Tucked away in the foothills of the Tian Shan mountains in Kazakhstan sits this modern manse designed by New York–based architect Audrey Matlock, which features a lower-level indoor pool that serves as a secluded getaway.
Located in a mudslide- and earthquake-prone area, the design called for clearing the land and constructing 16.5-foot-deep retaining walls, into which the 21,000-square-foot home was built. Though concrete is a common building material in the region, the color is muddy and often it is covered up. Matlock worked with Turkish contractor Yüksel to achieve this high-end heather gray color.
At the rear of the 65-foot pool, a concrete wall is built against the hill and extends up above the room to create an outdoor terrace. Glass panels concealing LED fixtures span the full height of the concrete wall between the pool and the terrace above, and a skylight runs the full length of the wall, allowing the strong natural light to embrace the dark corners. The double columns on the ceiling filter the light and recall the structural supports on the opposite wall, where glass doors open the length of the pool to the quiet mountain views.
