The project is a single family house, built in an exclusive neighbourhood in Madrid.

The site, originally of 6.000sqm, already had a built house.

It was divided in two lots of 3.000sqm each: one containing the existing house, and the other one, where the project sits, free of existing buildings but conditioned by the trees of the former garden and the proximity to the existing house.

The house sits in the upper side of the garden, where the best views of the site can be seen.

It was also the area where we found a clearing to sort the trees.

The house divides in two the garden: one, constrained, related to the entrance, closes up to the existing house, and the other one, wide opens up to the garden.

The ground floor is arranged in three areas that meet in the hall: public area –bar, dinning room, living room-, semiprivate area –guest room, children´s playroom, study-, and service area –kitchen, pantry and laundry room-.

The void that is outlined in the centre of these three “wings” defines the hall.

The limits are unclear and vary due to the nearby spaces that open or close on to it, allowing the flow of space.

The upper floor is also arranged in three areas, housing the bedrooms.

Its footprint sets back in order to disguise the upper volume from the garden.

Concept

Considered as a high standard residential dwelling, the high quality is given by the spatial conditions, the light, the views, the detail and scale, rather than the cost of the materials.

Each space has been projected as a unique cell considering the best orientations for its use and opening up the strategic windows to avoid the surrounding buildings, taking advantage of the views of the garden.

The house it is not perceived as a unitary volumen, its appearance varies depending from where it is seen.

Constructive solutions

As it is a fragmented house, it has more façade, so the construction detail of the outer skin has been projected to improve its thermic conditions.

A simple but efficient solution has been chosen: honeycomb clay block, thermal insulation and a continue finishing of Baumit.

The house is climatized with a cooling and heating floor.

Skylights

The cubic volumes of the house are transformed by the erosions of the cornered windows and the cuts made in the upper floor as skylights.

These skylights create views without interferences with the surroundings houses and allow additional light into the rooms.

From the exterior, these skylights define the volumes of the house.