According to the climatic conditions of each region and its implantation environment, exterior enclosures play a fundamental role in providing the necessary climatization and ventilation conditions to make indoor spaces habitable and comfortable. While there are various bioclimatic strategies and designs that can be applied to achieve energy efficiency, the determination of materiality, the choice of hardware, and the definition of opening and closing technologies contribute to the performance of facades, providing functionality and a high degree of adaptability to contemporary uses, among other factors.
Sliding windows, folding doors, overhead gates, and many other types of exterior enclosures characterize the facades of homes seeking to meet the needs of their inhabitants, sometimes facing limited space dimensions, peak sun exposure, and more. The use of wood, whether in modular and lightweight structures, interior cladding, furniture, or room dividers, has been increasingly implemented in contemporary Spanish architecture, as well as taking on various configurations in Mexico and other countries.
Beyond the numerous ongoing questions about whether using wood is sustainable or not, many architecture professionals continue to explore its possibilities for innovation and development. In a path where the future of construction materials emerges as one of the most relevant global themes, the use of mobile enclosures presents several design intentions. Among them, the blurring of boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces provides continuity, enables a connection with nature, and fosters the bond between inhabitants and the landscape, as can be observed in some homes in Peru.
Indeed, the Gallery House, located in Gerona, Spain, adapts to the conditions and relationships between the interior and exterior through folding wooden shutters that filter the light. Thus, thanks to the filter provided by the shutters and the glass, it achieves good thermal performance, resulting in a highly energy-efficient space with very low demands and reduced environmental impact. On the other hand, in the GT House by Diàfan Arquitectura, they have sought to encourage interaction between the interior and exterior by proposing a series of mobile panels that serve as solar protection while providing privacy. As their authors maintain, they achieve "being inside while being outside, so that you don't cross a line when moving from indoors to outdoors."
Below are a series of houses in Spain that use sliding, folding, or hinged panels as exterior enclosures. These mobile panels help protect the interior spaces from solar radiation while allowing ventilation by either filtering or not filtering natural light.
Housing in Garralda / Nazareth Gutierrez Franco + Rodrigo Nuñez Arquitectos
Passive and Bioclimatic Single-Family Homes in Santiago de la Ribera / Ecoproyecta
PIN8 House / PMMT Arquitectura
Two Houses at Vidrà / Sau Taller d'Arquitectura
Knot House / Arnau estudi d'arquitectura
Puigpunyent Eco-Passive House / Miquel Lacomba Architects
Guillem and Cati’s Home / TEd’A arquitectes
House in Hills of Madrid / Slow Studio
Gallery House / Tallerdarquitectura
GT House / Diàfan Arquitectura
Ca l’Amo House / Marià Castelló Martínez
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