Imaginary Hideaway for the Lockdown World by Child Studio

London-based Child Studio has designed an imaginary secluded house named ‘Casa Plenaire’, a fantasy summer hideaway for quiet contemplation. The project plays with the ideas of wellness, escapism, and connection with nature, and very much embraces the current trend which sees a rapid rise of dreamy digital renderings in design.

A series of cinematic images depict the dreamy sunlit rooms, presenting a lifestyle cantered around wellbeing and self-care. ‘Plenaire’, meaning ‘in the open air’ is a chosen name and concept in response to the current global lockdown situation, aiming to provide solace in the times when travel has become unattainable.

The collage-like environment balances a sense of realism and playful illusion. The undulating architecture flows freely from indoor to outdoor, taking cues from the archetypal villas of the Balearic Islands and Santorini houses, as well as the experimental modernist architecture of Eero Saarinen. Sculptural interiors follow the subtly defined zones of the lounge, terrace, bedroom, and the sculptural circular pool.

The house is furnished with iconic mid-century pieces by Pierre Paulin, Eero Aarnio, and Greta von Nessen, complemented with a quirky mix of nostalgic memorabilia, such as pottery, exotic seashells, books, and flowers. The meditative atmosphere is reflected in the muted sandy palette, set against the dazzling blue sky.

“Casa Plenaire is designed to evoke the memories of a perfect holiday and we wanted to achieve a dreamy, otherworldly quality, rather than creating a realistic architectural space,” said Che Huang and Alexy Kos, Child Studio founders, whose work sits at the intersection of object design, spatial projects, art direction and photography.

“The project was an opportunity for us to explore new ideas and test new concepts for the post-lockdown world. The seaside location is a collage of memories, dreams, and visual references, for the period when travel has become unattainable,” explains the duo.