Bordered on the west by a noisy road and on the east by a stunning palm forest, three platforms adapt to the natural slope of the land and open to the surrounding garden. A lattice of local stone on the courtyard and entrance facade to reduce traffic noise, provide privacy, and filter the afternoon sun.
On a uniform grid of 5.4 m x 5.4 m, slender and lightweight metal structure, supports a large roof made of vaulted brick tiles. The vaults are of different sizes and shapes, with the primary module measuring 90 cm. This new topography creates spaces of various heights and offers protection for both the indoor and the outdoor areas located beneath it.
The house is oriented along an east-west axis to allow the prevailing winds to flow through it, promoting continuous natural ventilation. All openings are protected from direct sunlight, but natural light floods the house throughout the day. The breeze and filtered light passing through wooden lattices and windows, under vaulted roofs and across interior courtyards, create a microclimate, offering a pleasant sense of shelter and coolness. The large shading roof and other passive measures provide significant energy savings, reducing the need for air conditioning by 40%. Sustainability in all its aspects was a guiding principle from the project’s inception.
The program accommodates the needs of a large family with children of various ages. The spaces, informal, open, and permeable to their privileged surroundings, are also welcoming and compact, maintaining an appropriate scale for their various functions: kitchen, dining room, living room, study, bedrooms, greenhouse, and a play or study area for the younger ones. The social spaces and the parents’ areas are located on the upper platform, the children on the second platform, and a bit lower, at the level of the pool and garden, the playroom. Circulation throughout the house is fluid, with multiple pathways. The spatial qualities are surprising, varied, and appealing, creating comfortable indoor areas that optimally meet the needs of the users.
The use of brick in the form of vaults provides an effective solution for climate control, while contributing an artisanal aesthetic. The textured brickwork juxtaposes with to the smooth floor made of local travertine.
Special attention was given to construction details. Fine aluminum joinery, glass walls, and modern sliding doors were carefully designed.
Water in channels, ponds, and pools flows through the house from east to west. Large cisterns beneath collect rainwater, which is abundant but necessary for continuous irrigation.
The house’s engineering allows all water used to be recycled. Through a system of chemical treatment across seven tanks, impurities are gradually removed, and the resulting water emerges potable.
The house maintains direct contact with the surrounding nature, with landscaping embracing the lush vegetation without formalism.
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CLIENT
Private
ARCHITECTS
Belén Moneo, Jeffrey Brock
ARCHITECTS TEAM
Federico Pérez, Javier del Pozo, Francisco Blazquez,
Pedro Arnanz, Ismael Sanz, Yaiza Camacho
3D MODEL
Pedro Arnanz, Javier del Pozo