MP House in Sesma
06/03/2013.
[VIDEO] By Alcolea + Tárrago Arquitectos. [Sesma, Navarra] Spain
metalocus, CANDELA OLIVA, SERGIO CIDONCHA
metalocus, CANDELA OLIVA, SERGIO CIDONCHA
Memory of project por Alcolea + Tárrago arquitectos
The commission began in a private competition, in which our office was selected not by a particular project, but by the attitude showed to the clients to build a maximum house with a very small budget in complicated plot, a very sharp slope. And not least, the involvement and commitment, perhaps beyond any logical reason, to propose successive approximations to the project (up to five preliminary projects and a full executive project with its visa) before the final solution.
Anyway, the program answers common needs of a conventional home for a young couple with two young daughters, including a garage for two cars and a small garden and orchard. It is a monolithic volume, which emphasizes its archetypal geometry using concrete and stained pinewood. Any gesture is made to the better orientation and views, and to clear the plot as much as possible for the small garden and orchard to plant some vegetables and fruit trees. The house, therefore, is set at the highest level of the site. It follows a restrictive regulation on alignment and height. But this also permits to dominate the southern view towards the grain fields and smooth foothills of the River Ebro.
Following similar strategies, the garage is separated from the main volume to close the north limit. Between the house and the garage there is an entrance and patio access three meters wide. Large sliding doors in pine board communicate the garage, garden and the street. The ground floor of the house is linked to the garden through large windows. A single space includes the living, kitchen and a place for leisure and work. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a laundry room are in the upper floor. In the basement there is a multipurpose space, facilities and storage rooms.
The building details in reinforced concrete unify structure, finishing and texture, and control the total budget. The windows have shutters in stained pine board, very common in the folk architecture of the area. The thermal inertia of the concrete volume as well as an under floor heating and cooling system using geothermal energy determines a high efficiency in a quite extreme climate, very cold in winter and very hot in summer, without resigning to large windows for a maximum use of natural light. A very small local construction company owned by a family friend and local subcontractors carried out the construction. And explains the delay of the execution process.
alcolea+tárrago arquitectos was founded in 2005 by Rubén Alcolea and Jorge Tárrago. The study is set in Pamplona, where they live, work and teach. The office's work has been awarded more than twenty national and international competitions and published in many specialized magazines. Recently they received the Premi AJAC VI (2009) for young architects granted by the Associació de Joves Arquitectes del Col.legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya and they have been selected in the Programa Europe 40 under 40 para Emerging Young Architects and Designers 2010 granted by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
Their academic working and teaching are developed in the Department of Proyectos of the ETS de Arquitectura of the Universidad de Navarra, it has been published in several national and international journals and books. Both are doctorates by Universidad de Navarra and actively collaborate in initiatives such as the Biennale of Latin American Architecture or the Congress of History of Modern Architecture in Spain. Currently they combine teaching, research and professional work independently.
Rubén Alcolea, graduated Architect and PhD at the University of Navarre, Spain, where was graduated with distinction in final Project, and Special National award in architecture studies. Since then on has developed teaching experience in the design and architectural projects in the School of Architecture of the University of Navarre (ETSAUN), as well as coordinating the Cultural Activities and, since 2005, the whole Publication Department.
In 2008-2009 was visiting scholar at the Theories&Histories at the Architectural School of Architecture, London, where also made some research and gave seminars. Specialized in photography and modern architecture, is author of the book “Picnic de Pioneros”, abnd has also published several articles in magazines, read papers in congress and symposiums and given lectures in other cultural associations. Now works both in teaching architecture as well as developing professional practice, where has gained some prizes in competitions of architecture.
Jorge Tárrago, graduated Architect and PHD at the University of Navarre, Spain. Has developed teaching experience and collaborating in theoretical investigation in the Project Department of the School of Architectural. In 2005 gets the PhD. Nowadays is the Studies in Chief Coordinator of the School of Architecture in Pamplona, Spain, and develops, teaching and professional practice.
In 2007 published the book “inhabiting inspiration / building up the myth. Studio-houses for artists in the interwar period”. Has spending short stays in la Fondation Le Corbusier and also as a Visiting Scholar at Columbia School of Architecture, NYC. He has also given lectures in Poitiers, Sydney or Los Angeles. Coordinator of the magazine Ra, Magazine of Architecture. Now works both in teaching architecture as well as developing professional practice, where has gained some prizes in competitions of architecture.