Name a better combination than concrete and plants Ever hear of tropical Brutalism" No" Well, get ready to add it to your architectural vernacular because hard-lined, concrete stunners are popping up all over balmy climates.
This house in Bali, Indonesia, appropriately named A Brutalist Tropical Home, sits nestled into a lush valley on the island?s southern coast. Architecture studio Patisandhika and designer Dan Mitchell designed a 5,500-square-foot house that both embraces and steels itself against Bali?s persistent warm weather.

Photo: Tommaso Riva via Dezeen

Photo: Tommaso Riva via Dezeen

Perhaps counterintuitively, the house has a wall of glass that stretches for the entirety of the double-height living room. To help protect the interior from the glaring sun, the architects designed a series of concrete slabs that extend from the facade, creating much needed shade. ?The challenge with this was the climate?heat and direct sunshine on glass isn?t always the best idea,? Mitchell told Dezeen. ?As we opted against using air con for energy saving reasons, we used the overhanging slabs as a solution to block sun and prevent overheating.?

Photo: Tommaso Riva via Dezeen

The architects designed the home with intentionally simple materials?just concrete and wood?that are meant to provide a backdrop for color and texture from the furniture. The open living room has a wall-sized shelving unit for re...