Clockwork House

LOCATION: Málaga, Spain

CLIENT: Private

PROGRAM: House

SIZE: 300 m²

STATUS: Competition

TEAM: Alicia Casals, Karl Johan Nyqvist

This single-family house is specifically designed for the 270-degrees views that its unique location offers. It aims for a unique look that moves away from the generic and soulless “white cube” style. The architecture is solid and designed for the local climate, using a high-inertia facade with large, shaded openings in the living areas and selected framed views in the rest of the house. It features a central, shaded patio that acts as a private “secret garden”, and provides natural cross-ventilation.

The house is designed to blend into its site. Its base is integrated with the topography, stepping down and incorporating garden planters. The overall massing also steps down on the edges to minimize its impact on the landscape and open up the patio as it approaches the terrain. The goal is a compact footprint that is respectful of the plot’s natural state.

On your arrival, a gardened staircase leads to the wood-paneled main entrance on the upper ground floor. Inside, you are greeted by a double-height lobby with a sculptural staircase and views of the patio. The double-height living room offers stunning sea views, and a large, sun-protected glazed area opens to a spill-over pool and a generous terrace, partially covered and partially open as a sundeck.