The program develops a 214 m² surface area on two floors, creating a staggered set of volumes that improves the exterior articulation of the building. The envelope was made with self-ventilated Clinker bricks, which gives the sensation of weightlessness as the mass of the joint disappears, allowing air to pass into the internal chamber. The anthracite colour was chosen to accentuate the contrast with the concrete of the base.
Neruca house by Sukunfuku studio SLP. Photography by Jorge Allende.
Description of project by Sukunfuku studio
"Neruca" is a grape variety from Cantabria which gives its name to the project, given its black anthracite envelope.
The house is located on a narrow plot, with two main façades, the east and the west, facing the adjoining plots and very close to the nearby constructions, while only a small portion faces public areas to the south.
Due to these constrain the resulting design is an introverted home, with semi-interior patios used to maximize the relationship with the environment. These patios function as a filter between the house and its surroundings, they are transitional spaces that protect and give privacy to the different rooms. Also it increases the chances to have openings, favouring natural lighting and internal sunlight.
The surface of the plot requires a distribution on two floors, in order to cover the programmatic needs. To reduce its volume, instead of a traditional two floors height distribution, an intermediate level is created, staggering different volumes to soften the impact of the new construction on the plot itself and its immediate surroundings.
For the envelope, a high-performance clinker brick was used, self-ventilated, which makes the joint disappear and gives a sensation of weightlessness, the air circulates between each block through an internal chamber, drying the façade on its inner face. The anthracite colour was intentionally chosen to produce contrast with the grey concrete of its basement.
