Three residential architecture case studies in Manacor and Portocolom, explained through the decisions that shape site planning, privacy and the relationship with the surroundings.
A multi-family new-build project in Mallorca must resolve several issues at once: the planning potential of the site, the quality of each home, construction costs and the building’s presence within the street. Llorenç Brunet Arquitectes, founded in Manacor in 1996, has been designing residential buildings in eastern Mallorca for three decades.
Early decisions shape the entire life of a building. A poorly resolved floor plan, a weak relationship with the street or terraces without privacy cannot be corrected later simply through finishes. These three projects show how the constraints of a site can become part of the architectural solution.
What a multi-family new-build project needs to resolve
A multi-family new-build is a newly constructed building containing several independent homes together with shared elements such as an entrance hall, stairs, lift, roof or parking. The architect assesses feasibility, prepares the design and construction documentation, manages the planning process and directs the works through to completion.
Unlike a single-family house, the same decision is repeated across several floors and homes. A successful residential project therefore needs to be controlled on several fronts:
- Site potential: buildability, permitted height, number of homes and parking spaces allowed by local planning rules.
- Typical floor plan: compact circulation, natural light and ventilation wherever the site allows.
- Façade: relationship with the street, solar protection and privacy.
- Regulations: municipal planning, the Spanish Technical Building Code, habitability and accessibility requirements.
- Cost and maintenance: durable construction systems that are straightforward to maintain.
Mallorca adds another important condition. Available urban land is limited and plots are often constrained by party walls, corners, slopes or tight dimensions. Es Passeig de Na Camel·la, Juníper Serra and Portocolom respond to different situations, yet all begin with the same principle: understand the site before defining the building.
Es Passeig de Na Camel·la: contemporary architecture between party walls in Manacor
Completed in 2009, Es Passeig de Na Camel·la is a new-build multi-family residential building positioned between adjoining properties, with its main façade facing Passeig d’Antoni Maura and a secondary façade facing Carrer de Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. The building comprises a basement, ground floor and three upper residential floors. The ground floor accommodates a bar, while the upper levels are residential.
The challenge
The project had to accommodate both commercial and residential uses within an established urban fabric while maintaining the street alignment of neighbouring buildings. At the same time, the homes needed natural light, solar protection and privacy from the street.
The design response
The façade combines light-toned rendered surfaces with large openings protected by shutters or horizontal louvres. These elements give the elevations a coherent language while controlling solar exposure and privacy for the homes.
Projecting and recessed elements create depth and a more sculptural composition. At ground level, large glazed shopfronts make the building more open and transparent, clearly distinguishing the commercial use from the residential floors above.
The result
The result is a contemporary building that integrates into the existing urban fabric, respects the established street alignment and clearly resolves the relationship between the active ground floor and the homes above.
Juníper Serra: a projecting double skin for a building between party walls
Juníper Serra is a 2006 residential building in Manacor, positioned between party walls on a corner site, with a commercial ground floor and four upper residential levels. Rather than using a single flat street façade, the project introduces a projecting double skin formed by vertical planes that fold inwards and outwards.
The challenge
Five levels on a relatively compact frontage could easily have produced a repetitive grid of windows that revealed the internal layout. The aim was instead to make the building read from the street as a single architectural volume.
The design response
The vertical planes of the double skin create inward and outward folds that give the façade rhythm and depth. Balconies sit between these planes as horizontal platforms, gaining protection from direct sun and overlooking from neighbouring homes.
Openings follow a consistent order regardless of the room behind them, while the finishes use conventional rendered systems. The fully glazed ground floor acts as a visual plinth for the building.
The result
From the street, individual flats are not read separately. The building appears as one continuous, coherent volume.
For the developer, this creates a recognisable identity using conventional construction methods. For residents, the folded façade provides more protected balconies, shade and privacy.
Portocolom: homes, landscape and pool brought together in one development
The 2018 Portocolom project is a residential development in the municipality of Felanitx comprising two multi-family buildings and one detached villa, with a total area of 4,492.25 m². The two apartment blocks are positioned perpendicular to one another, freeing the centre of the site for a landscaped communal garden and swimming pool.
The challenge
The site has a gentle slope, established vegetation and a perimeter stone wall. The challenge was to accommodate the required density without turning the outdoor space into little more than circulation and parking, while also protecting the privacy of ground-floor homes facing the shared areas.
The design response
At Portocolom, the site plan was resolved before the elevations. The development is organised around several key decisions:
- Two residential blocks arranged perpendicular to one another, freeing the centre of the plot.
- A communal area with swimming pool, solarium, children’s pool and jacuzzi integrated into the garden.
- Private ground-floor terraces raised above the communal garden by a local stone plinth.
- 29 outdoor parking spaces and three bicycle areas.
- A system of ramps connecting the different entrances without architectural barriers.
- Retention of much of the perimeter stone wall and at least 30% of the plot as permeable surface.
The stone plinth performs two functions at once. It gives ground-floor homes greater privacy from the communal garden and visually anchors the buildings to the site.
On the plot next to Carrer Raó, the detached villa was placed in the centre of the site with a south-facing swimming pool. It has greater privacy than the apartment blocks while sharing the same materials and architectural language, allowing the development to be read as a coherent whole.
The result
The homes open onto generous terraces and shared outdoor areas, while the roof levels look towards Portocolom bay. Architecture, planting, stone and water work together to take advantage of the Mediterranean climate and strengthen the relationship between home and landscape.
What the three projects have in common
Despite their differences in scale, programme and date, the three projects share several principles that Llorenç Brunet Arquitectes applies consistently to multi-family residential design:
- The ground floor resolves the building’s relationship with the street or garden.
- The façade protects before it displays: louvres, folds and deep terraces provide shade and privacy.
- The building is read as a coherent whole rather than as a collection of individual flats.
- Durable, familiar and maintainable materials and construction systems are prioritised.
In a residential development, resolving the site strategy first improves layouts, privacy and the quality of outdoor space. The number of homes matters, but the way the building is placed on the site determines much of the project’s final value.
How we approach a multi-family new-build project
A multi-family new-build project passes through several stages, from the initial site study to final completion. The team integrates architecture, planning, structural consultancy and project management, allowing the developer to work with a single point of contact throughout the process.
- Feasibility study. Review of planning rules, buildability, permitted height, potential number of homes and parking requirements, ideally before the site is purchased.
- Concept design. Site strategy, typical floor plan, first architectural direction and initial cost estimate.
- Basic design and planning permission. Documentation required for the municipal licence application.
- Construction documentation. Structure, services, construction details and measurements in accordance with the Spanish Technical Building Code.
- Construction management. Site visits, quality control and coordination with the execution team and contractor.
- Completion and handover. Final certification and the documentation required for occupation and use.
The feasibility stage is one of the most effective ways to reduce financial risk. A plot that appears attractive may allow fewer homes than expected or require a parking solution that changes the economics of the entire development.
For several years, the practice has also applied passive-house and energy-efficiency principles to collective housing. Manacor 32, completed in 2019, demonstrates how these criteria can also be incorporated into multi-family buildings within an established urban setting.
Frequently asked questions about multi-family new-build projects
What does an architect do on a multi-family new-build project?
The architect studies the feasibility of the site, prepares the design and construction documentation, manages the planning process and directs the works through to final certification. The architect also defines the typical floor plan, façade and shared spaces, decisions that directly affect both construction cost and the final value of the homes.
What regulations apply to a new multi-family building in Mallorca?
The project must comply with municipal planning rules, the Spanish Technical Building Code, Balearic habitability regulations and accessibility requirements, together with the obligations established by Spanish building legislation.
When should the architect be appointed?
Ideally before buying the site. A feasibility study establishes how many homes, floors and parking spaces the plot can actually accommodate and helps determine whether the development is viable before a major investment is made.
A successful residential building starts with a careful reading of the site
Es Passeig de Na Camel·la, Juníper Serra and Portocolom differ in scale and date, yet share the same strategy: turning site constraints into part of the project. Party walls, street relationships, density and slope become architectural opportunities when they are considered from the earliest design decisions.
If you own a plot or are considering a residential development in Mallorca, Llorenç Brunet Arquitectes can assess its feasibility with you.
Contact: info@brunetarquitectes.com · +34 971 84 56 84 · Hort de la Vila 5, Manacor.
