Living in harmony with nature

Up Moon Forest Pool Villas is a unique complex with seven pool villas nestled into a lush, tropical landscape on the island of Phuket in Thailand.

World-renowned architect, interior designer, fashion designer and artist Jordy Fu has designed Up Moon Forest Pool Villas in collaboration with global architecture and design house dwp | design worldwide partnership. The partnership is part of the dwp|signature collections, which are collaborations with acclaimed architects and interior designers that bring a new perspective to the dwp creative vision.

Luxurious Living

Up Moon Forest Pool Villas is a complex of seven luxurious villas that celebrates modern living in nature. The design seamlessly blends a poetic creative vision with pragmatic planning and a simple, high-end material palette, resulting in a collection of island homes that embody tropical luxury.

Located on a forested site in Cape Panwa, the villas are nestled deep into the trees to create a strong relationship between the built form and the landscape. Drawing on this connection with the natural world, Jordy Fu took inspiration from the phases of the moon for the visually iconic rounded form of each villa. This design language is echoed in the details throughout – from the half moon-shape of the pools and entry canopy to the gentle curves of the bespoke bedheads.

Each villa has three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a large open-plan living and dining space, alongside a lush garden, private swimming pool, and parking. The Up Moon Forest Pool Villas reception and management office, also designed by Jordy Fu and dwp, is located in the same complex to enable easy booking of excursions and transportation by residents and guests.

Back to Nature

The arrival experience at Up Moon Forest Pool Villas hints at the evocative design language used throughout, with softly lit crescent moon-shaped roofs emerging from the dense forest and visible from the access road above. The round, white concrete villas contrast with the verdant greenery, signifying an elegant, relaxed retreat.

The simple and durable exterior material palette of painted concrete and green-tinted glass was chosen in response to the tropical climate. Inside each villa, high-quality natural finishes, such as timber and stone, reference the surrounding landscape. Bespoke plywood cabinetry in the kitchen, for example, complements countertops carved from local granite, while elegant white walls punctuated with doors crafted from Teng hardwood and plywood offer a minimalist backdrop for luxury living. Colour that recalls the forest and nearby ocean has been introduced through bespoke furnishings. These pieces, many of which have subtle lighting integrated, will be prefabricated to reduce the cost and time of construction on site.

While circular buildings can often pose challenges to spatial planning, the layout of the Up Moon Forest Pool Villas has been cleverly designed so that the rooms are comfortably rectilinear. The bathroom and kitchen are built into the curved rear wall, and the pool and first floor balcony complete the curved form at the front.

The masterful planning celebrates open-plan living and keeps circulation space to a minimum, making the compact 153m2 villas feel much larger. On the ground floor, the living spaces and guest bedroom open out to a private garden and pool, and the two first floor bedrooms open to a large balcony overlooking the forest, engaging the surrounding landscape and bringing it into the interior. Natural light floods every room, and sliding glass doors ensure ample natural ventilation.

A Home in the Sun

Phuket, on the southwest coast of Thailand, attracts visitors from around the world and is a sought-after location by home buyers and holidaymakers. Known as the Pearl of the Andaman Sea, the island boasts some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, as well as several important religious monuments. There are world-class golf courses, marinas, and snorkeling and scuba diving sites, alongside international hospitals and schools. Up Moon Forest Pool Villas is located on the southeast coast of Phuket, just a six-minute drive from the beach.

Project significance

Up Moon Villas represents the continued creative development of dwp on the global stage. As Jordy Fu, says;

“I am an artist and an architect, and my role is to bring new ideas and creativity to the projects I work on with dwp. There are many traditional resort-style villas in Phuket – most of which are focused around the ocean. The Up Moon Villas celebrate a different kind of connection to nature as they are located on a beautiful forested site. We began by thinking about this landscape, and we came up with the romantic idea of the moon as a starting point. I believe art transforms the environment.”

For further information on dwp residential design, please contact scott.w@dwp.com