Last updated on · ⓘ How we make our designs
See how modern villas give castle ruins a new role, with glass walls beside old towers and lunch terraces where guards once kept watch.
Castle arches, meet sliding doors. We’ve kept the old towers in charge while fitting modern villas among the ruins.
We borrowed from sheltered courtyards, countryside roofs and the surrounding slopes. Notice how glass walls and metal roofs stand apart from the weathered stone, rather than copying it.
Then there’s the space between. Pools beside ramparts, gardens beneath arches and terraces made for lunch, not lookout duty.
Copper Roof Within Castle Walls
The villa takes its cue from the castle’s enclosed courtyard, placing a crisp glass frontage and copper toned roof behind weathered stone battlements. Slender black framing keeps the new structure visually distinct from the ruins, while the pitched roof gives it a familiar silhouette without pretending to be another tower.
Inside the walls, gravel paths thread between clipped shrubs, low stone borders and planted terraces, making the courtyard feel like a proper outdoor room. A long rectangular pool sits beside a timber deck and shaded loungers, a little less defensive than a moat and considerably more inviting.
A Swim Beside the Ramparts
The glass pavilion nestles beneath weathered battlements, its rust red roof taking its cue from the warm tones of the surrounding stone. Slim dark frames keep the sea views open, and those old towers get to stay the tallest things around.
A timber terrace wraps the living spaces, with broad steps leading down to a slender pool along the cliff edge. Gravel paths weave through low shrubs and sculptural succulents, a little untidy in places, which suits the broken stone walls just fine.
The Fortress Gets a Glass Heart
The villa takes its cue from the castle’s enclosed courtyard, keeping its low profile beneath the broken stone battlements rather than pretending to be another tower. A folded copper roof caps slender black frames and full height glazing, giving the living spaces an open connection to the garden.
Pale paving runs alongside a narrow rectangular pool, while neatly edged lawns leave breathing room between the new rooms and weathered masonry. The contrast is the charm here, all crisp corners inside a wonderfully rough shell, with the old stone stairs still very much part of the arrangement.
Parterres Meet Solar Panels
The villa sits low within the ruined enclosure, with dark window frames and warm timber panels set against weathered stone towers and arches. Its U-shaped plan takes its cue from the castle courtyard, wrapping a sheltered lawn and terrace without trying to dress up as another medieval wing.
Solar panels line the shallow roof slopes, giving the old stronghold a decidedly newer set of priorities. Out front, clipped hedges, paired planting beds and a long fountain basin borrow from formal estate gardens, making a neat approach to all that beautifully uneven masonry.
An Upstairs Life Above the Arches
A long, rust-colored pavilion stretches across the old stone enclosure, borrowing the simplicity of a rural roof rather than trying to impersonate another turret. Its glazed front opens the living spaces toward the courtyard and countryside, while slender dark columns leave room underneath for a sheltered terrace, pretty handy when your downstairs is a castle.
The surviving arches, crenellations and round towers give the new addition its starting point, with rough masonry set against crisp metal edges. Below, a rectangular pool sits beside gravel paths, olive trees and tall cypresses, keeping the courtyard open and giving those thick defensive walls a much friendlier job.
A Terrace Borrowed From the Sky
A slender metal frame and folded silver roof give the villa a crisp outline against the broken stone walls, with inspiration drawn from the castle’s commanding lookout position. Full height glazing opens the living spaces toward the valley, while a terrace with glass railings projects beyond the masonry because, apparently, the view deserved an extension.
Below, stone arches shelter outdoor seating beside a long, narrow pool that fits neatly within the old enclosure. Winding paths, olive trees, clipped shrubs and loose grasses soften the courtyard, keeping the garden informal enough to feel at home among the ruins.
Three Gables Above the Olive Grove
Three copper-toned roof peaks crown a two-story glass pavilion tucked beneath the castle’s square tower, keeping the new addition visibly separate from the weathered stone. The design takes its cue from the enclosing ruins, using a compact footprint and dark window frames to leave the battlements clearly defined.
Broad stone terraces step down beside a long rectangular pool, connecting the living spaces with outdoor seating and views across the bay. Pergolas and flowering climbers soften the lower levels and shelter dining spots, because even a castle needs somewhere comfortable for lunch.
A Quiet Geometry of Water
A broad silver metal roof sits below the broken battlements, sheltering a glazed living space framed in dark steel with timber accents at either end. Taking its cue from the castle’s enclosed courtyard, the low villa leaves the old towers in charge of the skyline, no contest really.
Pale stone paving connects the house to a rectangular pool, narrow water channels and two neatly edged lawns, giving the rugged enclosure a crisp new interior. And those slender strips of water bring a little moat humor indoors, while generous terraces leave room for lounging beside the weathered arches.
The Bell Tower Keeps Its Place
Taking its cue from the surviving bell tower, the villa wraps two glazed wings around the old masonry, keeping their pitched metal roofs below the battlements. The tower still gets top billing, naturally.
Dark window frames and timber panels distinguish the new rooms from the rough stone, while a furnished terrace turns the roof of an arched structure into useful outdoor space. Along the outer wall, a narrow pool and timber deck make the most of an awkward strip of ground, with glass railings keeping views open toward the planted courtyard.
A Mountain Chalet Takes Cover
A chalet-inspired roof crowns three glazed levels tucked between broken castle walls, pairing a familiar mountain silhouette with the jagged edges of the ruins. Dark frames and glass balcony rails keep the lake views open, while the surviving pointed window gets to stay exactly what it is, no modern makeover needed.
The long, narrow pool extends from the lowest terrace toward the lake, giving swimming its own space without swallowing the hillside. Below, winding stone stairs and planted pockets follow the rocky slope down to a small dock, making the outdoor spaces feel fitted to the terrain rather than flattened into it.
Seaside Living Minus the Siege
A low pavilion with full height glazing and warm brown cladding sits above the castle’s long stone arcade, keeping the square towers firmly in view. Its shallow green metal roof takes its cue from the coastal setting, while generous overhangs shelter the terrace without stealing the sea views.
Down below, a long rectangular pool follows the arches, with pale paving and clear terrace railings keeping the new additions visually simple. And tucked among cypresses, rounded shrubs, and purple planting, an open pergola makes room for outdoor meals, a much friendlier courtyard agenda than defending the walls.
Tower Connections in Steel and Glass
A black steel frame and broad expanses of glass give this two-story villa a crisp outline against the castle’s weathered stone. The design takes its cue from the enclosed courtyard, fitting contemporary rooms inside the surviving walls rather than copying their medieval shapes, because one castle is plenty.
Slender bridges with glass balustrades connect the villa to the surrounding masonry, turning the old towers into destinations rather than just scenery. Below, a long rectangular pool follows the timber terrace, while pockets of shrubs soften the space between lounging areas and rugged stone, a little breathing room for both.
A Pavilion With Medieval Neighbors
The low glass pavilion sits on a pale stone terrace, leaving a generous gap between its slender frame and the castle’s arcaded walls. Its copper-toned hipped roof takes its cue from traditional roof forms, while broad glazing opens the rooms toward the garden, giving the old fortress some decidedly modern company.
Gravel paths cross at a circular fountain, borrowing the ordered layout of formal estate gardens to connect the villa with the courtyard entrance. A long pool sits beside that central route, while clipped hedges, rounded shrubs, and tall cypresses soften the stone enclosure without hiding its arches, because those are worth keeping in view.
Agaves Frame a Clifftop Retreat
The villa slots a tall glazed volume between rugged castle walls, with a rust red roof and slender vertical framing picking up the stone’s warm tones. Its simple pitched profile takes its cue from familiar house forms, but those three levels of glass are anything but medieval.
A narrow pool stretches along the timber terrace and projects beyond the masonry, leaving room for a couple loungers and an outdoor sofa without crowding the sea views. Below, gravel paths weave between agaves, clipped shrubs and low stone borders, giving the steep grounds a softer side and making the walk home considerably nicer than a castle siege.
Cypresses Guard a Modern Courtyard
The villa sits below the battlements, pairing a silver hipped roof with tall glazing divided by dark brown frames. Its compact, two-story form leaves the courtyard open and keeps the old stone tower as the tallest feature, no competition needed.
Taking its cue from enclosed Mediterranean gardens, the courtyard places a long rectangular pool between a neat lawn and irregular stone paving. Olive trees, slender cypresses and low planting soften the masonry, while the broad glass frontage connects the living spaces to this sheltered outdoor room.
Rooftop Recess Among Round Towers
The villa takes its cue from traditional pitched roofs, but pairs its weathered green metal covering with tall glass walls and a crisp black frame. A terrace tucked into the roof creates a private outdoor nook, with room for two loungers and absolutely no lookout duty.
Below, broad sliding doors connect the living spaces to a stone terrace, while the old towers and arches remain clearly distinct from the modern addition. An exterior staircase links this upper level to clipped courtyard gardens and a long pool, giving the castle’s layered spaces a much more leisurely purpose.
Riverbend Living Behind Jagged Stone
Long glazed rooms stretch beneath rust-colored metal roofs, setting a crisp new outline against the castle’s broken stone edges. The addition takes its cue from the low courtyard walls rather than the tall ruined tower, leaving that old landmark comfortably in charge.
A glass-railed balcony projects toward the river gorge, while the narrow pool follows the outer wall, swapping lookout duty for a few leisurely laps. Inside the enclosure, gravel paths weave around olive trees, slender cypresses, and purple planting, softening the masonry and connecting the arched doorways with places to sit and eat.
The Gable Beyond the Fountain
A simple pitched roof borrows from countryside barns, while black framing and two stories of glass give the villa a distinctly modern edge. Set back within the castle walls, the house leaves the weathered towers visible and makes room for planted courtyards, rather than filling every last corner.
The stone loggia provides a sheltered outdoor sitting area, with arches that frame the garden beyond. Below it, pale steps connect a narrow water channel, swimming pool and fountain along one central line, while lavender borders soften all that geometry, no drawbridge required.
Battlements Trade Arrows for Loungers
The villa takes its cue from the mountain setting, pairing a broad metal hip roof with timber accents and dark window frames tucked inside the crenellated walls. Two floors of generous glazing open the rooms toward the valley, while the roof keeps the new addition below the tallest surviving stonework.
A long rectangular pool anchors the pale stone terrace, with glass railings keeping views open across the lower courtyard and rugged masonry. Loungers sit neatly beside the old defensive wall, a much friendlier use for the perimeter, and exterior stairs connect the different levels without crowding the pool deck.
Folded Roofs Beneath an Ancient Keep
The villa tucks two glazed wings beneath the castle’s square keep, pairing dark window frames and pale vertical walls with a folded metal roof. Its angular silhouette takes its cue from the fortified setting without copying the battlements, because one castle is plenty.
A long rectangular pool anchors the garden, with a narrow water channel alongside it and a square fountain marking the far end. Gravel paths, clipped shrubs and olive trees soften the precise layout, while the raised dining terrace turns an old stone enclosure into somewhere you’d actually linger over dinner.
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