SA BLANQUERA

As happens in the projects carried out at the architectural firm of Llorenç Brunet, responsible for this work and specialising in the design, construction and management of unique houses, there must always be something of the conditions of the place that is reflected in the work in such a way that it justifies the design and is linked to the site.

In this case, the uniqueness of the site and its topography allow the volumetry to fit into the terrain in such a way that the main floor is above the access level, achieving exceptional views over the surrounding landscape, and the lower floor of the garage is at street level. The result is a staggered volumetry, the result of the combination of the topography of the site and the municipal regulations, which do not permit more than two storeys above the natural terrain.

The volumetric organisation procedure has been done by “emptying”, a classic procedure of extraction by sculptors in search of the final form: a series of volumes have been subtracted from the rectangular volume, strategically located in the search for better lighting, ventilation, exterior views, interior perspectives, spatial diversity… The explanation of these spaces is justified by the architectural solutions they bring to the building, linked and defined by a great diversity of interior and exterior areas that allow them to be used depending on the time of day and the season.

We find a double central space above the dining room that visually connects the two floors and provides a high level of natural light; a covered terrace facing west, semi-buried, intimate and secluded. Cool in the morning and at midday; another one facing south-east and sheltered from the view of pedestrians and linked to the garden/pool area, to be used in the afternoon/evening; a patio/laundry room, facing north and hidden from the street and from the noble areas of the house; another “service” patio on the first floor to illuminate/ventilate bathrooms and staircase…; and the terrace with swimming pool at the front of the house.

There is a clear intention on the part of the architects to encourage the surprise effect on the visitor, forcing him to enter through the north façade and hiding the entire noble area of the house so that, once inside, he suddenly discovers the spatial amplitude of the interior and sees the central garden area and the swimming pool, which is set back to the right, in front of him.