How Nine Olives Hvar came about

I was introduced to Stari Grad by a colleague and friend, Sue Warren, a New Zealander, in 2006. She was working on tourism development in the region and spent a lot of time looking for the best place for a holiday home. She asked if I'd like to partner in buying and refurbishing the house see found in Stari Grad. I came to have a look and immediately loved the place. I have been back innumerable times since with friends and family. Sue and I sold our house in 2019. I have always aspired to have a house built, and decided this would be a good opportunity. It was hard to find the right site. It had to mix great views with easy walking distance from the town centre. I eventually found a superb site with the help of Tado Moskatelo, a local real estate agent. Architects Nikola Dužević, Borna Pavičić and Vanesa Busija, of Morpharos, and I spent much time considering options for making the best of the site, working within the parameters of the strict planning rules for the area. I decided from the start that it would be best for the house to be "upside down", with bedrooms on the ground and living areas above, making the most of the views. I liked the idea of roof terraces so that views could be enjoyed both inside and outside. Vanesa had the idea of the beautiful and distinctive upper section, slightly cantilevering over the ground floor. Construction started in November 2021. A main reason that it took so long is that construction is not allowed in Stari Grad from mid-June to mid-September, to avoid disturbance to visitors. The construction was by Boris Grubisic of Boro GB and a team of specialist subcontractors, including specialist craftsmen to do the dry stone walling. The surface of the floors and swimming pool, bathroom sinks and kitchen island were made with a special technique called micro-topping, installed by specialists from Germany. The fitted furniture was built, to Vanesa's design, by Černelic, and is of superb quality. The construction was supervised for me by Šime Šurjak. Vanesa Busija of Morpharos bought all the equipment. She is owed particular credit for the design of the house and the interior design, putting her heart and soul into the project. Kristina Lazaneo designed and installed the beautiful garden.  Pictured in the photograph: Vanesa, Borna, Šime and Boris.