A Brancusi like sculpture against a polished concrete wall offers a low key entrance to the property.
Maria Luisa Estate Park remains one of the most highly regarded real estate properties in Cebu. The lush landscape offers stunning views of the city. Situated atop the Banilad and Busay hills, the development is known for its high elevation and sweeping panorama of Cebu City and Mactan Island. The hilly topography makes the properties a challenge for building construction. It was no accident that fashion designer Jun Escario and architect Simon Miles chose a very specific look for their house on the rugged slopes of Maria Luisa Estate Park.
The couple have been living for eight years in what appears to be a temple of modernist architecture, defined by functionalism. The design of the house embraces new technologies—reinforced concrete, steel, and glass—to create clean, geometric, and often asymmetrical forms. This postmodernist architecture is characterized by classical elements reinterpreted with modern materials and a touch of irony. The visual shape of the house blends various styles, periods, and materials into a single structure. The focus is on how the building relates to its surroundings, opposing the universal glass-box approach to modernism.
As a result, the house features clean lines, a carefully balanced composition, and exposed building materials, along with spacious rooms and abundant natural light. The style emphasizes volume and perspective, further enhanced by a minimalist outlook.
Jun Escario added, “The concept of the house evolved around several pieces Simon and I already owned, particularly my collection of mid-century furniture, which we were keen to incorporate into the design. We also picked up several paintings and earthen jars from a trip to Santorini. With great respect for our talented Cebu designers, we wanted the overall aesthetics to remain true to our personal style—clutter-free and effortlessly chic. The property itself was laid out utilizing 650 square meters of the lot.”
Simon Miles and Jun Escario in Santorini where the couple picked up a lot of their inspiration
R&Y Agousti Sylvie chair and a black baby grand Weinstein piano define the space of the house’s entrance
A contemporary dining area features a large, vibrant yellow abstract painting and a tall sculptural column reflect the owner’s aesthetic preferences.
R&Y Agousti Sylvie chair and the Barcelona day bed are the prime design elements that characterize the principle of stark simplicity in this living room.
This lounge area features mid-century modern design elements that utilizes a minimalist approach with functional furniture anchored by a puce colored rug.
A large black glass wall divides spaces accompanied by an austere side board with art objects picked up from the couple’s extensive travels.
A low-profile upholstered platform bed with a distinctive padded headboard with clean lines and neutral tones supported by subtle light colored legs.
The entrance is recessed with dim lighting and exposed concrete steps lead to a black door flanked by an earthenware jar from Santorini, setting the mood of the house’s architecture.