Casa Lote 31
Located in a context of urban expansion of a residential area of Mirandela, this plot had a set of well-defined rules regarding its site plan, setbacks and mass. Given this, the design quickly developed into a compact and linear volume organized on a square base plan - 11x11m - above which two floors arise.
The fenestration was a guiding theme in the architectural drawing and the glass plan retreat concerning the façade plan sets a new vertical profile in the design of the elevations. This gain in interior depth results in space for cabinets and technical areas and develops into small balconies on the outside, which is crucial for the permanent shading, the control of the natural light/temperature and establishes more intimacy in the visual connections between the outside and inside.
On the ground floor exist the majority of the daytime spaces, which have a direct relation with the exterior. The transitional space between the living room and the kitchen is developed in a double ceiling height that amplifies the entrance of natural light through a superior window and provides an interface between the two floors.
The first floor houses the more private program, with three bedrooms, and a single flight of stairs between the two floors is sided with a shale wall (local stone) that creates a natural atmosphere for its texture and colour. This wall connects the ground floor to the rooftop, where it ends in a small volume coated with plate.
The uniformity of the white on the inside is contradicted by the dark wooden floor, which gives greater comfort and a balanced brightness. In the exterior, material uniqueness given by the continuous insulation, coated with a thin white finfishing, strengthens the idea of an excavated monolithic in contrast to the strong greens and browns colours of the surrounding the area.
