Villa 18, the house by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos in La Moraleja, follows a strategy of uniting straight lines and curves. It consists of a project that, based on three volumes, creates a continuous knot in which the gaze seems to flow from one element to another, and whose interior becomes a continuous journey that emphasizes the functions of observation and relaxation.
It is through the warmth, dialogue, and material interplay of its colors and materials that a remarkable integrated heterogeneity is achieved in the home, which helps to calmly perceive the different spaces housed within, based on a wide range of white nuances and connected by different surfaces such as natural stone, the glass of the enclosure, the ash wood, or the water that connects the sky with the terrace and with the different interior spaces that overlook it.
Villa 18 by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos. Photograph by Fernando Guerra.
Project description by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
The project features diagonal views toward a lake belonging to the La Moraleja golf course in Madrid. Given that the size of this location allowed for it, a home was proposed that develops primarily on a single floor. The daytime area is organized into two volumes of different heights that shift in relation to each other, creating a sheltered terrace that faces the landscape, oriented southeast. The main body has a height of almost one and a half floors. A third structure houses the nighttime area, positioned in such a way that it has its own more private outdoor space.
The interplay of the three built volumes forms an entrance courtyard, oriented north, which gives a distinctive character to the entryway experience. The geometry has a structural function, allowing for unobstructed views of the landscape without supports. This way, spaces may remain adaptable in the future for new uses and users.
Just as the Inuit and other Arctic peoples have, according to linguists, more than forty words to describe snow, in this project, we were challenged to find a very specific and extensive range of whites with warm undertones. These shades encompass everything from Colmenar’s natural stone to ash wood, which is found in the forests of Madrid, different types of brass with colors close to 9016, and lighting temperatures tending towards 2,700K. The aim was to achieve an integrated heterogeneity that would likely help to create a sense of calm within these domestic spaces.
On the lower floor, spaces dedicated to physical well-being are located, including the swimming pool, gym, and other complementary uses, all illuminated by a skylight. Each volume features a rounded edge, generating a dynamic visual reading. These curved elements are placed in the open terrace areas, facilitating construction while ensuring that all interiors remain orthogonal.
We have always been fascinated by this strategy in the work of Andreu Alfaro. In some of his pieces, the relationship between the straight line and the curve creates a continuous knot, where the eye appears to flow seamlessly from one element to another. As Maderuelo would say, we sought to "capture" this spatial quality from Alfaro’s sculptures. As a result, the main part of the house becomes a sort of continuous journey, where the swimming pool transitions into the terrace, which in turn integrates with the facades of the built volumes, ultimately closing the loop back at the pool. This approach highlights one of the many functions of the home: to be enjoyed by observing it.
