Modern Caribbean architecture is successfully championed by TigerQi Architecture in the British Virgin Islands and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Caribbean-Inspired Minimalism: TigerQi Architecture's Beso del Sol Project
TigerQi Architecture, a boutique design firm based in the British Virgin Islands and Saint Kitts and Nevis, is making waves in the world of architecture with their innovative approach to design. Their work, which emphasizes a deep connection to nature, cultural heritage, and regional context, has earned them a spot in the Wallpaper Architects' Directory 2024.
The studio's latest project, Beso del Sol, is a rebuild concept for an existing villa in the British Virgin Islands. The design approach for this project incorporates a more brutalist architecture style, while maintaining TigerQi's signature tropical modernism aesthetic.
The existing villa was originally a two-bedroom, two-bathroom plan with roof pavilions. The proposed design echoes the structure of the traditional villa, while incorporating concrete for a cooling exterior and interior walls. Vertical wood slats are added around the stairway and hallway to create an organic, sheltered exterior space.
To embrace the traditional wood-sided facade of the villa, the architects have infused it with tropical modernist architecture ideas. Wooden doors and window frames from the original home are being recycled for the new design. The clients requested a redesign to create a four-bedroom home with an elevated swimming pool.
The design principles of TigerQi Architecture include creating healthy buildings, embracing hillside living, and serving the community as a whole. Their designs often incorporate a tropical modernism aesthetic, blending contemporary minimalism with local Caribbean influences.
TigerQi Architecture's founder, Lavina Liburd, has worked at various firms and gained experience on a range of projects before starting the studio in 2013. The studio's focus on contemporary design, embracing simplicity and minimalism, is evident in their work.
The Architects' Directory, an annual listing of promising architectural practices, is back for its 24th edition. This year's edition features 20 young studios from various countries, including the UK, the USA, and many others. TigerQi Architecture is one of the studios featured in this prestigious directory, a testament to their design philosophy prioritizing site-sensitive, culturally inspired, and environmentally conscious architectural solutions in the Caribbean context.
With over 500 alumni, the Architects' Directory continues to showcase the best and most promising young studios, with a focus on the residential realm. TigerQi Architecture's inclusion in this directory underscores their commitment to creating sustainable, culturally resonant, and aesthetically pleasing architectural solutions in the Caribbean.
- TigerQi Architecture's Beso del Sol project, a rebuild concept for an existing villa, displays their unique blend of Caribbean-inspired tropical modernism and home-and-garden elements, such as the reused wooden doors and window frames from the original home.
- The design principles of TigerQi Architecture, including creating healthy buildings and sustainable solutions, resonate with their lifestyle approach, demonstrating a deep connection to nature and local Caribbean culture within their home-and-garden and architectural projects.
