HOUSE-STUDIO IN FISHERMEN'S QUARTER
The house-studio perches in a fishermen's neighbourhood, on the sunny side of the open beach of Bolnuevo.
The house-studio discards the surroundings new façades, detached from the Mediterranean fishing village where it was born. Thus, following the manifesto proposed in the Davos Declaration 2018 - the design of the built environment, the relationships between objects and their built and natural environment, territorial coherence, scale and materiality, are factors which have a direct impact on our life quality-. The foundations for this building are laid from a further development of the Baukultur concept set out in this declaration, which essentially boils down to recognising the major contribution of a high quality built environment to achieving a sustainable society.
It lies on a base where part of the memory of the dwelling which once existed remains. Inside, the original stone of the former house is preserved, while the upper volume is suspended above an empty space where the vegetation indigenous to the peninsular east coast thrives, boosting bio-habitability. In the form of a shelf, situated between these two areas, a large covered terrace creates an open-air space open to the beach. Meanwhile, its silhouette, its angular sandstone annexes with their white-framed voids, create the image of something new and striking.
Indoors, the same volumes configure container spaces - built with exposed sandstone blocks - and empty spaces - framed in white - which are articulated on the basis of various geometries. Both materiality and geometric layout contextualise the rocky coves, the sand, and the white rammed earth, so closely linked to the Mediterranean.
The family and work context requires flexibility; the family development, always uncertain, demands above all rest areas which offer multiple combinations depending on the degree of intimacy and the age of the users. This allows the best adaptation to the different maps and family situations that may be established. This flexibility is equally established in the studio-parking floor, enabling it to be extended for architectural workshop work or group meetings, if necessary.
It offers sustainability through passive systems: it has large openings to the exterior to enhance the entry of natural light into the interior of the house, with a south-north orientation, protected from the south with overhangs; it allows cross ventilation on all floors. Furthermore, it is equipped with aerothermal energy and photovoltaic panel systems; and a water recirculation system has been included in the bathroom elements. On the other hand, a commitment to architectural recycling and ecology exists. The house-studio not only reuses the building, and its implementation contributing to reduce the environmental impact as stated in SDG Agenda 2030.
The new construction, several materials are used. First, stone - mainly exposed sandstone bricks, which are used both on the façades and inside the house - km.0 material with different thicknesses on the façade or interior - these come from the remains of blocks that are left over in the factory when they are cut for other products, which is why it is considered a recycled by-product. Mortars and plasters are certified natural, eco-compatible natural pure lime with GreenBuilding suitability. And, pine wood treated with water-based varnishes devoid of VOCs.
