Dara Huang discusses the relationship between nature and architecture

When London-based architect Dara Huang is asked about her favourite building in the British capital, she prefers to describe a space; specifically, the arc of Regent Street where the grand facades on either side of the road draw the eye up towards a curved slice of sky. The way in which architecture frames and interacts with negative space is central to Huang’s practice, which consistently explores the relationship between occupied space and the surrounding environment.

Huang founded her architecture and design practice, DH Liberty, in 2013 after working at major architecture firms including Herzog & de Meuron and Foster + Partners. Her work has a sculptural quality that is evident in the shapes of the buildings she creates, as well as in the way spaces are organised to enhance the experience of being in them and walking through them. Natural light and a connection to the outdoors are key to the design of these spaces, which promote a sense of understated luxury through their combination of balanced, precise architectural forms along with natural elements.

Huang outlines some of these ideas in a film produced by Sky-Frame as part of its ‘My Point of View’ series, which invites leading architects and designers to talk about their creative practices. DH Liberty’s unique design approach is perfectly encapsulated in the Villa Mosca Bianca project it completed in 2019 on the shores of Italy’s Lago Maggiore. The house, with its organically-shaped plan and series of stepped terraces, was designed to immerse its occupants in the idyllic surroundings and to facilitate a relaxed lifestyle in tune with nature.

Speaking from the villa’s light-filled living room, Huang explains how the stunning lakefront site informed a design that appears to merge with the landscape and incorporates large glazed openings to connect the internal and external spaces. A circular garden at the heart of the building is surrounded with glazing that allows natural light to reach the adjacent living spaces, whilst also visually connecting these rooms with the central staircase.

‘The concept of the house was how to live with nature so it was really important that when you walked in you really felt like you were still outside and that the reflections carry within and through the house,’ says Huang. ‘It’s almost as if the outside is literally coming in and they really become one.’

Villa Mosca Bianca's main lounge area occupies one of several protruding volumes that reach out towards the landscape. Full-height windows ensure the room feels immersed in the spectacular scenery, while Sky-Frame’s sliding doors provide a seamless connection with the adjacent patio. Curving roofs on both levels extend out beyond the facades and frame a band of sky between the eaves and the mountains on the opposite side of the lake.

‘It’s really nice that this house embodies the sky; you’ve framed it and you own it and that’s your living space,’ Huang suggests. ‘For us, this relationship between owning the sky and being in a very spiritual space is what makes this house so special.’

DH Liberty’s design for Villa Mosca Bianca included all of the furniture and interior finishes, including monolithic marble coffee tables that combine with a range of different textural finishes to evoke the variety and imperfection found in nature. This holistic approach results in a consistent aesthetic that is perfectly suited to its context and to the lifestyle of its owners. For Huang, this sort of project is never finished until people have occupied the building and she looks forward to seeing what sorts of stories they create within these spaces.

‘The spark that brings a project to life leaps when all construction work is complete, and the ideas and visions created from brick and mortar come to life,’ Huang concludes. ‘As an architect, you are creating the beginning of a story for others to finish. No matter who comes, the story will unravel.’

© Architonic