-
Architects: RipollTizon
- Area: 3218 ft²
- Year: 2023
-
Photographs:José Hevia
-
Lead Architects: Pep Ripoll, Juan Miguel Tizón
Text description provided by the architects. The land where the house is situated has a steep slope ascending from the street, offering breathtaking views of the Bay of Palma. The governing regulations for the plot play a decisive role: buildings are required to consist primarily of a main body with an essentially rectangular plan, a simple volumetric design, and a sloping roof finished with traditional ceramic tiles.
Positioned at the upper part of the plot, adjacent to a wooded area and steering clear of the steep slope near the road, the dwelling is conceived as a staggered home. It adapts to the topography, unfolding across various levels that align with the natural profile of the land, establishing a strong connection with the outdoors.
Given the frequent and prolonged guest visits, the building is designed to comfortably accommodate two families. The house comprises two independent private areas, each of which includes a master bedroom, an adjoining multipurpose room, and a bathroom, in addition to the standard shared spaces.
The floor plan of the building is almost square. The spaces for private use, for hosts and guests, are identical in layout and size and are arranged on adjacent sides of the floor plan providing the independence each family needs. These areas are separated by shared spaces, organized along a diagonal axis oriented towards the views. This axis crosses the floor plan and ends in the living room.
Three courtyards serve as transition spaces between the interior and exterior. One of the courtyards is covered with a light structure supporting climbing vegetation, creating a shaded, protected living space integrated with the building's envelope. Each master bedroom offers direct access from one of the courtyards, creating alternative itineraries that reinforce the intended independence of the private spaces.
Traditional construction solutions are used. The structure is resolved with load-bearing walls and one-way slabs while simultaneously creating the living spaces: load-bearing structure and living structure coincide. The exterior neutrality of the volume contrasts with the dynamic interior of the dwelling. The various floor levels that shape the internal topography are accompanied by the staggered arrangement in the ceilings and culminate in a sloping roof with Arabic tiles resolved with a single slope parallel to the land. This creates a ventilated and accessible air chamber through which the installations run. Regarding finishes, the load-bearing walls are rendered with lime mortar, while beams and slabs are left exposed, giving character to the interior space.
The building's energy performance is excellent; this is achieved by using natural, and local resources as well as efficient installations. Thanks to its optimal orientation, the building benefits from prevailing winds, and natural ventilation is maximized. Courtyards are used as landscaped intermediate spaces. Rainwater is harvested. The roof is ventilated, and the structure, resolved with ceramic load-bearing walls, provides the building with high thermal inertia.
