No. 77 Leyn Baan GALLE

No. 77 Leyn Baan sits inside the walls of UNESCO Galle Fort, on a cobbled street where the neighbouring buildings are other heritage structures, small boutiques, and the slow, companionable energy of one of the oldest living fortified cities in Asia. The villa is a meticulously restored Dutch colonial mansion that has been transformed into something simultaneously respectful of its 440-year history and entirely sure of its own contemporary identity. Dark walls, exposed original stonework, dramatic arched ceilings, a living tree growing through the kitchen and living room, and barrel-vaulted underground corridors that connect sections of the building in a way that makes the floorplan feel like an ongoing discovery. The interiors are the work of someone with a strong point of view and no interest in compromise.