As you enter the home, through a warm, wood panelled foyer, you are welcomed by a towering art wall covered in a unique paper installation by artist Wataru Sakuma featuring a mesmerising sunburst pattern. When the delicate paper lattice catches the rays, it demurely shimmers, before returning to its more raw and organic state.

“My sister Geraldine’s married last name is Sunshine,” explains Hong Kong-based interior designer and creative director of JJ Bespoke, James “JJ” Acuña. “We wanted to have that element in the home. She also works energetically and breezes through rooms declaring ‘this needs to be golden’ and ‘that area needs gold’.” It is evident that the siblings have an excellent rapport, as they laugh and banter on their design process for their family home.

“I wanted the sun right there,” declares Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine. The lawyer specialises in alternative investments, is an Overseer on the Harvard University Governing Board, and runs a neuroscience foundation focused on brain research and movement disorders. “I loved that this piece looks like metal, but it is in fact paper. All throughout the house, you’ll find angles that look hard, but are in fact curved and soft.” Her brother immediately quips back with a laugh: “That’s my sister’s personality; she looks hard, but she’s really soft.”

“Your home should reflect different parts of you...It should carry your energy” - Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine

What may seem to the uninitiated as simply a good example of beautiful, modern tropical architecture, is, in fact, a true labour of love that reflects both the family’s personality and local heritage. “My family and I all live around the world,” says Acuña. His sister lives in Boston along with other siblings who split their time between the United States and the Philippines. “It is rare that we all get together. Sometimes it’s in the Philippines, other times we travel, but one thing is certain, we don’t like being in places that feel generic. We like context. We all felt that when we go back to visit the Philippines, we all wanted to be in a Filipino home.”

The sleek exterior is far from traditional but espouses the principles of the historic bahay na bato or stone house. Acuña was particularly drawn to the concept of layering that is found in these heritage homes. The façade is a contemporary representation of the two layers—clad in first a darker Indian stone, the on the second floor a lighter Bali stone. However, going beyond architectural inspiration, it’s the space planning that attracted him to re-interpret this design.

“I love the fact that the ground floor is much more public, and the upper floor is where the family lives,” he says. “Programmatically, the ground floor is a space for gatherings and celebrations while the upstairs is more intimate and self-contained.” Both siblings believe in the importance of using all areas and place importance in the ease of movement. “This is where he and I are in sync,” says Acuña-Sunshine. “We’ve really looked for that sense of flow. I don’t believe in having parts of your house that you don’t go into. There should be circulation all around your house.”

The ground floor of the main area is a large semi-open plan inspired by the piano nobile concept from the Italian palazzo, which is also present in the bahay na bato. “We wanted to have an easy transition from one space to another,” says Acuña. “Even the doors to the study off the living, we prefer to keep them open, so that there is a constant movement throughout. What we also loved about the piano nobile idea is that it is unpretentious. You can come in and feel like you can see the whole home.”
 

While no barriers truly separate the living, from the dining and the kitchen, a clever adjustment of layout allows for subtle concealment of the different areas. This creates cosy spaces while retaining that sought after flow. The living room is done is a purposeful tropical, resort style with one special piece as its anchor. “I love this area because I love bringing people into my life and into Philippine culture and showing them who I am,” says Acuña-Sunshine. “So, I think this space is really great.”

Behind the main seating area are bespoke, handpainted De Gournay panels depicting a historic Philippine colonial era scene originally designed by Jonathan Matti but customised specifically for the Acuña family. “The original panorama depicted more of a plantation style home in a rural setting,” Acuña shares. “We asked De Gournay if they could create a bahay na bato for us. The result is stunning and so special. We even asked them to update the costumes to more urban styles of that time and had them infuse warm yellows and oranges that matched our home.”

The art wall hides the dining area from the entrance, but a little window allows the view to the pool to come in as well as allows seated diners to see who walks through the front door. This space opens upward on to the second floor and a generous light filled clerestory. “I love the courtyards you find in an old bahay na bato and I really wanted one in this home,” says the designer. “However, it could not be fully open because we wanted to keep all the floor area usable. The three-story volume you see here is more of a gesture of a courtyard.”

The entire L-shaped structure opens onto the swimming pool and patio area. Most of the ground floor is hard built and because there are some young children in the family, the siblings decided there was a need for a proper garden. Risky but rewarding, the entire second floor above the living room is a green roof and entirely covered in grass. Accessible from the pool area through a staircase or from the wellness room, it has become a favourite area for the family to relax in, meditate or enjoy a glass of wine. An added benefit is that it acts as insulation and keeps the ground floor cool.

The art wall hides the dining area from the entrance, but a little window allows the view to the pool to come in as well as allows seated diners to see who walks through the front door. This space opens upward on to the second floor and a generous light filled clerestory. “I love the courtyards you find in an old bahay na bato and I really wanted one in this home,” says the designer. “However, it could not be fully open because we wanted to keep all the floor area usable. The three-story volume you see here is more of a gesture of a courtyard.”

The entire L-shaped structure opens onto the swimming pool and patio area. Most of the ground floor is hard built and because there are some young children in the family, the siblings decided there was a need for a proper garden. Risky but rewarding, the entire second floor above the living room is a green roof and entirely covered in grass. Accessible from the pool area through a staircase or from the wellness room, it has become a favourite area for the family to relax in, meditate or enjoy a glass of wine. An added benefit is that it acts as insulation and keeps the ground floor cool.

According to Acuña the entire home is meant to feel like an interpretation of what a Capiznon family’s home would be like in the city. “There is no beach or bay here, but I wanted to capture that relaxed feeling despite being in an urban setting. Therefore, it is very resort like by nature and materiality, which is also because we did not want anything foreign in this home. We wanted to stay true to our Philippine roots and almost all the furniture pieces are proudly Filipino.”

Acuña-Sunshine is very effusive in praise of her brother’s talents. “I’m grateful that he is my brother and because he can take energetic concepts and translate and manifest them into physical reality. It is such an art. He has the capacity to convey joy and expression. He is very gifted.” For this family, it is evident that home truly is where the heart is and, in this case, the home is where the pulse reverberates and continues to give life to the ties that bind them. 
 

“This home is the intersection of everybody when we’re together,” declares Acuña with a smile. His sister follows without missing a beat: “But it is a modern expression of who we are now. And we are big believers of evolving, you cannot stay static. Since this home is an extension of us, it will continue to grow as well.”

SOURCE: https://www.tatlerasia.com/homes/home-tours/jj-acuña-and-geraldine-acuña-sunshines-family-home-in-manila