber or composite cladding that introduces domestic scale and organic resonance. The compositional achievement lies particularly in the management of visual weight and spatial tension: the substantial concrete podium establishes gravitational anchoring and creates a plinth-like foundation that mediates between earth and habitation, while the dramatic cantilever extending from the central volume demonstrates structural confidence and creates valuable sheltered outdoor space, a liminal threshold between interior privacy and exterior engagement with landscape. The vertical tower element at right provides necessary compositional counterbalance, its framed openings functioning simultaneously as aperture and spatial sculpture, introducing visual complexity and suggesting internal spatial layering. Chromatic restraint serves the architecture well, the palette limited to the cool neutrality of concrete, the warm earthiness of timber tones, and the reflective transparency of glazing, a triad that emphasizes material authenticity over applied decoration. Lighting integration appears carefully considered, with slender vertical slots punctuating the concrete base to provide both visual rhythm and functional illumination, while interior lighting glowing through expansive glazing suggests occupation and domestic warmth. The relationship with landscape reads as intentional rather than incidental, foreground plantings including sculptural succulents and ornamental grasses providing textural transition and suggesting semi-arid or Mediterranean climate adaptation, while the backdrop of deciduous trees creates seasonal changeability and visual softness that counterpoints architectural geometry. Technical execution appears refined across multiple scales, from the precision of formwork patterns in the concrete to the alignment of cladding modules and the integration of glazing systems. Thematically, the villa explores enduring architectural preoccupations: the relationship between shelter and exposure, the balance of privacy and transparency, the dialogue between manufactured geometry and organic landscape, and the aspiration toward spatial and material poetry in service of domestic life. The cantilevered gesture particularly suggests themes of prospect and possibility, the extension outward over the landscape creating a platform for viewing and contemplation, while the solid base and protective overhang fulfill primordial needs for shelter and security. One might observe in this work an investigation of how contemporary residential architecture can honor modernist formal languages while incorporating advances in structural capability, material performance, and environmental responsiveness, asking viewers to consider how architectural design mediates between human aspiration and earthly grounding, between the desire for transcendent spatial experience and the need for tactile material connection, between the individual dwelling and its situatedness within broader ecological and cultural landscapes.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Terraced Horizon is conceived as a series of horizontal platforms integrated into a sloping forested terrain. Lower levels are embedded into the ground, while upper volumes extend outward through deep cantilevers toward the landscape. Large glazed facades and pronounced horizontal roof lines create a layered architectural identity that strengthens the visual and spatial connection between interior living spaces and the surrounding nature.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The villa has an estimated total construction area of approximately 1200 to 1500 square meters organized across three main spatial layers. Lower level garage technical rooms and service spaces embedded into the terrain. Main level open living areas kitchen dining and outdoor terraces
Terraced Horizon has an estimated gross built area of 1200 to 1500 square meters, arranged in three layers. The lower level includes the garage, technical rooms, and service spaces embedded into the slope. The main level contains open plan living, kitchen, dining, and outdoor terraces. The upper level houses bedrooms, private suites, and panoramic balconies. The structure combines reinforced concrete retaining walls with steel supported cantilever slabs. The envelope uses high performance low e glazing, natural stone cladding, and composite panels. Passive comfort is supported by deep overhangs, shaded terraces, and cross ventilation. - Tags
- Hillside villa, terraced architecture, luxury residence, cantilevered house, layered design, landscape integrated architecture, panoramic villa, contemporary concrete house, Istanbul architecture.
- Production Technology
- The villa uses a hybrid concrete and steel structural system. Reinforced concrete cores and retaining walls anchor the building to the sloped site, while steel beams and cantilevered slabs extend upper volumes over the landscape. Large format low e glazing with deep horizontal frames provides passive shading. Finishes combine natural stone, exposed architectural concrete, and wood textured composites. Recessed LED lines define walls, stair edges, and landscape at night.
- Design Challenge
- The primary challenge was to achieve a sense of architectural lightness while working with heavy structural systems required by the sloping site Large cantilevers had to be structurally efficient without dominating the visual expression. Another key challenge was preserving uninterrupted views while ensuring solar protection and privacy This was addressed through deep horizontal frames recessed glazing and a layered facade strategy. The final design creates a balance between landscape structure and living space transforming a steep hillside into an inhabitable architectural terrain.
- Project Duration
- Designed and developed between 2024 and 2025, the project is located on a forested hillside site in Istanbul, Turkiye.
- Operation Flow
- Arrival occurs at the uppermost level through a landscaped approach. From this point, the house unfolds downward through a sequence of terraces and internal connections. Circulation is guided horizontally along panoramic facades, enabling continuous engagement with the landscape. Large sliding openings allow interior spaces to expand seamlessly into outdoor terraces. Vehicle access and garage functions are discreetly located at the lower level, separating service circulation from the main residential experience.
- Research
- The project investigates how contemporary residential architecture can integrate with steep topography while maintaining spatial openness and visual continuity. Research focused on structural strategies for large cantilevers daylight penetration in terraced buildings and environmental benefits of layered shading. Material studies explored the balance between heavy grounded surfaces and transparent lightweight facades Climatic research prioritized passive cooling through shading natural ventilation and thermal mass.
- Inspiration
- The project is inspired by the natural stratification of landforms and the gradual shaping of hillsides over time. Drawing from the logic of terraces and natural plateaus, the architecture translates these principles into a contemporary residential language. Strong horizontal lines reflect the stability of the terrain and the rhythm of the surrounding forest, allowing the villa to read as a constructed landscape rather than an object placed upon it.
Colors of Terraced Horizon Villa
Design Interview about Terraced Horizon Villa
The main principle behind Terraced Horizon is to transform a steep hillside into a livable architectural landscape. The inspiration comes from the natural stratification of landforms, terraces and plateaus shaped by time. Instead of placing a villa on the site as a separate object, the design follows the rhythm of the terrain. Strong horizontal lines, embedded lower levels and projecting upper volumes allow the residence to feel integrated with the forested slope while opening itself toward panoramic views.
My main focus was to create a residence that works with the topography rather than against it. I wanted to achieve a balance between grounded stability and visual openness. The villa needed to feel private, calm and protected, while still maintaining a strong connection with the surrounding landscape. Through terraced platforms, deep cantilevers, large glazed facades and shaded outdoor areas, the design aims to create a refined living experience where architecture and terrain become one continuous system.
My future plan is to use Terraced Horizon as a reference for further explorations of landscape-integrated residential architecture. The project opens important questions about how homes can adapt to challenging sites, how structure can support spatial openness, and how passive comfort can be improved through terraces, shading and natural ventilation. I would like to continue developing these ideas in future residential projects that require a sensitive relationship between building, landscape and daily life.
Terraced Horizon was designed and developed between 2024 and 2025. The process included concept development, spatial planning, structural studies, facade design, material selection and environmental considerations. Because the project is located on a steep forested hillside, the design required careful study of levels, circulation, views, cantilevers, access and the relationship between interior spaces and outdoor terraces.
Terraced Horizon was developed from the idea of creating a villa that belongs to its hillside site. The concept was shaped by the natural conditions of the land and by the desire to turn a difficult slope into an architectural opportunity. The design was not only about creating a luxury residence, but also about exploring how topography can generate form, movement and atmosphere. It reflects both a practical residential program and a strong inspiration drawn from the landscape.
Terraced Horizon is an architectural villa concept intended for realization as a private residential project. It is not a product designed for mass production, so production rights are not directly applicable in the same way as they would be for furniture or industrial design. The project can be developed with the appropriate architecture, engineering and construction teams according to site conditions, client requirements and technical regulations.
I designed this type of work because hillside residences offer a rich relationship between architecture, structure and landscape. They require careful thinking about levels, views, privacy, access, daylight and structural performance. Terraced Horizon allowed me to explore how a house can become part of its terrain while still offering a strong contemporary identity. This type of project is meaningful to me because it connects architectural form with emotional experience and daily living.
The design was influenced more by natural landforms and architectural principles than by a single designer or project. Terraced landscapes, geological layering, forested slopes and contemporary hillside architecture informed the concept. I was especially interested in how horizontal lines, embedded volumes and projecting terraces can create a residence that feels both grounded and open. The project also reflects broader interests in biophilic design, material honesty and landscape-integrated architecture.
The target customer is a private residential client seeking a refined, contemporary villa with strong landscape integration, privacy and panoramic views. The design is suitable for users who value calm living environments, natural materials, generous terraces and a close relationship with nature. It is especially appropriate for clients who want a luxury residence that is not only visually impressive, but also responsive to its site, climate and daily use.
What sets Terraced Horizon apart is the way it transforms a steep hillside into a sequence of inhabitable architectural platforms. The villa does not simply sit on the land; it is shaped by the land. Lower levels are embedded into the slope, while upper volumes extend outward through deep cantilevers. This creates a strong duality between weight and lightness, shelter and openness, privacy and view. The project’s identity comes from this integrated relationship between structure, landscape and living space.
The name Terraced Horizon reflects the main spatial idea of the project. “Terraced” refers to the layered platforms that step with the hillside, while “Horizon” expresses the panoramic views and outward movement of the upper volumes. Together, the name describes a residence shaped by both land and view. It suggests a home that is grounded in the terrain while constantly opening toward the surrounding landscape and distant horizon.
The design process included conceptual sketching, digital drafting, 3D modeling, visualization and technical coordination tools. These tools were used to study the site levels, terraced organization, facade composition, structural cantilevers, circulation, views and the relationship between interior spaces and outdoor terraces. Environmental and material studies also supported decisions related to shading, daylight, natural ventilation and the balance between solid and transparent surfaces.
The most unique aspect of Terraced Horizon is the transformation of a steep forested slope into a coherent living sequence. The villa is organized as layered platforms that create different relationships with the terrain at each level. The lower parts feel embedded and protected, while the upper volumes open outward through cantilevers and panoramic glazing. This creates a spatial experience that changes as users move through the house, from grounded enclosure to open horizon.
A project like Terraced Horizon requires collaboration with technical and specialized disciplines, especially in structural design, facade systems, lighting, landscape integration and construction detailing. The cantilevered volumes, retaining walls, large glazing surfaces, sloped site conditions and passive comfort strategies all require careful coordination. The design depends on the integration of architectural vision with engineering and technical expertise to make the concept feasible and refined.
Technology supports both the structural and environmental performance of Terraced Horizon. The hybrid concrete and steel structural system enables cantilevered volumes and wide openings. High-performance low-e glazing helps control heat gain while preserving views. Recessed LED lighting defines walls, stair edges and landscape elements at night. Design and analysis tools also help evaluate levels, views, shading and natural ventilation. Technology is used to support the architectural experience without overpowering the natural character of the site.
Yes, the design was informed by research into steep topography, structural cantilevers, daylight penetration, shading and passive comfort. We studied how the building could be embedded into the slope while still maintaining openness and visual continuity. Research also focused on material balance, combining heavy grounded surfaces with lighter transparent facades. Climatic considerations included shaded terraces, cross ventilation and the use of deep horizontal frames to reduce glare and improve comfort.
The primary challenge was creating a sense of architectural lightness while working with the heavy structural systems required by the sloped site. Large cantilevers needed to be structurally efficient without making the villa feel visually heavy. Another challenge was preserving uninterrupted views while maintaining privacy, solar protection and comfort. This was addressed through deep horizontal frames, recessed glazing, layered facades and carefully positioned terraces. The project required a precise balance between structure, landscape and daily living.
I decided to submit Terraced Horizon because I believed the project offered a strong response to a challenging architectural condition. It explores how a steep hillside can become the foundation of a refined residential experience, rather than a limitation. The project combines landscape integration, structural thinking, passive comfort and contemporary material expression. An international design competition provided an opportunity to share this approach with a wider audience and to position the project within a global architectural discussion.
Terraced Horizon strengthened my understanding of how site conditions can become a powerful design generator. The project taught me to think more deeply about the relationship between slope, structure, movement, daylight and emotional experience. It also improved my approach to balancing technical requirements with architectural atmosphere. I learned that difficult topographies can create richer spatial solutions when they are interpreted carefully and respectfully.
Terraced Horizon is important to me because it treats the landscape as an active part of the architecture. The project is not only about creating a villa with beautiful views; it is about shaping a complete living experience through levels, terraces, structure, light and material. Its value lies in turning a steep hillside into a calm and inhabitable architectural terrain. For me, the project represents a balance between nature, structure and refined residential life.
Grand Interview about Terraced Horizon Villa
For me, the aspect that best captures the spirit of the Bronze A' Design Award is the way Terraced Horizon Villa transforms a difficult hillside into an architectural advantage. Rather than treating the slope as a limitation, the design uses it as the main generator of form, movement and experience. The villa becomes a continuation of the terrain, with lower levels embedded into the land and upper volumes opening toward the horizon through strong horizontal terraces.The design decision I am most proud of is this balance between grounding and projection. The building feels rooted in the forested slope, yet it also creates a sense of lightness through its cantilevered volumes. This duality gives the project its identity. It reflects our belief that architecture should not simply occupy a site, but interpret it, respond to it and reveal its hidden spatial potential.
Terraced Horizon Villa was designed around a deliberate dialogue between belonging and openness. The lower levels are embedded into the forested slope to give the building stability, privacy and a strong connection to the land. At the same time, the upper volumes extend outward through deep cantilevers, allowing the villa to open itself to the view, daylight and horizon.This duality was very important to the project. It allowed the villa to feel both protected and expansive. The embedded parts create a grounded, intimate relationship with the terrain, while the projecting volumes create a feeling of freedom and visual continuity with the landscape. For me, this is one of the strongest qualities of the design: it does not choose between being part of the land and rising above it. It does both, and that tension gives the house its architectural character.
The structural research for Terraced Horizon Villa was essential because the architectural idea depended on achieving large horizontal projections on a steep hillside. The project required a careful balance between reinforced concrete elements that anchor the villa to the terrain and steel components that support the cantilevered volumes. This hybrid approach allowed us to explore how structure can become an active part of the architectural expression rather than a hidden technical necessity.Through this process, we gained a deeper understanding of how challenging topographies can create new spatial possibilities. Instead of producing a conventional stacked residence, the structural strategy made it possible to create terraces, voids, shaded edges and panoramic openings that respond directly to the slope. For architects working in similar conditions, I believe the project offers a useful reference for treating structure, terrain and spatial experience as one integrated design problem.
From the earliest concept stage, I did not want Terraced Horizon Villa to appear as an object placed on a site. I wanted it to feel like a built landscape, almost as if it had grown out of the natural layering of the hillside. This philosophy shaped the entire spatial organization of the project. The villa is arranged as a sequence of terraces, platforms and horizontal layers that follow the logic of the land rather than forcing a separate geometry onto it.This idea also guided the material and structural decisions. Grounded surfaces, natural stone, architectural concrete and wood-textured elements were selected to strengthen the connection with the terrain. The deep horizontal lines of the roof and terraces echo the geological rhythm of the slope. In this way, the project becomes less about creating a standalone building and more about extending the landscape into an architectural experience.
One of the main challenges of Terraced Horizon Villa was achieving a feeling of architectural lightness while working with the structural demands of a steep hillside and large cantilevered volumes. This tension directly influenced the visual language of the project. The grounded lower levels and retaining elements provide weight and stability, while the projected upper volumes, long horizontal lines and large glazed surfaces create a lighter and more open expression.Resolving this contrast helped us refine the balance between architecture and interior experience. The structure had to be strong, but the spaces needed to feel calm, open and livable. This pushed us to think carefully about proportion, shadow, material continuity and the way interior spaces connect to exterior terraces. For our practice, the project became an important exploration of how structural necessity can be transformed into an aesthetic and emotional quality.
The defining moment in the design process came when the idea of natural terraces became more than a formal reference and started to organize the entire project. At that point, the hillside was no longer seen as a background condition. It became the main architectural guide. The villa began to develop as a series of inhabitable layers, each one responding to the slope, the view and the relationship between interior and exterior life.This realization influenced many later decisions. The spatial flow became more horizontal and sequential, allowing movement to follow the rhythm of the terrain. The facade composition emphasized strong layered lines rather than vertical dominance. Material choices also became more grounded and natural, supporting the idea of a residence that belongs to its site. Once this geological logic became clear, every decision began to serve the same architectural narrative.
Terraced Horizon Villa represents an important direction for DK Interior Architecture because it brings together landscape integration, spatial experience, material expression and structural thinking in one coherent project. It encouraged us to think beyond interior architecture as a separate discipline and to approach space as a complete relationship between building, site, light and daily life.The conceptual and technical explorations developed through this project will continue to influence our future work. We are especially interested in how challenging sites can generate richer spatial solutions, how passive comfort strategies can become part of the architectural language, and how interiors can remain deeply connected to the landscape around them. Terraced Horizon Villa opened new questions for us about gravity, openness, privacy, shadow and horizon. These are themes we plan to continue exploring in residential and private living projects.
One dimension of Terraced Horizon Villa that deserves deeper attention is the emotional quality created by its relationship with the slope. The project is often discussed through its terraces, cantilevers and structural strategy, but for me its most meaningful quality is the way it changes the experience of living with the landscape. The villa does not simply provide views; it creates a gradual relationship with the forest, the ground, the sky and the horizon.Technically, the project required careful coordination between structure, topography and spatial planning. Environmentally, it uses shaded terraces, deep horizontal frames and controlled glazing to support comfort. Personally, however, I see the project as an exploration of calmness. It is about creating a residence that feels protected without being closed, open without being exposed, and refined without losing its connection to nature. That balance is very important to me.
The entrance sequence of Terraced Horizon Villa was designed to create a different emotional rhythm from a conventional house. Instead of entering at the lowest level and moving upward, the experience begins from the upper level and gradually unfolds downward through terraces and interior connections. This inversion makes the act of entering the home feel like a slow discovery of the site.As residents move through the villa, the landscape is revealed in layers. The forest, the slope and the horizon are not seen all at once, but gradually framed through movement. This creates a more sensory and emotional relationship with the surroundings. Descending through the house also reinforces the idea that the villa is embedded into the terrain. It allows the inhabitants to feel the change from openness to intimacy, from panorama to shelter, and from architectural form to landscape experience.
Light was one of the most important design tools in Terraced Horizon Villa. During the day, the aim was to bring natural light deep into the interiors while controlling glare and heat through deep horizontal frames, shaded terraces and carefully positioned low-e glazing. The villa’s layered form allowed us to create a changing relationship with daylight, where light enters differently depending on the level, orientation and time of day.As evening arrives, the atmosphere becomes more intimate. Recessed lighting defines walls, stair edges, terraces and landscape elements without overwhelming the architecture. Instead of decorative excess, the lighting strategy emphasizes quiet guidance, depth and shadow. This transition from natural daylight to controlled night illumination changes the emotional tone of the residence. In daylight, the villa feels open and panoramic; at night, it becomes calmer, warmer and more introspective, while still maintaining its connection to the landscape.