LOCATION: Minorca, Spain
CLIENT: Private
PROGRAM: Single-family house
SIZE: 360m2
STATUS: Completed 2020
TEAM: Alicia Casals, Karl Johan Nyqvist, Laura Guitart, Noelia de la Red, Mario García, Marina Miró, Jordi Sarda, Maria Andanova
PHOTOGRAPHER: Adrià Goula
Patio house sits on a gently sloping site located on the north-east coast of Minorca’s island, Spain. The plot has great views over the Mediterranean Sea, but unfortunately has also a 10-storey hotel shooting up in the horizon. Because of this visual obstacle we decided to intentionally direct the views in specific directions. Thus, the house plays with solid and glazed walls that frame undisturbed views towards the sea, forest and garden while hiding the massive hotel construction and isolating itself from neighbours.
In plan, a square was removed from the core of a pentagon to let more daylight into the house and create interesting visual connections. This void became a south-oriented patio protected from the strong northern wind. Three of its sides are built up by large sliding glass doors that connect both visually and physically the opposite zones of the garden making it possible to gaze at the sea through the ground floor. The fourth wall of the patio is removed forming a north-south axis of outdoor interconnected spaces. From autumn to spring the patio captures the heat of the sun resulting in a warm and inviting space, while in the summer the same place can be covered and turned into a large porch with a soft breeze created by natural cross ventilation.
The facade finishings take strong references from local architecture with whitewashed walls and blue or green shutters. Deployé shutters block the sun during daytime and secure the house when it is closed for the winter season. The grainy plaster of the outer walls creates an interesting contrast with the smooth inclined frames around the large windows. On the back side facade smaller squared windows, remind of a more domestic scale. Indoors, a combination of light colours and high ceilings with changing inclinations reflect and magnify the abundant daylight. Large sliding glazing and continuous white marble floors dilute the limits between interior and exterior spaces. Only few elements, break the all-white tones by introducing small turquoise details that link back to the shutters outside.
