Casa Cavero arises from a cross dialogue between architecture and its privileged natural surrounding environment. The roof piece becomes the most indentitary element of the project, acting as the backbone of the house, and adapting smoothly to the natural topography. In a way, the roof rises from the existing land and grows parallel to it, creating a close bond between architecture and nature.
In this duality, architecture does not impose but accommodates itself to the ground, obtaining all the benefits of a ground floor building with direct views to the sea.
The architectural program spread itself only in ground floor, showing its compromise with the natural environment and its surroundings, not popping out more than needed. And allowing users to develop a simpler way of living, creating a straight order around the day-use spaces, both built and unbuilt ones.
The living room faces directly towards the amazing southern coast of Menorca, protecting itself from the “tramontana” (northern wind, pretty wild and typical from Balearic Islands) but allowing the smooth breeze that comes from the sea to break through the house, refreshing the house in warm summer times. IN the other hand, during winters it can adapt to different scenarios thanks to the variety of outdoors spaces around the house.
In terms of materials, the project uses two main materials, quite typical from Balearic architecture like white cement finishes and “dry-stones walls” (muros de Piedra seca, historically a very common structural element in Menorca). These two elements, together with a monolithic white concrete roof piece, become a fascinating building with a high level of compromise with the architectural heritage and with the different handicaps the plot had.
Team:
Architect: Miguel Olazabal Arquitectos
Lead Architects: Miguel Olazabal
Project team: Miguel Olazabal, Juan Carlos Plaza, Montserrat Jori, Fernando Polo
Photo Credits: Luis Asín
Building engineer: Montserrat Jori
Constructor: Sucesores Barber S.L.
Material Used:
1. Construction System: Concrete, Stone
2. Finishes: Concrete
