Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Swimming Pool Garden Terrace Area

Project: Can Mar

The Client Brief

The clients approached us to create an updated garden and exterior space for their house on Ibiza. The contemporary style house, designed by a local architect occupied a small and unconventionally shaped plot with limited outside space. The clients also required more privacy for the house from the neighbours who are at close quarters on two sides. The limitations to heights and designs on boundary fences so that they don’t have a negative effect on neighbouring parties needed to be negotiated respectfully. The client brief, along with the challenging plot dimensions was a project were excited to undertake, as we saw huge potential for the rear terrace to be developed into a multi-disciplinary outdoor living space that the clients could enjoy throughout the year.

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Property Exterior Render

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Yoga Deck

We set about designing an outdoor kitchen with BBQ, dining, entertaining and chillout spaces, an updated swimming pool, yoga area and outdoor shower, as well as a lawn area for the children to play on. Another aspect which often gets overlooked is the sequencing or flow around the property, this needs to be comfortable and make sense by using steps and platforms so that all areas can be accessed easily, making the property feel cohesive. At Terravita, we draw a lot of our inspiration from the surrounding landscape.

The property backs onto a beautiful forest, so we took inspiration from the existing pines and native greenery and wanted to thread this throughout the plot. One of the goals was to make the boundary of the property feel blended with the forest and sea, giving an improved and lush, greener view from the house’s interior, but also to use the new planting to offset the white architectural lines of the house when viewed from the exterior.

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Outdoor Living Dining Area

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Outdoor Living Dining Area 2

We opted to use wood as much as possible as it works nicely with the house’s interior. Hard wood timber slats were used on the existing boundary walls with climbers to soften the look. These sections of timber fencing were dispersed with large leafy green cypress trees to create a natural privacy screen. We used bamboo timber for the yoga decking, which is very hard wearing, requires little maintenance and looks divine, particularly as it ages. For the kitchen and dining area, we used a coloured micro cement to match the existing tiles on the

terrace with the continuation of colour giving the illusion of space. The exterior spaces left over after the house’s construction were narrow, oddly shaped and felt somewhat disregarded. Other than access to other areas of the property, they weren’t spaces you wanted to spend time in. This meant that we had to work very hard at maximising the feel of the spaces as much as possible. We employed many little tricks in these areas so that they feel unconstrained, yet always feel cosy and private.

More Can Mar photos.

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Dining Table Render

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Dining Area Render

Design solutions

For example, the dining space is actually a very small space, but we opted to open it up visually by adding cut outs into the wall so that when seated at the table you can look through to the swimming pool terrace and onto views of the landscape beyond.

In the olive garden we moved an existing tree by 1.5m, which on the surface might seem a strange, but this small detail meant we could use the tree to then block any view from the entrance.

In the limited space it freed up, we put down geometric paving slabs and a small water feature, which joins the interior living area to the rooftop staircase and the whole space now feels unrestricted.

As featured on White Ibiza.

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Cut Out Screen

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Olive Garden Steps Roof

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Olive Garden Water Feature

Terravita Ibiza Landscape Design Architecture Can Mar Outdoor Living Room Screen Cut Out

The finished result + next phase

The project came together beautifully to create an incredible home that complements the clients’ lifestyle more than they had ever imagined and we’re so pleased we had the opportunity to show what can be achieved by transforming a challenging space and bringing all areas of this home to life.

The next phase for this project's development is to optimise the rooftop area of the house, which comes with stunning sea views. It's not permissible to build anything onto the roof for many reasons including load-bearing restrictions and privacy for neighbours, however we can create some stylish areas perfect for relaxing and watching beautiful Ibizan sunsets.