HOUSE IN A FOREST
SELF-SUFFICIENT HOUSING PROJECT IN ENGUERA
This house is located in the southwest of the Valencia province, in the foothills of the Sierra de Enguera, on an extensive plot of 27,000 m2, at an altitude of 780 m and abundantly populated by Aleppo and Roden pines and some holm oaks, in the opposite end of the access, where the valley begins and are the best views.
Two scales, two approximations: the first, distant, the views of the valley. Going up, soaring to enjoy those magnificent views, the sun in winter and the breezes in summer. The second, closely, introduce an intense and extensive relationship with the forest, from anywhere in the house.
A topographical operation: to manipulate the terrain around the house, sensibly depress the level of access and shape the volume, in such a way that views, ventilation, and circulation are optimized. Thus, the section defines the spatial organization for us, around a room of considerable height, the heart of the house and where the staircase organizes the program. The existing trees are respected. Only one very close is cut, for safety against a possible fire. On the roof, a "lantern", luminosity in the immediate surroundings and vital sign in the more distant landscape (finally the "lantern" was not built).
It is a self-sufficient "unplugged" house, using solar and wind energy, and a rainwater purification system.
Light industrialized structure, dry stone walls in contact with the ground and dark cement panels with wood fibres in contact with the pines (there was a previous version with industrialized aluminium mesh panels).
