Located in the Galician countryside, the project establishes a direct relationship with its immediate site context, prioritising response to local topography, microclimatic conditions, and solar orientation. Designed by SINALDABA Estudio Arquitectura, the residential structure relies on foundational passive building principles, envelope compactness, protection against prevailing winds, low surface-to-volume ratio, and minimal site disturbance, rather than relying on nostalgic or regional vernacular aesthetics.
Architectural concept & Passive strategies
The volume is shaped by strict microclimatic responses. The building envelope maintains a low surface-to-volume ratio to optimise heat retention during winter, while its compact geometry shields internal living spaces from prevailing northern weather patterns. The building footprint is organised around a primary pitched-roof volume centered on an interior courtyard. This protected central void serves as an outdoor microclimatic buffer zone, regulating solar radiation, sheltering outdoor activities, and facilitating natural cross-ventilation across the living quarters.
Passive solar
The spatial envelope is closed along its northern facade to minimise conductive heat loss and cold air infiltration. Conversely, extensive glazing opens along the southern and western elevations to maximise direct passive solar heat gain during winter months, while integrated overhangs filter high-angle summer sun.
SINALDABA Estudio Arquitectura specified a dual-level layout tailored to the site's natural topography. The upper level houses daily living spaces, maintaining a continuous visual and physical connection to the central courtyard and solar orientations. Below, the lower level embeds utility, storage, and functional support spaces into the natural slope, benefiting from ground-coupling and stable subterranean temperatures to assist in passive thermal regulation.
Materiality & Building envelope
Material selection prioritises structural durability, regional sourcing, and high thermal capacity. The primary structural system incorporates heavy thermal mass, utilising locally quarried granite and exposed concrete, to absorb diurnal temperature fluctuations and naturally stabilise indoor thermal comfort throughout seasonal transitions.
To optimise envelope performance, exterior wall assemblies feature continuous high-performance insulation designed to eliminate thermal bridging. The exterior is finished with vapour-permeable mineral renders, allowing the building envelope to manage moisture diffusion effectively without compromising airtightness.
Locally harvested timber is integrated throughout exterior joinery, window profiles, and interior finishes. Specifying timber from local forestry management minimises transport-related embodied carbon emissions while leveraging a durable, renewable material well-suited to humid regional climatic conditions.
