Green roof and aluminium trellis surround Villa Papillon in Batroun

Villa Papillon is a beautiful home on the shore's edge in the Lebanese town of Batroun, some 50 km north of Beirut. Designed by a New York-based architectural studio formed by Rhode Islander Dan Wood and Beirut-born Amale Andraos, the courtyard is surrounded by a green roof, with an aluminium and steel trellis giving shade throughout the day.

Triangular shapes are prominent throughout, giving Villa Papillon a distinct character to contrast with striking art and furnishings. It is built for solitude, with a robust back façade that conceals nothing. Along with immediate beach access, a spacious deck wraps around the seashore, with a triangular swimming pool inset in one corner, lined with Bisazza glass mosaic tiles and bordered by a Carrara marble coping.

Making the most of the location, the home is based on a huge open-air courtyard from which the main living rooms can be accessed, all with views of the Mediterranean. According to the architects, the villa rethinks the link between art, architecture, and nature while providing plenty of covered hanging space for artworks and dramatic material and structural choices.

The main bedroom is similarly on the ground level, while the children's bedrooms are on the floor above, with an uninterrupted view of the sea. These rooms are reached through an epoxy-resin-painted steel stairway with lacquered-wood walls.