The house is located in the Historic Centre of Villafranca del Bierzo, next to the Convent of La Anunciada and close to the confluence of the Valcárcel and Burbia rivers. The plot, which concealed the remains of an old stone dwelling, presents a complex topographic condition with multiple façade fronts developed across two levels: an upper level accessed from Rúa Nueva, and a lower level connected to Plaza de la Anunciada.
The project engages in a dialogue with local architectural forms and typologies, proposing an intervention that mediates with its surroundings through two juxtaposed volumes conceived as a hinge between the city, the landscape and the built memory. The upper volume is conceived as a lookout opening towards the valley, while the lower volume is organised around a historic courtyard, defined by the stone remains uncovered during the excavation process.
Both levels accommodate a complete domestic programme—living/kitchen area, bathroom and bedroom—allowing the house to be inhabited autonomously on either floor and to adapt over time to different patterns of use.
Externally, two key design decisions articulate the relationship between the plot and the urban space. From Rúa Nueva, a large access walkway integrates the stone walls into the built landscape, establishing a gradual transition between street and dwelling. At the lower level, an inverted triangular support restructures the plot, creating a generous porch and providing the courtyard with controlled angles of privacy in relation to Rúa Santa Clara.
The result is a balanced coexistence between traditional architecture and the proposed formal and typological solutions. The house is embedded in time, embracing the values of local architecture while projecting a contemporary spatial and compositional reading.
Team:
Architect (director): Antonio Álvarez-Cienfuegos Rubio
Architect (project development and site supervision): Nuria Pérez Cabrero
Collaborators: Simone Caruso, Davide Andrea Cutolo y Pablo García Cornejo (concept design)
Construction management: José Gómez
Structural engineering: Lignea – Laura Gonzalo Calderón
Building services engineering: Sandra Romero Corvo / Luis Fernández Conejero
Contractor: Nistal y Bello
Photographer: Gabriel Gallegos Alonso
Materials Used:
The dwelling is built using traditional on-site construction systems. The main load-bearing structure is made of reinforced concrete, including floor slabs. The building is founded on two large reinforced concrete foundation slabs designed to ensure adequate load distribution over the clayey soil conditions of the plot.
The architectural composition is defined by a series of simple pitched volumes adapted to the sloping topography. Part of the upper floor is configured as a cantilevered volume, allowing the creation of a covered exterior space at ground level and reducing the visual impact of the building on the site.
The roof structure is entirely executed in pine timber, forming inclined planes finished with natural slate tiles in accordance with local urban planning regulations. The external envelope consists of highly insulated cavity walls rendered externally with lime mortar, providing a continuous, mineral finish that integrates the building into its traditional context.
Large window openings are incorporated into the façades to enhance natural lighting and visual continuity between interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.
