Constructively the materials used in the project are as less intensive as possible, to adapt to the style of the whole, for this oak wood and stone are the constructive axes that we can see throughout the project, and the wood has been used in the interior paneling, which has gained in height compared to the previous project both floors, and the stone has been used by a traditional masonry method.
The style of the exterior changes, and follows the same constructive and aesthetic themes of the main volume, creating a swimming pool and roofed and open spaces, achieving an interior and exterior space in which light, tradition, and comfort are the cornerstones on which the lines of the project are articulated.
Description of project by Pablo Muñoz Payá Arquitectos
Stone and oak bring light back to an old orchard house.
With the intense Mediterranean light and surrounded by olive trees, it is not strange that this family chose to rehabilitate such an estate to move to live in the countryside. That is why this project tried to satisfy their wishes while respecting the essence of rural architecture.
Due to regulatory requirements, it was only possible to renovate the existing house without extending its surface area. Without modifying its perimeter, the thick opaque walls are opened up, giving a new sensation of spaciousness and lightness. The existing roof is extended over the old storage room, preserving the ceramic gable roof. This creates a new luminous space of greater height for the interior of the house, where the living room, dining room, and kitchen are located. This space has a large window, taking advantage of the north orientation that protects it from direct sunlight.
In addition, unlike the low ceilings that the house had, the project lowers the living room area three steps, gaining more height in this area. A way to reorganize the space and clear the views from the dining table or the kitchen. On the ceiling, the new roof allows the old false ceiling to be extended with new sound-absorbing wood paneling, which grows exponentially to the top of the roof. It is made with a triangular faceting that geometrizes this new opening. This not only doubles the entry of natural light but also gives it a modern and sophisticated look.
The natural oak wood gives all the warmth to the rehabilitation, combined with the golden glow of the Mediterranean light. The kitchen is built with the same oak, thus unifying the tones of this central space of the house, but adapting to its different uses.
In front of the cozy lounge, a swimming pool emerges in height, overflowing like a fountain from which water never ceases to flow. The path to it is accompanied by elegant platforms that rise up to a water curtain, a key element to giving serenity with its sound to the garden.
Around the pool, the deteriorated rural constructions that served the old house are rescued. These small buildings are articulated by the new porch, a structure of solid wooden slats that picks up visitors from the entrance of the plot and takes them through the passage generated by these constructions until they get a glimpse of the large window of the living room.
Natural materials such as wood and dry stone placed with the traditional technique of masonry in some parts of the facade and over the pool allow the house to be in harmony with its surroundings. A way of recovering the traditional architecture making life more comfortable and luminous.
