At FOAID 2024, the audience had the rare privilege of hearing from one of Southeast Asia’s most respected residential architects — Ernesto Bedmar, founder of Ernesto Bedmar Architects, based in Singapore. With over four decades of experience and a portfolio of deeply contextual homes across Asia, Bedmar’s lecture was a poetic deep dive into how climate, culture, and nature shape his intuitive design philosophy.
“We are a studio of just 12 people — including the cleaner,” he humbly opened.
Despite the grand introduction and his global reputation, Bedmar’s talk was refreshingly honest and down-to-earth. What followed was a masterclass in tropical residential design, delivered with sensitivity and clarity that only comes from a lifetime of built experience.
Homes that Breathe, Not Just Shelter
Educated in Argentina, Bedmar spoke of the fundamental shift in his design thinking upon moving to Singapore — a shift from insulating against seasons to celebrating the constancy of the tropical climate. His homes are a series of interconnected pavilions, open corridors, internal courtyards, and water bodies that not only facilitate natural ventilation but create emotional journeys through the house.
“Circulation is not just a means to an end — it is the heart of my houses,” he shared.
From early projects like his own residence in Singapore to contemporary villas in Jakarta and Bali, Bedmar’s architecture blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior. His use of water, shaded walkways, and timber louvers evoke calm and comfort in warm, humid conditions — a luxury reimagined through tranquility, not opulence.
Five Projects, One Philosophy: Gardens First, Buildings Later
Throughout the lecture, Bedmar walked the audience through five significant projects, each rooted in nature-first thinking. Whether it was his Jakarta residence shaped around a linear garden axis or a Bali villa aligned with the sightline of a volcano, the common thread was always landscape as protagonist.
In one particularly poetic moment, he said:
“We design homes so that you discover them slowly — not all at once. You walk, you listen, you feel.”
Each project was revealed through floor plans, detailed sections, and photographs showing how large overhangs, water courts, garden roofs, and natural materials came together to create quiet sanctuaries.
The India Challenge: A House in Delhi
One of the lecture’s most memorable segments was Bedmar’s candid account of his first project in India — a home in New Delhi.
“I had never been to India before. I didn’t understand Vastu. I didn’t even know how deeply social life and religious customs were embedded into domestic architecture.”
What began as a design challenge turned into a personal learning experience. From embracing terrace living in a non-tropical climate to understanding privacy in Indian social life, the house became an evolution in Bedmar’s own practice. He used local materials like travertine screens and adapted traditional Indian elements like stepwells and jali-inspired partitions, creating a home that felt both rooted and refined.
A Final Note: Architecture that Is Lived, Not Just Designed
Through every sketch and site photo, it was clear that Ernesto Bedmar’s architecture is less about style and more about atmosphere. He speaks not of form and function, but of feeling — how a wall frames a garden, how a roof shields a space without closing it, how light hits a water body at dusk.
In a world increasingly obsessed with visual spectacle, his work is a quiet reminder that great architecture is not just seen — it is lived.
As FOAID continues to bring global voices to India’s design fraternity, this session was a testament to timelessness over trend, to humility over grandeur, and to designing with the land, not just on it.
Watch the full episode here –
